Engine builders...this machining cost sound excessive?

gregcon said
I work for a shop wherein we have tens of millions of dollars of machine tools - many, many times more than any automotive machine shop. Our shop rate is $145/hr and that is with a union workforce getting full benefits and pension. Don't tell me the average auto shop needs to hit $100/hour. And don't tell me a hole takes an hour to bore and hone. It doesn't. I do agree auto machine is a lousy way to make a living...your customer base is among the worst. Plenty of dope users and thieves and scumbags. And worst of all...it's essentially retail business. Anytime you have to deal with the general public, you're gonna hate life.

You sound like an entitled uh youth that really lucked out. You lack REAL perspective. I have many many customers and not one of them is a dope user/thief or scumbag. In fact most of them are small business owners or white collar types (boat owners). I almost never have an issue when I present the bill. I do have a few "nickle and dimers" from time to time but they seem to be few and far between nowadays. My previous employer charged $300/hr when we had to turn on the big Mazak Integrex 1850-V. Your shop rate @ $145/hr is certainly high end thats for sure. Some days you make double your shop rate and others you make zilch or even lose/hr. The best we can hope for is we break even at our shop rate--it usually does. And yes the average auto machine shop better hit $100/hr to keep the lights on and not work for free. J.Rob