Rip off???

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Hi there,I am working on a project, and I need two six-inch per side hexagon with a 6" x 6" square hole in the center. I went to a local shop and they want to charge me $240 dollars for the job. Are they ripping me off? Is there any way that I can do it without a plasma cutter? Any ideas? Thank you
Reply:what is the material? is the estimate for cnc plasma cut hand cutlasor cut?????We get $100.  per hour for cnc plasma + material
Reply:1/4" mild steel plate, and I suppose they will be using plasmaThank youAlfredo
Reply:use a cutting torch and save the cash, or spend the 240 and buy a torch  set up and the n you have it for future projects...or shop around, its more like 75 to 125.00
Reply:Lets see, if I went to a local shop for this: material: (2) 12" squareX1/4" plate, about $10 (probably higher now. I last priced plate and sheet a month ago.)Setup: probably at least $50 flatMachine time: at least $100/hour (120" of cut in 1/4"... how long? depends on the machine, but probably less than an hour) with a one hour minimum chargelabor rate for finishing, assuming no machineing, just cleaning up the edges with a grinder: $60/hour, nmin of $30Well, we're already about to $200 without worrying about fininsh machining, paint, etc.The numbers may be off a bit, but small runs of this type of work arn't cheap. If you have a torch, you should be able to do a good job on 1/4". Use a guide to get the lines atraight, cut about 1/32 outside the lines, and finish by hand with a grinder--ftiget wheel for smooth finish. Total cost on this if you have a torch and grindr is about $20 (10 for material, 10 for gas and a couple grinding wheels)
Reply:Alfredo, like was said before, torch it out yourself, and it will cost you under $20- not including your time.  Back in the 50s we cut 3" thick drive gears for earthmovers with pantographic torches, and they were a lot more complex than your piece.For the square cutout, drill 4 holes in the corners, and cut between them with the torch.  It would probably be helpful to do the same thing on the hex shape.  Use a straightedge with appropriate offset to your torch, and the job shouldn't take half an hour.The situation you are facing is economy of scale, were you buying 200 pieces, the cost would probably be around $13- but the setup cost for a single piece kills.  CNC is a wonderful thing, but it is a production process.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:What I would do, if you're not steady and comfortable with a torch, is use a grinder with a cut-off wheel. It will take much longer but your cuts will be straight.http://jackalopefab.com/MM210Synchrowave 200DXMiller XMT350 w/60series feederMiller Bobcat 250 with SGA 100 and spoolgunHTP PlasmaFull Machine shop with everything