Freelance price range?

dale

hm... scanners create point clouds... CNC machines want nice vector lines. Not sure if there's any cleanup software that can "trace" a scanned mesh...
I'd think it'd involve some manual tracing...

You've got me curious, so I did a little search, and came up with this website.http://www.vrmesh.com/products/reverse.asp. I'm interested in doing a little more research on this.

thomthom

Wow. There really is some brainiac that's developed such a software!
cool!

dale

It does look good, "Guaranteed watertight polygons"
Just need the scanner.

OOPs! Don't mean to hijack the thread

juan974

PROFORMAT project method is delaunay
plugin spotted ???

[flash=600,400:1avlurkl]http://www.youtube.com/v/1UCiSb3D37A&hl=fr_FR&fs=1&[/flash:1avlurkl]

outland86

all i can say is WOW!!!!!

this is a major breakthrough
not only for CNC but also for Robotic vision in general

but what this means to CNC in the near term is you will now very inexpensively scan in say a wood relief carving of say a deer jumping over a log or scan a clay relief sculpture ,from there you will be able to
create a 3D raster toolpath for a ball nose cutting tool and machine this relief on a robotic tool(CNC machiner) making say an ornate carved wood mantel for your fireplace.

this is just one use.there are thousands that have been way to expensive up to now with 3d scanners costing thousands of dollars this will revolutionize Home and DIY CNC and robotic vision

imagine if you will a cheap robot arm that can see, this robot arm will be able to take a dremel tool and use it to cut a full 3d shape in any light material like foam for instance
this could be used to make molds or any number of things. most of all imagine if your job is to design things for this robot to make.
how hard would it be to design/make a super cheap six axis robotic arm out of MDF using inexpensive stepper motors and belts and screws that could hold a dremel tool ?
the design could be done in sketchup and i'll build the prototype in my R&D shops
i have some cnc tools to make the parts.
then we'll release the design and build instructions to the public domain
and tada!! robotic 6 axis dremel 3d carving machines will pop up in home shops all over the world
anyone up to the challange ?

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d12dozr

Hi guys,

What do you think is a fair price to charge for a 3D model of a proposed addition, but on a Square Foot basis? I'm getting a little more interest in my work lately, and I'm looking for a consistent pricing structure in place so I can give a ballpark quoteright off the bat

The project in question is a 10,000 SF commercial renovation.

Alternatively, do you know what drafters charge for say a set of prints for a renovation (figuring by the SF)?

d12dozr

Anybody?

Or am I going about it wrong? Is it a bad idea to try to charge by the SF?

TIG

SF charging can be OK if the work is pro rata to the SF, BUT if the the amount of work needed for a 10k SF and a 5k SF project is about the same you'll be out of pocket on the smaller project !
I think you really need to make a guesstimate of the time/resources needed - make a list of what you have to do and to issue - that way you can also monitor your progress and the clients know what to expect - when they ask for a load of colored renders and they aren't on the list you could* ask for more [*if you dare]...
Any task/contract/agreement has three elements the cost [your time, materials etc...], the timescale [when is it due, do you need to work weekends, 48 hours without sleep etc...] and the 'handshake' [what is to be done = the list].
You'll work it all out and then work back to what you think the client will stand - don't go in too low as if you have negotiator clients they'll expect to come down. Starting a little high and then settling lower but at a level you are happy with is good - both sides are happy - the client feels they have a bargain you get what you need. If you settle with no haggling it can seem unsatisfactory to both sides - you feel you might have asked for more and the client hasn't got a bargain...
I normally work out how long I think it'll take - but how long's a piece of string ? I then apply an hourly rate I feel will be acceptable - this varies by client and location and adjust the figure to a smidge above what I suspect the client is aiming at. If they screw the price down then I make it clear that the scope of works will be fixed and there'll be no free extras! If I 'repeat work' then both sides know what to expect and I'm often a little freer in the 'scope'. I have even 'sacked' clients before now - declining to work for them again, simply because they can't see that paying peanuts gets them monkeys and I could sometimes be making more per hour working in a coffee-shop and not have their hassle.

d12dozr

Thanks TIG, for that excellent explanation.

Since I don't have much personal history to base my guesstimation on, I'll just have to wing it for a while yet...I'm just looking for a pricing method that is more 'calculated' and less 'by the seat of my pants'. I feel this is especially important for repeat work. Breaking it down into elements will help alot though, that's where I'll start.

Thanks again, TIG, I owe you one.

Marcus

pmolson

@d12dozr said:

Thanks again, TIG, I owe you one

Just starting out and already in debt!

Welcome to the club.

p

d12dozr

Hey Paul! You're just across the crick from me.

@pmolson said:

Just starting out and already in debt!

Welcome to the club.

p

I figure I can pay it off by contributing back however I can on the forum here, which has helped me so much in this past year...(and I bought TIG a couple drinks yesterday)

pmolson

@d12dozr said:

Hi guys,

What do you think is a fair price to charge for a 3D model of a proposed addition, but on a Square Foot basis? I'm getting a little more interest in my work lately, and I'm looking for a consistent pricing structure in place so I can give a ballpark quoteright off the bat

The project in question is a 10,000 SF commercial renovation.

Alternatively, do you know what drafters charge for say a set of prints for a renovation (figuring by the SF)?

Small world!

I have been self employed for a long time and can offer some thoughts on
different ways to go about pricing in general and specifically for our
geographic area.

I need some time to organize my thoughts. Stay tuned.

p

d12dozr

Thanks, looking forward to what you have to offer.

d12dozr

An excellent article about how to charge for your work - the author explains why it does NOBODY any good to under-charge for your services...a must-read for any freelancer!
http://www.lunarlog.com/what-prices-to-charge-as-a-freelancer-or-artist/

thomthom

@d12dozr said:

An excellent article about how to charge for your work - the author explains why it does NOBODY any good to under-charge for your services...a must-read for any freelancer!
http://www.lunarlog.com/what-prices-to-charge-as-a-freelancer-or-artist/

uuuh... that site annoyingly automatically translate the text...

thomthom

ah - ok, I found how to get the original text.

solo

Good link Marcus.