Need Help with waterjet or Laser Quote Price!!!!
 

Hey guys curious what you think a fair price would be to waterjet or laser cut
2 steel plates that are 1/2" thick and measure 3' x 10'. Im planning to do 1/2" holes on 3' centers across the entire plates. Ive talked to acouple people and got estimates from 500- 850 per plate. Thought Id ask some experts as I might be better of renting a mag drill or doing them by hand. Thanks.

thats alot for just 1/2 steel. your better off doing it by hand, save yourself the money

I think your exaclty right! I guess sometimes you just need to hear it from someone else.

Thosr prices really aren't that unreasonable. I pulled that up in my waterjet machine estimating software, plugged in our shop rate, and material costs... I'd quote $625 if we did it.

waterjets aren't cheap to run, lasers I don't think are efficient at those thicknesses either... plus a machine with a working envelope that large is going to command alot of money per hour, or people will have to move it constantly. that makes it spendy.

do you need the accuracy of a laser or waterjet? If not, a mag drill is definitly the best way.

Also, you have any idea how heavy that plate is? Not easy to just pick up and place on the machine.

Mag Drill is what I use when every I make a subplate. The initial lay out has a lot to do with the finished product a good combination / machinist square and a pair of dividers and a caliper.

Thanks guys I appreciate it! Actually the plates are at about 600lbs each so, moving them, etc. etc. factors into the cost and is no easy task without a forklift. I was looking for some sort of accuracy and mainly to save myself alot of time!

Im probably going to cut it myself into plates with a plasma cutter or my steelmax saw carbide blade. Im either going to hand drill or rent a mag drill, I just looked into acouple mag drill estimates and they were still pretty expensive. Ill continue to look for a better deal.

Nick would that quote be for two plates? or per plate?

That would be for the pair.

Unfortunatly I can't actually do that work for anyone, the waterjet at work is for production use only:(

where are you located Gant?