Semi-Auto Thompson Stock Adapter...

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

That is almost exactly what I would charge, for milling off the bottom ridge and fabricating the T adapter. Assuming no problems, no hardened steel, and the 'customer' had the piece of CRS steel bar stock in his hand along with the assembled buttstock and separate gripframe/receiver.

This was my circumstance, plus I provided the Thompson lower's drawing.

My last employer paid me $28/hr. Figuring your machinist's fee, that would be 6 1/2 hrs work. That doesn't look like 6 1/2 hours to me. Maybe two hours. More likely less.

6 1/2 hrs would be a close estimate for me to do it, given the equipment he had available to do it. Plan, set up, mill the notch on the receiver; lay out the plate, round the back corners, rough cut the notch, plan out the screw holes, drill pilots, clamp in place on receiver, transfer hole centers, drill and tap receiver, clearance drill and countersink holes; then fine tune the notch to fit the stock slot, which may take several tries to get it to fit slick--as it does. Maybe more, for me. Someone who knows what he's doing would definitely take less time.

If it was a must-have right-away part, then price is no object. I assume your guy has shop charges to pay; gas, electric, water, property taxes, permits, phone, etc. I don't figure that in any of my calculations. It's already here, whether I do outside work or not. So my estimates don't include any of those incidentals.

Nope, he does "government work" where he's employed, so no overhead. The budget I'd set was perhaps too liberal, although it totaled much less than the quote of $400-something for a stock, adapter, milling the receiver, and fitting it all together, from the guy who designed and made the last run of Numrich adapter kit plates. He had one left, but would only sell if I bought the stock with it. Since I already had the assembled, finished stock... I can also make myself feel better to know that the $280 total I have in the project is also way less than the extra I would have had to pay to just have bought one with that feature.

My shop rate is $65/hr, which beats the local remaining fab shop. So, at my biz rate, at my pace, I'd have had to charge me about double what he did. Obviously, there's no easy substitute for craft knowledge and skills!

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

My shop rate is $65/hr...

That's well outside my comfort zone!

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

That's well outside my comfort zone!

Sorry, Rich, didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Check the fab shops up there and you'll find the rate comparatively gentle. A fabricator wears many hats, from digging holes to TIG welding. Gotta be part designer, engineer, estimator, woodworker, mason, electrician, machinist, weldor, painter/finisher. etc., including psychotherapist! It's not stuff that nobody else can do, but check out to see if your favorite architect can effectively handle a MIG gun, or even a had drill! It basically requires someone who never made up his mind exactly what to do, so does it all!