Gun Doctors, What do you charge?

[manchovie]

i charge 60-80 including spring/bushings, a good proper shimming (i've seen this skipped, not cool. it's half the labor of the upgrade process and the difference between a gun that sounds like sex and a squeaker that'll die in two games) a regreasing and usually sight/hop adjustments as well just because i'm a nice guy and people dont know how to work their own damn airsoft guns :P.

[Greylocks]

First time, if all the parts are provided, I'll help for free or trade for a few beers (if the place where this is done allows). I consider that a mini-teaching course / chat.
If the person is badly stuck with a horribly messed-up job, I may also do it for free Once. Same if they are at a game and screwed.
If the error is repeated due to stupidity, I would charge more. Along the lines that Illusion quoted.
A ballpark figure? $20.

[lt_poncho]

I start by saying free - then when asked again I say 'what you think it's worth' - be it as simple as a Tim Horton's coffee. I'm not into pigheaded rates. Some here would sell their mothers if they could.

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by Tankdude

I would love to meet the person who would pay someone 60$ an hour to work on an airsoft gun.... maybe if he was machining it out on a CNC mill and it is a one of a kind part, even still maybe.

People will pay it when it takes 15 minutes to install a part. That breaks down to $15.

I use to not charge or just charge very little. Then it got too ridiculous when I started getting a request for an upgrade or repair every day. The best filter to weed these jobs out so that I can actually have time to concentrate on my career was to start putting on a price for my labour. Then requests keep building up, so to filter down more, the price gets jacked up. And up.
It's not about being a con artist/ripoff/pighead/arrogant or what not... it's simply supply & demand.

Believe it or not, there are people who charge more than what I charge. A lot more. When you have a high profile, filters *NEED* to be put in place.

Everyone knows that there are people out there who will do work for free. So then why still come to me when I'm charging supposedly ridiculous amounts?

[firemachine69]

Considering the direction is taking for the biz (60$ an hour + incident fee for on-site, 24/7 IT services), I'd pay the fee, if it means that I'm getting quality service, fast.

I love how some question the ethics of charging of hourly rate, yet see no qualms in ordering from Canada an airsoft gun at a profit.

Guys. A profit is a profit is a profit and is the end desire of a business.

[MadMax]

Gah, wait until you get a rep for figuring out poltergeist infested guns. Then airsofters bring their stuff to you after they've already poked at it and had a doctor or two give up on it leaving behind their own little surprises. Spring and bushing upgrade is pretty straightforward. Try chasing down the symptoms of compounded wear issues in an auto GBB or an AEG built of aftermarket parts from 3 makers and you can blow a few hours on a worn down ASG that's worth not much more than your time at $25/hr.

Then add in time for waiting in line at the P.O. to ship a gun back as well as the logistics issues of getting parts.

[JohnnyDo]

Originally Posted by MadMax

Gah, wait until you get a rep for figuring out poltergeist infested guns.

that is the exact problem I have with a gun currenlty on my bench. I swear it's infected with a demon *sigh*.

anyways to add to this thread, I'll charge $15 - $20/hr of my time depending on the job. This is of course not set in stone as if a gun take me a all afternoon to get working again trying to exercise the demons out I won't charge more then the gun is worth. Mostly I make a judgement on what I think the repair is worth factoring the time I spend on it... might be a $10 fix, might be a $40 fix. But the $15 - $20/hr is the ball park I use for any services I spend my time on.

[manchovie]

there should be a rule where if three gun docs with decent reps deem a gun to house a poltergeist, it should be destroyed or thrown into the oubliette for all to forget.
repairs, in my experience are only worth it if they are for complete newbs who forgot to switch a fuse or have some problem that hasnt been diagnosed and rediagnosed by a knowing user and never fixed.
with the undiagnosability of a problem, the price (assuming youre charging hourly or by lost brain cell count) VERY quickly skyrockets to the point of not being worth it anymore and generally speaking you only realize it's a bitch gun after several hours of mashing your face against it and who likes paying an hourly rate for a gun doc who couldnt fix their gun?
or lets say you bust your head on it for 4 hours and finally figure out that it's a small spring's fault. the spring costs 25c to replace and in their mind, the client feels that that should be the damage to their wallet and the payment for the labor is frustrating to have to dish out. but such is the curse of the gun smith.

[attack-beaver]

well this a quick off topic thing sorry. but i think someone should make movies on doing things to guns from simple mechbox maintanace all the way up to full mech box upgrade for each mech box verison yes i now it take time and money but it would make life for airsofters earier but thats me really.

[Dozer_01]

I actually like this thread. It really gives me the indea of how gunsmiths view things. I do have one question though. Are gunsmiths that work on TOP brand guns totally extinct now?. Have any of you guys worked on them before?

Thanks.

[CDN_Stalker]

I generally charge up to $40 for a full blown *whatever*, often times more trouble shooting than upgrading. Also allow the barter system too, rides to & from the field, pay my walk on, credit for a group order, etc. And I know just how you feel MadMax, I have gained a REAL knack for troubleshooting AEGs and GBBs. Heck, yesterday I tore apart Shagg's M4 twice to find out why his IntruderShop full upgrade wouldn't cycle (would jam early into the cycle). Sorted out the lower ass end of the piston was too big, stood out 1mm longer than a stock piston and was rubbing against the smooth part of the sector gear. Ground it down, reinstalled, it cycled farther this time but jammed again. Figured out that the piston's right hand side groove was too tight on the mechbox rail, so I shaved it down with a sharp wood chisel, tried again and it cycles great now.

[lt_poncho]

I could also say 'no, I can't work on your gun, sorry' if the number of requests got too much to bear. Gump was the same way too - but for some - how do you put a price on your work when you see it as part of a larger scale contribution? If it means the difference of a guy going to a game or not, or 'hey man I took my gun apart, how do I put it back together...' - pass on the knowledge.

There I go on that fucking 'community' tangent again....blah blah fucking blah...i'll sTfU now...

[Mafioso_Grande]

My brother and I charge nothing or some beer, but we've only done work for a couple of people locally who stay and watch the process. I wouldn't do anything that needed to be mailed to me.

[p.phresh]

i charge a half-chicken dinner from montana's....YUM!

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by manchovie

i charge 60-80

he also accepts reacharounds.