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cutting, speed, blade usage


Wichman

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So I cut this pattern this evening. 5/16" hardwood, FD #1 polar blade, glued directly to the wood, tape added as needed to support the pattern (next time I'll cut the inside first, outside last). Found a feature in Inkscape that will (I think) measure the length of all the lines in a pattern:

File in svg mode; import, ungroup, trace bitmap (only use the bitmap image).  Select the pattern then; extensions > visualize path > measure path (measurement type, length)

Inkscape said that the total path(s) length was 242.78 inches (when I enlarged the pattern and remeasured the length increased proportionally).  To compare, Splat Cat, came in at 412 inches.

I took 90 minutes to cut out the pattern, so 90 x 60 = 5400 seconds / 242 inches is 22.31 seconds per inch cut. (Yes, my brain melted about then).

The whole point of this exercise  is my attempt to extrapolate how long it should take me to cut an unknown pattern. If I can get the extra big panels to work it's something I'll need to know.

Here is the item:

20220127_003823.thumb.jpg.e5403ab1eca43b8e7a6e53bd56627dcb.jpg

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Thanks for the tip.  Never used that extension before.

Interesting, I drew a 6 x 6" square and did the measure path and the size was 23.71"  Must do something with the nodes or the options available.

The thing that really slows me down is the number of holes should be in the equation too.

Thanks again.

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Did you calculate your time figuring all this out, 😂 I guess I take the easy way out by just adding an hour meter to my saw so that it turns on / off with the saw.. LOL You'll find that with fretwork type of work that hour meter is actually going to be a very small portion of your "real time" .. 

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13 minutes ago, don in brooklin on said:

Thanks for the tip.  Never used that extension before.

Interesting, I drew a 6 x 6" square and did the measure path and the size was 23.71"  Must do something with the nodes or the options available.

The thing that really slows me down is the number of holes should be in the equation too.

Thanks again.

Once you have the drawing converted to paths, you can use Path > break apart to separate the drawing into individual objects. The total number of objects (holes) will be displayed in the bottom notification bar. Note, this can take some time for the program to process.

I just did this on the "roses a bunch" pattern; 317.72 inches 118 objects. :)

I'm still learning, so take all this with a grain of salt.

 

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19 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Did you calculate your time figuring all this out, 😂 I guess I take the easy way out by just adding an hour meter to my saw so that it turns on / off with the saw.. LOL You'll find that with fretwork type of work that hour meter is actually going to be a very small portion of your "real time" .. 

No, it's an itch I HAVE to scratch. Until I found the method to figure it out I just had to let it itch, now? Down the rabbit hole. :)

 

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As Kevin pointed out, the cutting is a small part of the time you consume especially when doing fretwork.  That becomes very saw dependent.

It literally takes me seconds to switch holes on my Hawk G4. If you have a lower end saw with clamps that require tools that time goes up dramatically.

Blade TPI and of course experience will also impact the cut times significantly.

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28 minutes ago, preprius said:

Us humans seem to add complexity to everything. 

Look how many reaponses to attaching patterns.    Getting lines on a piece of wood has so many methods. Responses to blade questions are many.

We humans Especially any engineers like Me make things complicated. 

 

Me.

Mark Eason

 

 

Like the age old question about how optimists and pessimists an engineers see a glass half full of water. The optimists see it as half full, the pessimists see it as half empty and the engineers say, we should have made the glass bigger.

 

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13 hours ago, Wichman said:

No, it's an itch I HAVE to scratch. Until I found the method to figure it out I just had to let it itch, now? Down the rabbit hole. :)

 

I feel your pain...

I do similar with every new pattern I cut. I tend to simplify a bit though. Once I have the board ready for prepping I start the clock and stop when I;m done

Next is separating, next is profiling, then cutting, then sanding, then dipping and/or finishing  then packaging, then uploading for sale.

Each phase is timed, written down and then entered into my spreadsheet to get the cost and sales numbers for the unit

I can't help myself, I'm lost with out knowing detailed information1

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I guess since I have been sawing for 20 years I have a pretty good idea of what I need to charge per-piece.. I'm not desperate for custom work and much of it I just turn down anyway because it takes time away from "normal production" that I end up loosing money by doing custom work..  what I mean by custom work is doing something I don't normally make and do not have proper finishes etc. for that, for instance I get asked to make outdoor signs a lot.. It's best to use certain lumber and finishes etc for outside items.. I can make it but it's not what I make so I kindly turn it down. I'm not so worried about my hourly wage or production, while I'm in business to make money.. some products I make don't make me a large profit on a per hour basis but other products I make I make very good profits from.. Some of those products that are not money makers for me are in a round about way.. as they grab attention to my store.. people come in and see "other cool things" that are cheaper.. and buy that instead.. so they are profit at the end of the day..

Keeping track of time for each aspect of a project from start to finish is a job by itself.. you need to calculate the time it takes you to keep track of your time 😂 and be sure to price accordingly.. If you work for a company do they make you punch out to use the bathroom? LOL I think estimated times and pricing is plenty sufficient and yeah sometimes you don't charge enough and you learn not to do that again..

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19 hours ago, preprius said:

Us humans seem to add complexity to everything. 

Look how many reaponses to attaching patterns.    Getting lines on a piece of wood has so many methods. Responses to blade questions are many.

We humans Especially any engineers like Me make things complicated. 

 

Me.

Mark Eason

 

 

I worked  at a National Lab (BNL) in a variety of capacities (loved my job) but primarily a Technician. managed a semiconductor processing lab, a machine shop and got to design and build one of a kind gadgets. I can't think of a better job, That said the Physicists would walk into my office with crazy ideas for things that did not yet exist. They and many of the Engineers where absolutely brilliant but had never built anything. Talk about over complicating things. That is where my moto below kicked in.

We had a great balance their brilliance kept me challenged and employed.

Edited by Rolf
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I guess I do things the easiest way. When I start cutting I marked down the time When I finish I mark down the time. Now for the sanding applying the pattern  tacking off the pattern and spraying the part with liquor it takes 8  minuets  no matter how large the part is but 8 minutes is the average time. If the run time is 30 minutes that takes it to 38 minutes . I charge 40 cents per minute which will bring it up to $25 per hour.. I just go to shows I enjoy the people I get to talk to and do not charge for this time. I have been doing this for 55 - 60 years and it has worked fine ever since the start I just change the 40 cents every once in a while to keep up with the times. I am 82  now and plan to keep doing this till I am 90.  I have seen some big improvements in all those years I ;am hoping for 90 years .

IKE

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