# What to charge to thread a rod



## davidyat (Jan 19, 2021)

*I normally don't charge friends or family to do something for them. However, a neighbor asked what I would charge their school to thread 24 rods with 3/8 - 24 threads at each end. And she will not let me do it for free. Any idea what I should charge?
Grasshopper*


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## larryg (Jan 19, 2021)

$20,  Let her feel that she paid a fair price.  That said, be careful that she doesn't supply you with some bastard material that will consume you and your tooling trying to do the job.

lg
no neat sig line


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## davidyat (Jan 19, 2021)

*I guess I should be more specific. 3/8-16 on both ends of 24 rods. 48 threadings. What would someone charge.
Grasshopper*


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## jkimberln (Jan 19, 2021)

It is still hard to determine the answer.  Do you have to order and cut the material to length?  Is it steel or aluminum, or what?  Do you have a self opening die head for your lathe?  I can see that job taking around a half hour or 3 hours, depending on various parameters.  So anywhere from $25 to around $100.


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## davidyat (Jan 19, 2021)

*Thank you for your answers. If I'm lucky, it will be malleable steel. They are providing the rods. I'm just trying to figure out, will I use my 3/8-16 die or have to cut them on the lathe. I have done both. But at least you are giving me a starting point. I'm retired and this is a way to get through the boredom of Covid!!!
Grasshopper*


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## SmithDoor (Jan 19, 2021)

I would to a photo of part and your lathe.

Figuring the is simple 

1) cost of die
2)  cost new rod
3) labor to cut the rod
4) labor to thread rod

FYI. Fine threads are easy they do not spring chuck like course threads. 

If was this course thread it will turn in a lathe chuck now three ways to stop rod from turning.
1) single point the thread over sizes and use die to finishing the thread.
2) use a collect
3) single point the thread.

I hope this helps
Dave




davidyat said:


> *I normally don't charge friends or family to do something for them. However, a neighbor asked what I would charge their school to thread 24 rods with 3/8 - 24 threads at each end. And she will not let me do it for free. Any idea what I should charge?
> Grasshopper*


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## kwoodhands (Jan 19, 2021)

davidyat said:


> *I normally don't charge friends or family to do something for them. However, a neighbor asked what I would charge their school to thread 24 rods with 3/8 - 24 threads at each end. And she will not let me do it for free. Any idea what I should charge?
> Grasshopper*


I threaded 8 rods 5/8-11 . 1" on each end . Die cost about $15.00 . Had to turn down to .5625" x 1.032
on each end first. Then champher the end and thread with the die. Took 5 hours. Charged $  100.00


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## davidyat (Jan 19, 2021)

*Thank you all for a lot of good advice.
Grasshopper*


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## Apprentice707 (Jan 20, 2021)

Could she buy threaded rod from Lowes or Home Depot, in that way you would just need to cut to length and face. The stumbling block may be the 24 tpi, I don't think that is a stock thread.


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## SmithDoor (Jan 20, 2021)

Apprentice707 said:


> Could she buy threaded rod from Lowes or Home Depot, in that way you would just need to cut to length and face. The stumbling block may be the 24 tpi, I don't think that is a stock thread.


Yes it is 3/8" NF and is off shelf.
Some want just threads and the end only. 

Dave


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## Drawfiler (Jan 20, 2021)

With jobs like this remember that although it is your hobby this is still a business transaction. If you charge too little you will be expected to be a cheap source in the future, too much and you won’t get further work.
look at it like this, material + tooling + time, never work for less than 3x material cost and have an hourly rate that you expect to earn. Work out the time to do one component, I would face and chamfer all the ends, partly screwcut and finish with a button die in the tailstock under power. Change the component between operations not the tool, it is quicker that way.  Time per end say, 5 minutes x 48 ends = 240 min or 4 hours. X your rate plus material +10 percent for scrap.
When you fix the rate just think what a commercial shop charges (think about a garage for instance) dont be frightened about asking for a reasonable price, probably no one else wants the job. Good luck


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## Richard Hed (Jan 20, 2021)

davidyat said:


> *I normally don't charge friends or family to do something for them. However, a neighbor asked what I would charge their school to thread 24 rods with 3/8 - 24 threads at each end. And she will not let me do it for free. Any idea what I should charge?
> Grasshopper*


How long are the threads?  I wouldn't hesitate to take government $$ as they take too much from me, and I, being a liberal, believe in paying taxes, -- just not too much.


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## goldstar31 (Jan 20, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> How long are the threads?  I wouldn't hesitate to take government $$ as they take too much from me, and I, being a liberal, believe in paying taxes, -- just not too much.



In the words of the Queran:-
A small contribution to the tree that giveth forth food and shelter.


And If you believe that- Heaven help you.


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## Richard Hed (Jan 20, 2021)

goldstar31 said:


> In the words of the Queran:-
> A small contribution to the tree that giveth forth food and shelter.
> 
> 
> And If you believe that- Heaven help you.


In order to have the roads, airports, sewers, water, electric we have to pay taxes, however, we have to pay taxes for fools whohave no business being in government, an overweaning beauracracy, police and military that do too little for too much--I for one want to pay less taxes for metal that's only purpose is to be blown into little bits so some military-industrial company can stay in business


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## goldstar31 (Jan 20, 2021)

But Richard, you forget that I'm over 82 years of age which was when conscription  ended in the UK. As you said- I was 'blown to bits' and it only tool another 70 years for the Government to get me a pair of hearing aids. Being a technical man, you will appreciate that ear defenders  should have been mandatory.
I didn't get any-= and in any event, the British ones were made out of ---WOOD.

Rule Britannia- verrry fine chap


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## ian99 (Jan 20, 2021)

For a small semi-friendly transaction like this I normally charge "a case of beer" and telling them that the next transaction will be at normal commercial rates.
If they object to alcohol, then to hell with them.


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## MacKendrick (Jan 20, 2021)

Ask her for a not to a exceed price. If she gives it to you charge a little less. You will both be happy.


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## awake (Jan 20, 2021)

This may not apply to anyone else ... for me personally, I refuse to charge for machine work because I want to keep this a hobby rather than letting it become a job. That also allows me to be more selective in what I take on, and how long I take to do it. I do have some friends who insist on bringing me some expensive coffee beans or other such gifts as a thank-you.

Again, just my personal thoughts: If someone in a school context were asking me to do this, I would hesitate simply because threading 48 rod ends is not a very enjoyable task for me. On a CNC lathe or a turret lathe or some other production equipment, it would be a 15 minute job. For me on my manual lathe, it could take a few hours depending on whether the rods needed to be turned down or trimmed to length. Even if I charged a full job-shop rate - let's say that's $100 - it frankly would not be worth it to me for the amount of time it would take me. Thus, I would only want to do it as a way of giving back. IF I decided to move forward with it, and she insisted on paying, I would charge the full rate, but then I would insist on discounting it on the bill as a charitable gift.


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## tornitore45 (Jan 20, 2021)

This job is for a school, consider it a donation to a civic cause.
If she wants to reward you in some way ask for a fruit basket or something similar.

My daughter is a science teacher, I have done lots of work for her class, if it raised some kid interest for science it was well worth it.


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## Apprentice707 (Jan 20, 2021)

Or get her to make an appropriate donation to your favourite charity.


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## ranger (Jan 20, 2021)

I couldn’t say what to charge, most “jobs” I do are for friends, free of charge! How about asking the lady to provide you with one piece for you to thread to determine how easy/difficult the material is to machine. This should give you a rough idea of how long it will take, and how much to charge.
Doug.


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## SmithDoor (Jan 20, 2021)

Family is always free.
 Friends depends on the amount of time spent always the new up front the price. That figure is any time going to over 2 hours or they help me it is still free. 

Dave


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## Richard Hed (Jan 20, 2021)

I completely disagree.  Our schools already suck up a great deal of tax money, and like the police, we need them but they are almost useless.  The schools do not teach children the right subjects, children come out of school not understanding the least bit about finance or interest, they cannot multiply or divide without a calculator, they only know where Madagascar is because of a movie, they could care less about important historical events, (for instance, most never even heard of hitler or FDR or Churchill), clickking on their social media is more important than reading a book.  This is the problem with our schools--they only teach in rooms without windows, and there is too little hands on.  In psychology, it is well known that the more hands on material, the more a student learns.  I can go on for hours on this subject but clearly, I believe the work should be charged for and no donations for charity.


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## tornitore45 (Jan 20, 2021)

Richard, much of what you say is true but should your kind of attitude be shared by many is sure to get worst.


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## Richard Hed (Jan 20, 2021)

tornitore45 said:


> Richard, much of what you say is true but should your kind of attitude be shared by many is sure to get worst.


I disagree.  I am actually VERY pro education, the thing is, our children are not getting an education--they are being taught in the schools what is the parents' obligations:  morality, rightness, truth--what the schools are doing is a travesty, they are teaching that it is proper to become gay, les, trans.  There is nothing wrong with gay, les or trans in my book, it's that the TEACHING of this is wrong.  This is a decision that the individual makes.  Do they have that right?  In my book, yes.  Look up John Taylor Gatto--read a book or two of his and you will understand what I am getting at.  BTW JTG got the best teacher award in NYC one year and the State of NY award for best teacher fro five years straight.  HE claims the "education" they are getting is not education at all but a form of thot control.  He is the one who wrote "Dumbing us Down".  There are also some other teachers that have written books that would raise the hair on your hackles.

So my thots are that we need MORE people like me to take back our schools from federal control.  The schools are a joke.  More people drop out than graduate (not really, but the dropout rate is because the kidz realize it is a waste of time.)  BTW those kids who get "the best grades"  -- they are mediocre that's what and why our education is--mediocre--sorry, but it's true.  Litan, Baumol et. al. have written an economics book that basically says that the federal gov, in fact all government control, ruins ANYTHING particularly education.  Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman says basically the same thing:  (paraphrasing) The education system is like doctors from a couple centuries ago--they used cupping and bloodletting and never seemed to figure it out that it doesn't work, so with the education system.

Why doesn't the teacher have high school students do this threading?  It's what the kidz need and it's why and how the schools should change what they are doing.  I am a liberal but the pseudo-liberals (who make ME look bad) thimk that EVERY student has to go to college (more $$ down the drain).  The ultimate end of this poor quality thimpking is that a person with an IQ of 50 can become a brain surgeon or heart surgeon.  NO thanx, will not let anyone like that operate on me or mine.  We need LESS education and MORE training.  The pseudos thimpk that TRAINING is education.  I suppose technically it is, but one should not use the word "education" when the word "training" is called for.


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## jack620 (Jan 20, 2021)

tornitore45 said:


> Richard, much of what you say is true......



I think most of what he said was rubbish actually. They’re still teaching mostly the same stuff today as they taught me over 40 years ago.


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## Richard Hed (Jan 20, 2021)

jack620 said:


> I think most of what he said was rubbish actually. They’re still teaching mostly the same stuff today as they taught me over 40 years ago.


That's part of the problem, you admit that four years of English is important?


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## SmithDoor (Jan 20, 2021)

jack620 said:


> I think most of what he said was rubbish actually. They’re still teaching mostly the same stuff today as they taught me over 40 years ago.



I guess closing all the shop classes down is go thing. 
America can just do serive  work we do need manufacturering or farming. 
Now what do we service our money going over sea.

I think schools need get back to teaching for real jobs. 

Dave


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## Richard Hed (Jan 21, 2021)

SmithDoor said:


> I guess closing all the shop classes down is go thing.
> America can just do serive  work we do need manufacturering or farming.
> Now what do we service our money going over sea.
> 
> ...


I have two degrees, what they teach in college is totally up to the individual to take and learn.  If hyou pay your own tuition that means you are eager and want to learn whether it be for a profession or some other reason, but in high school it is not that way.  I for one believe in good education, but seriously, why is it that the system believes a person who is operating machinery, or harvesting corn need four years of English?  It's absurd.  Most people who take the required math courses never use a bit of it.  So you are so correct -- we need to teach welding, machining, machine operations, electronics and electric and a whole host of other skills but that is NOT what is happening.  Look to those who drop out--they are the clue to what is happening.  Those who drop out understand how totally irrelevant this so called education is.  Teaching the shop classes is expensive because of all the tooling but even so, that is exactly what needs to be done.


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## SmithDoor (Jan 21, 2021)

I did go to college 
No loans I work as iron worker 
I start welding and machine work be for I was in high school and only dream of being high school in steed of using books to learn the trade.
Other are not so lucky 
I export aircraft hangar doors till sold my business in 2004.

Dave 



jack620 said:


> I think most of what he said was rubbish actually. They’re still teaching mostly the same stuff today as they taught me over 40 years ago.


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## Richard Hed (Jan 21, 2021)

SmithDoor said:


> I did go to college
> No loans I work as iron worker
> I start welding and machine work be for I was in high school and only dream of being high school in steed of using books to learn the trade.
> Other are not so lucky
> ...


Yes, me too, I workt while going to college.  I didn't want to be taught krap and actually, I can only remember two classes that were total crap--one was education and another was a chemistry class taught by a total idiot.


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## SmithDoor (Jan 21, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> I have two degrees, what they teach in college is totally up to the individual to take and learn.  If hyou pay your own tuition that means you are eager and want to learn whether it be for a profession or some other reason, but in high school it is not that way.  I for one believe in good education, but seriously, why is it that the system believes a person who is operating machinery, or harvesting corn need four years of English?  It's absurd.  Most people who take the required math courses never use a bit of it.  So you are so correct -- we need to teach welding, machining, machine operations, electronics and electric and a whole host of other skills but that is NOT what is happening.  Look to those who drop out--they are the clue to what is happening.  Those who drop out understand how totally irrelevant this so called education is.  Teaching the shop classes is expensive because of all the tooling but even so, that is exactly what needs to be done.


So what you saying is speed the money on sport and arts.
After a time everyone will need a college even to be a trash collection. 
FYI they did that in one California city.
The other choice is have pay a price at a trade school for something the should giving.

Please read my last post I typing as you were posting.

What did your degrees do for manufacturing or export??

Dave


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## Richard Hed (Jan 21, 2021)

SmithDoor said:


> So what you saying is speed the money on sport and arts.
> After a time everyone will need a college even to be a trash collection.
> FYI they did that in one California city.
> The other choice is have pay a price at a trade school for something the should giving.
> ...


Dave, I am agreeing with you--teach what is relevant to the needs we have in our world NOW.  Sports may be fine for the few who are into it but do the sports get anyone a job?  Do sports actually make a person a better person or their life better?  Not really.  Art?  Well art does provide a few people with some skills but even they are like the sportistas--it usually goes no further.  But as you say, the trade schools provide practical experience and learning that keeps on earning.  I love history but history in grade school and high school cannot seriously be called history at all--rather it is (put your country's name in here) MY country is the greatest!  And every country teaches that.  Idi Amin's country taught that -- I wonder what the little boys thot, the ones in his freezer when they ousted him.  Stalin's country taught that and so did hitler's.  80-90% of high school curriculum is just krap.  The only ones who this helps remotely are those going on to college (NOT trade schools).


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## SmithDoor (Jan 21, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> Dave, I am agreeing with you--teach what is relevant to the needs we have in our world NOW.  Sports may be fine for the few who are into it but do the sports get anyone a job?  Do sports actually make a person a better person or their life better?  Not really.  Art?  Well art does provide a few people with some skills but even they are like the sportistas--it usually goes no further.  But as you say, the trade schools provide practical experience and learning that keeps on earning.  I love history but history in grade school and high school cannot seriously be called history at all--rather it is (put your country's name in here) MY country is the greatest!  And every country teaches that.  Idi Amin's country taught that -- I wonder what the little boys thot, the ones in his freezer when they ousted him.  Stalin's country taught that and so did hitler's.  80-90% of high school curriculum is just krap.  The only ones who this helps remotely are those going on to college (NOT trade schools).


I do like kids going school and learning almost nothing to make a living. The schools prompt only college. 
What taxes pay for is higher education aka high school. 
The schools have failed there first part.

Now students either pay via loans or join the army. For failure of our schools.

Dave


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## SmithDoor (Jan 21, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> Dave, I am agreeing with you--teach what is relevant to the needs we have in our world NOW.  Sports may be fine for the few who are into it but do the sports get anyone a job?  Do sports actually make a person a better person or their life better?  Not really.  Art?  Well art does provide a few people with some skills but even they are like the sportistas--it usually goes no further.  But as you say, the trade schools provide practical experience and learning that keeps on earning.  I love history but history in grade school and high school cannot seriously be called history at all--rather it is (put your country's name in here) MY country is the greatest!  And every country teaches that.  Idi Amin's country taught that -- I wonder what the little boys thot, the ones in his freezer when they ousted him.  Stalin's country taught that and so did hitler's.  80-90% of high school curriculum is just krap.  The only ones who this helps remotely are those going on to college (NOT trade schools).


FYI The students should know what happened in world war 1 and 2. The schools and  teach subjects so badly.
I trying not get in politics here.

Basically try even someone here on site that tell how to manufacturer a cox engine by the 10,000 even 100 engines.
I can tell you how and not CNC. CNC is slow costly way of doing product work.

Dave


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## justisla (Jan 21, 2021)

Getting back to the OP's question
have a look at the material
$1 per thread for an easy one
$1.25 for hard metal or long thread
Price per end does not sound so much money & you are not in it for serious bucks anyway
You have not quoted any hourly rate so they cannot hold you to one in the future


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## delalio (Jan 21, 2021)

To the original question, is she supplying the rods? Is it something the school needs modifying, or are you providing the material? Is the OD 3/8?
You say the thread will be 1in long on *3/8"x16TPI?* What is the length of the rod? Will it fit through your spindle? Is there enough room to mount the rods in your setup? (Personally, I cannot mount long rods as my lathe is in a recess in the wall.)
Do you have a 3/8x16 die? If so, and the material is supplied by your friend, and it's 3/8OD, it should be a relatively quick job compared to manual thread cutting.
Say 10 mins setup + 10 cutting using die, filing, deburring etc = 20mins / thread = 3 threads/h.
@ 24 threads, then you could be lining yourself up for 8h work.

What is a full working day of your life worth to you? With Covid going round, you may be glad for a distraction.
Also think about wear on your tooling.


As others have mentioned, you could treat it as a business or as a donation.

*If it's a donation, maybe get your friend to pay for a decent quality die and a few bits of tool steel.* It'll make the job easier, and you'll have a new die from it, and they'll be getting a decent deal too.

Personally, my job is about evaluating impact and true cost to have changes implemented.
If your friend has been quoted hundreds by other companies, and it's something they have to get done, you will be doing a favour charging anything less than they have been quoted. That said, that is just using other people's pricing.

Whilst I understand the view that some schools are crap, there are also some very god schools with dedicated and caring teachers working in less than ideal conditions. It may be different in other parts of the world, but here, no-one goes into teaching to get rich!

Just my 2c.


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## Steamchick (Jan 21, 2021)

All good advice above. Here's my advice from experience:
As a professional engineer I have done the odd "evening job" - outside of work. The engineer who had the whole job (sub-contracting a small part to me - 3 evening's work.) paid me a rate equivalent to my hourly rate + tax as it went on his taxable/deductable invoices for the contract. (And I was cheaper than his regular "Contract" mates!). It was then my responsibility to declare that income to the tax-man. That's the rules in the UK. I guess the Federal tax guys would feel the same, so better to take-on the work - at a commercial rate - pay your taxes - and then the Feds can't prosecute you for tax-avoidance when they see it on the School's account. (It will be the accountants that insist it is a "Commercial" job!).
Obviously your "commercial rate" per hour would be "min. wage" or Mechanic's wage or something you decide, as you don't want to "rip-them-off", as you put it. (You are probably not charging large factors for Overheads, Profit, etc.?). Depending on how your retirement income works you may have a bit of tax to declare, then if you choose give the rest to charity (e.g. the school? - They usually have a special project fund you can feed?) - after paying for "used tools"? (e.g. a drill, die, any special cutting tips, coolant, etc.). The payment to Charity may be tax-deductable, but please do the Tax paper-work as I have known people brought down by "good deeds" that crossed the line of the Tax-man. (Or decline the job?).
That is fair and keeps everyone on the commercial basis that they want, and keeps you from the Tax-man's jail! - Respect him, he has powers that put Al Capone in clink!
And don't ask me about "insurance liability" - The US is rife with Lawyers trying to make money from everyone else - or so I understand?
An American tutor on a Contract Liability training course gave us catch-phrases to remember: "If you can't cover it with a contract and insurance, don't show your "aarsse" in the window!" - "If the Tax-man doesn't get you, the Lawyers will anyway".
K2


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## Rocket Man (Jan 21, 2021)

$20 per hour.  I have don't things like that, I would do about 90% of the thread in my lathe then finish it with a thread die unless you have an autotap attachment for your lathe.  If you do it too cheap they may return over & over wanting more at the same price. 

At my age time is very short I would not do it for $1000 per thread money means nothing these days.  I might do it free for a good cause.


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## Richard Hed (Jan 21, 2021)

delalio said:


> To the original question, is she supplying the rods? Is it something the school needs modifying, or are you providing the material? Is the OD 3/8?
> You say the thread will be 1in long on *3/8"x16TPI?* What is the length of the rod? Will it fit through your spindle? Is there enough room to mount the rods in your setup? (Personally, I cannot mount long rods as my lathe is in a recess in the wall.)
> Do you have a 3/8x16 die? If so, and the material is supplied by your friend, and it's 3/8OD, it should be a relatively quick job compared to manual thread cutting.
> Say 10 mins setup + 10 cutting using die, filing, deburring etc = 20mins / thread = 3 threads/h.
> ...


Actually, there are good teachers everywhere but it is not the teachers' faults for what is going on--it is government interference and federal restrictions and requirements for the distribution of federal money to the states.  The requirement that schools have to have children reach a minimum testing evaluation is only the latest work of art from our goverment--(like grey plastic dripping and deteriorating in the sun, very ugly.)  The result is that schools now teach to the "test" not to the job.  When the first schools were set up in the USA they were largely controlled by the parents.`  According to John Taylor Gatto, industry decided to get rid of parental control in order for industtry to have cheap workers.  The purpose of schools is exactly that:  to provide cheap workers and make sure that the studeents don't get other ideas (like becoming a magnate who controls his/her own industry in competition with the established 'big boys' or even owning their own small business.)  Has anyone seen that horrifying Hulu series "the Handmaid's Tale"?  Well that is how industry and even government REALLY wants us to be--subservient and shut up and do as you are told.


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## Apprentice707 (Jan 22, 2021)

Wow, never thought this topic would generate so much interest and so many interesting answers.
Stay safe everyone, really enjoy this site.

B


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## ShopShoe (Jan 22, 2021)

One more consideration regarding the original question:  What is the use the threaded rods would be put to?

I would not get involved in this if these rods were for a critical use like securing heavy things over people (thinking of pipe hangers, etc.) Never mind the possibility of lawsuits, I would not like to be connected with a tragedy. 

I have done things for people over the years and I have refused to do things some of the times and the reason for the yes/no was not always related to the money.

--ShopShoe


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## el gringo (Jan 23, 2021)

davidyat said:


> *I normally don't charge friends or family to do something for them. However, a neighbor asked what I would charge their school to thread 24 rods with 3/8 - 24 threads at each end. And she will not let me do it for free. Any idea what I should charge?
> Grasshopper*


Could you take it out in some kind of trade?


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## Steamchick (Jan 23, 2021)

Davidyat.
On behalf of my erstwhile colleagues who contribute to the chat herewith: I hope you don't mind all the more senior (and mostly retired?) contributors, of whom I am one, venting their spleens and trying to re-write the way to run the world. I see it a lot - and contribute my share - on this site. It is something that the so called "primitive" tribes did in long times past. The young get on with living, raising kids and collecting food and making shelters, while the older members sit around and debate how it was better when they were younger! We seem to do much the same today?
So I hope you can extract some sense from our combined opinions, and make a decision that leaves you comfortable with what you are doing.
Happy machining - even though it is not machining bits for engines, or the related engineering, your topic seems to have excited us all!
Regards,
K2


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## Richard Hed (Jan 23, 2021)

Steamchick said:


> Davidyat.
> On behalf of my erstwhile colleagues who contribute to the chat herewith: I hope you don't mind all the more senior (and mostly retired?) contributors, of whom I am one, venting their spleens and trying to re-write the way to run the world. I see it a lot - and contribute my share - on this site. It is something that the so called "primitive" tribes did in long times past. The young get on with living, raising kids and collecting food and making shelters, while the older members sit around and debate how it was better when they were younger! We seem to do much the same today?
> So I hope you can extract some sense from our combined opinions, and make a decision that leaves you comfortable with what you are doing.
> Happy machining - even though it is not machining bits for engines, or the related engineering, your topic seems to have excited us all!
> ...


yeah, and the snow was whiter when I was a kid too.


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## goldstar31 (Jan 23, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> yeah, and the snow was whiter when I was a kid too.


And avoid eating yellow snow! But the soundest advice is to do it for free. 
A wise old bird like me would avoid avoid possible litigation -- if something went wrong.
The argument would be that you were not a professional but someone that was doing something 'out of the goodness of one's heart'
The argument is that the stuff could have been bought and consequently been covered by 3rd Pat liability insurance or some such clause. I doubt that you have such cover- so you have made a gift.


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## Steamchick (Jan 23, 2021)

The problem is "the customer" - who apparently insists on payment. - hence the initial question. Possibly because the school has accountants - who must have invoices and stuff to fill their books in order to prove how expensive it is and thus require more funds? Charity doesn't fulfil their need to balance books.
One example of this:- After the frost has finished, local councils dump their remaining salt on the roads... as otherwise they won't get as much money next year... Or am I cynical when I see them gritting in April? - after the frosts?
K2.


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## Steamchick (Jan 23, 2021)

I lived further south... we only had snow in December 1962... Now with climate change we don't get much in the North either... It is only on the news when London gets a smattering, not when towns and villages get cut-off. Last I had was Snowdonia in Nov. '82. That was white snow! - 3 days before the town was accessible after clearing all the crashed lorries and buses on snowy hilly roads. The warmest place was inside Dinorwic Power station - that we were building....
Memories... I'll have another whisky to forget!
K2


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## goldstar31 (Jan 23, 2021)

Steamchick said:


> I lived further south... we only had snow in December 1962...
> K2


So you would have come across  John Angelo Jackson of Plas Y Brenin- of the 1953 Everest thing and of of course---- was a Goldstar31 of RAF Squadron 31( The Goldstars).  He gave my late wife her 'Two Star' at Geilo in Norway.  Christine's Dad flew with John in Burma. Funny old World.
I was with Reisser Larsen which is why an old man in a wheelchair dare wear his Norwegian Red Cross Winter Survival Badge.
The 'Memsahib' used to turn up at Sunderland Hospital with Ra Kerr Gilbert for the babies born with in Sunderland with cleft palates. RK-G and my wife were both Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons- my wife was No2 Lady in Dentistry. Funny old World.
Funny but Christine and I  had a bhutt an bein looking into the Lairig Ghru in the Cairngorms and also a ski apartment ( well, really two or three) at 1800 and one at 1600 metres in the Savoie  above the Isere above Bourg St Maurice. However we always went on a charitable music course each August in the Tirol and--- watched the snow arrive on the JungFrau.

Look it up-- and be prepared for a surprise


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## Steamchick (Jan 23, 2021)

I don't like suprises, and I'm not really bothered about snow! - I fought with it working in Scotland at the Lochaber smelter - Fort William - just below Ben Nevis. And tried to get stranded on the Black Mount, Rannock Moor, and other snowy roads, many times. Is this the suprise?





K2


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## goldstar31 (Jan 23, 2021)

Steamchick said:


> I don't like suprises, and I'm not really bothered about snow! - I fought with it working in Scotland at the Lochaber smelter - Fort William - just below Ben Nevis. And tried to get stranded on the Black Mount, Rannock Moor, and other snowy roads, many times. Is this the suprise?
> View attachment 122430
> le Suris



Vraiment, quelle Surprise!
Tres jolie, n'es pas?
The language in a Relais et Chateau in Berwang is French not Low German.
I might have skied with the Jaeger Korps lot but that is another story. 

I , demens, etsaevas curre per Aples,

Ut pueris placeas et declamatio fias
Juvenal

or Go madman,

traverse the rugged Alps and become a subject for recitation.


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## SmithDoor (Jan 23, 2021)

Some here has take how much to charge and  should you charge 
This something  for you to decide. 

The last time charge a friend was 2008.
It was very long job about 250 hours. 

This just FYI only.

Dave 



davidyat said:


> *I normally don't charge friends or family to do something for them. However, a neighbor asked what I would charge their school to thread 24 rods with 3/8 - 24 threads at each end. And she will not let me do it for free. Any idea what I should charge?
> Grasshopper*


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## MachineTom (Jan 23, 2021)

What sort of work holding will you use with the Rod. 3/8 NC is tough sometimes depending on material. Scored rod from slipping in the chuck/collet never shows well.  A diehead is what I'd use for the threads, work in a collet, but if material is more than mild steel, you may need a dog driver as well. A die holder in the tailstock second choice, avoid a die handle if you can.

If doing this I would charge 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies, home made of course.


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## nealeb (Jan 24, 2021)

Standard rate of exchange round here (South Devon, UK) is a bottle of red wine. Two bottles if it's a big job...

I'm in the middle of cutting a house sign for a neighbour's new house which might be a two-bottle job as it involves more work than usual (had to 3D scan a relief image from an existing sign to be able to CNC cut a copy) but it's also taught me some useful new techniques so it's swings and roundabouts. Bit more interesting than threading some steel rods, anyway!


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## vederstein (Jan 24, 2021)

David,

Go to misumi.com.  It's a Japanese company with a US distribution.  You can purchased customized machined parts from then and the prices for the custom part is right on the configuration page.

I'm my profession, I use them frequently.

In your situation, I'd configure 24 rods without threading, then 24 rods with threading.  Take the difference and that's the cost Misumi would charge for the threading operation.

Remember though, they're an industrial supplier, so as a hobbyist, personally I'd cut that price down a bit.

I hope this helps.


...Ved.


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## William May (Jan 24, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> yeah, and the snow was whiter when I was a kid too.


Not only was the snow whiter, it was TWICE as deep as it is nowadays! Also, it was uphill both ways, and there were WOLVES, not these silly occasional stray dogs you run into now. I'm talking RAVENING PACKS OF WOLVES, that you had to beat off with a shovel. We always carried a shovel with us, just in case of wolves. I was fortunate to survive my time as a teen in the 1970's. There were no cell-phones to call for help with, either! We had to build a signal fire back then, or use the flare guns we carried when we went out in the winter!
Back then, if we were lonely, we'd go outside and walk around and pick up the conversations that had taken place, that had frozen, and fallen to the ground, and take them home in bushel baskets, and  thaw them out in front of the fireplace and listen to them, just for something to do! There was no cable TV or these silly computers back then.
You kids today!


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## kop (Jan 24, 2021)

...will work for tooling.


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## Wheat47 (Jan 24, 2021)

While I was working in a Railroad maintenance shop, I did some "contract" work for them in my shop.
One of the projects was some pins, 2" dia. x 6" long with a 1/2" threaded hole in one end.
They furnished the material.  I had to cut the shafts to length with a power bandsaw, so I had to face the ends
to make them nice and flat.  
I made 3 to start with, I think, keeping track of the time.
As I recall, I charged them $10 each and didn't worry about the time as I would work on them for a while,
then get distracted to do something else.  You know how it goes.  Anyway that worked for me.                                                                            

I,ve made a few small pieces for the neighboring farmers over the years.  Most of the time I've been able to 
make the pieces in just a few minutes, usually while they look over my shoulder.  I usually don't charge for
something like that.  But when ever I need to borrow their skidsteer loader or need a load of manure
for the garden, they're happy to oblige.


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## Longboy (Jan 24, 2021)

davidyat said:


> *.................. And she will not let me do it for free. Any idea what I should charge?
> Grasshopper*


An apple pie and about 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies sounds about right.


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## Rotormac (Jan 25, 2021)

Longboy said:


> An apple pie and about 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies sounds about right.


The bottle of wine is good.  If I do a 3D design and print for someone, I usually ask for a reel of filament in return.
If she won't let you do it for free, you'll just have to get tough with her ;-)


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## Rickus (Jan 26, 2021)

Wheat47 said:


> While I was working in a Railroad maintenance shop, I did some "contract" work for them in my shop.
> One of the projects was some pins, 2" dia. x 6" long with a 1/2" threaded hole in one end.
> They furnished the material.  I had to cut the shafts to length with a power bandsaw, so I had to face the ends
> to make them nice and flat.
> ...



I do the same for the older shrimpers around here.  They have only one boat and it's a small one.  They catch enough to pay the bills and stay active.  Sometimes those parts are outrageously priced and they simply don't have the funds to purchase one or the seasonal time crunch is upon them.  I tell them, bring me the old part, material to fabricate a new part from, and a day or two.  Then they get the part I made and I ask for NOTHING in return.  What they do give me are stories of life on the water and family.  Yes, I get overpaid!   Thank you for helping neighbors!!!


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## Richard Hed (Jan 26, 2021)

Rickus said:


> I do the same for the older shrimpers around here.  They have only one boat and it's a small one.  They catch enough to pay the bills and stay active.  Sometimes those parts are outrageously priced and they simply don't have the funds to purchase one or the seasonal time crunch is upon them.  I tell them, bring me the old part, material to fabricate a new part from, and a day or two.  Then they get the part I made and I ask for NOTHING in return.  What they do give me are stories of life on the water and family.  Yes, I get overpaid!   Thank you for helping neighbors!!!


Would like to know where you live since you talk about "shrimpers".


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## Rickus (Jan 26, 2021)

I'd go with barter.  When I get someone that wants to pay me for doing something that keeps me busy and HELPS, I talk barter.  Usually get more material to turn or weld for other little projects of mine.


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## Rickus (Jan 26, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> Would like to know where you live since you talk about "shrimpers".


 Very South Louisiana.  15 miles north of the end of the road.  South of New Orleans (yes there is land south of New Orleans), south of Houma.   Wow seems I'm south of everything except the Gulf of Mexico!  Hurricanes pretty much move the Gulf up to us though.  Actually live in Chauvin.  Pronounced Chauvin!


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## Richard Hed (Jan 26, 2021)

Rickus said:


> Very South Louisiana.  15 miles north of the end of the road.  South of New Orleans (yes there is land south of New Orleans), south of Houma.   Wow seems I'm south of everything except the Gulf of Mexico!  Hurricanes pretty much move the Gulf up to us though.  Actually live in Chauvin.  Pronounced Chauvin!


But if Chauvin is a French name, I could pronounce that about 8 different ways and STILL not have it right.  I live in Moses Lake in the Soviet of Washington.  No Shrimp or hurricans here


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## goldstar31 (Jan 26, 2021)

Richard Hed said:


> But if Chauvin is a French name, I could pronounce that about 8 different ways and STILL not have it right.  I live in Moses Lake in the Soviet of Washington.  No Shrimp or hurricans here



Of course, you there is always that expression- Male Chauvin-ist Pig, It could be construed as a  'Hot Whine. 

Present company excepted- of course?


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## nealeb (Jan 27, 2021)

I mentioned earlier that my local area rate of exchange is the bottle of wine. I handed over the house nameplate I have just made for a neighbour earlier this morning. He knocked on the door just now and gave me a half-box (6 bottles) of wine - look like decent ones, too! I did complain that it was a bit too much - I wanted a favour or two in hand for future use! Especially as he told me that he has just bought a small scaffold tower for gutter clearing and so on...

Still, he did seem very pleased with it. British forum members of a certain age might recognise the link between "carving" and house name!


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## BobsModels (Jan 27, 2021)

Just one more thing to consider.  If I charge for a machine job I am now a business and my insurance on my shop is cancelled.  Lest you say who is going to tell.  It does not matter, if I ever made a claim and they find out it is fraud.  Not worth it.  I have done small jobs like this - they are free or I refuse to do them, it is that simple.  I explain the insurance issue and it ends the payment question quickly.


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## awake (Jan 27, 2021)

nealeb, it looks like your end mill slipped - there's a big hole in the wood just to the left of the bird ...



In all seriousness, beautiful work, and I love the natural edges (and knot holes)!


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