[hackerspaces] laser cutter revenue

[James Arlen]

Putting on my accounting hat…

Laser cutters are like cars. Generally Accepted Accounting Practices demand that you treat them as Assets… but those accounting bastards are WRONG.


Think|haus doesn't make an attempt to use the laser as a revenue source, but you can plan on the following expenses.


- replacing any undersized power supply components (first year cost = $300)
- replacing lenses, mirrors and drive belts subsequent to un-intentional fire (per incident cost = $175)
- replacing laser tube subsequent to cooling system failure (per incident cost = $200)
- replacing cooling system subsequent to failure which caused laser tube failure (per incident = $150)
- advanced labour skills necessary to do the above (worth $100/h, average pay $ramen/h)


After the goofing about above, the real issue is that any part which could be considered "expendible" will be expended.  For our cheap chinese laser (which is more like Grandpa's axe *1*) we've got an operating cost of about $2/hour.



*1*: Grandpa's axe: It's been handed down through generations and it's completely original, I've just had to replace the handle four times and the axe head twice)







On 2011-11-21, at 6:00 PM, strages wrote:

> I know several spaces have laser cutters and some use them as a
> revenue source.  I would like to see hard numbers on operating costs
> of a laser cutter and revenue they bring in.  Could any spaces provide
> this information?  It would be much appreciated.
> 
> Raymond
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