Hi all, I have a Multicam 4x8 cnc router w/ vacuum pump and I know how to program and run it.

Lacking a place to operate the machine from, I called a local cabinetmaker (2 kitchens a week avg) to see about maybe working out a deal where I could cut all his plywood, even run the edgebander in between sheets all in his shop. He is definitely interested but he wants a proposal from me first.

I am located in central Maine. I imagine there are others doing this and could help get me a ballpark starting point on price? I have seen some posts on what some guys would charge but they were outdated. Thinking to have a price for 3/4, a premium if it has flipside ops, and a lower price for anything thinner (backs). They do all inset/beaded inset work but he wants to grow the biz into the frameless market too. I would be allowed access to the shop and the tools within, and would look for other work to fill in gaps, but never to take presidence over casework for the cabinet company. Also considering paying him rent for the space but charging some amount more per sheet..

I started this way.

I suggest you rent the space you are using and then give him a discount on your normal machine rate.

He runs his business, you run yours.

That way there are no misunderstandings.

Cost per sheet is dependent on way too many factors. You need to run several of his jobs, calculate the hourly rate you want and go from there.

Who will pay for the material when there are errors? You will make some and he will.

Leave the banding to him.

No direct experience with your proposed arrangement but it would seem very complex in that you'd be renting floor space, power, utilities, dust collection, and then separately all the other shop equipment usage. Basically offsetting your rent with any production you supply to them. I can only imagine unless they wind up burying you with work you will likely owe a decent sum every month hopefully offset by other work you source. They are basically going to get you and the machine for pretty short hourly money.

First light, it would seem they just may be the type that is not willing to implement CNC on their own which may be a good thing in the long run for you in hopes once they see the benefit they dont just oust you, buy a machine, and go it alone. I suppose it could be a win win they have zero risk/investment other than the loss of floor space if they just have no interest whatsoever.

If it were just sheet processing it'd be much easier for you to calculate a projected cost per sheet/per job and that would depend a lot on how standardized their product line is. Highly complex, long run time, lots of machining, machine dependant, sheets are not going to cost the same as a basic panel processing. When sheets go from 4-6 minutes each, up to 10-15 or more, its not the same game.

Beyond that factoring a per hour overall shop rental rate (provided personally and legally they are truly comfortable with handing you a set of keys and turning you loose) wouldnt seem hard.

Around here (So Calif) the going rate used to be $50 per sheet for cabinet type stuff

OTOH shops aren't anxious to do it either

There are plenty of shops that want you to choose from their catalog of boxes and will quote the box

I don't have advice on the space to rent, but I do cut a lot of parts for other cabinet shops. I charge $30 a sheet plus material. I use Mozaik, so if they have Mozaik they just email the files and I assign just a few parameters. If they do not have Mozaik then I charge a programming fee. For the regular customers I pay by a credit on a invoice, there monthly costs of Mozaik since I take there emailed file and have a file in the matter of a few minutes. Works very well. They get the software free of charge and I have 3 minutes of computer time to machine. If there are errors in their layout it's on them which makes them pay closer attention to there drawings. I also provide edgebanding services for the other shops as well.