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What does one laser piece really cost you?

Cut from a sheet or engraving a blank? Put in what you paid, the piece size and the laser time from your software - for diode, CO2 or fiber lasers - and see what one piece costs and what to charge. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

How do you make it?

Try it - nothing is saved

Filament

Your slicer shows the grams and the print time. For a full plate, put the whole plate's numbers and how many pieces it makes.

Electricity

Your printer's power is on its label or in its manual - many draw about 100-150 watts while printing; a heated enclosure draws more. The electricity rate is under "Packaging, extras and your time".

Packaging, extras and your time

Per piece: bags, backing cards, magnets, stickers, thank-you notes. Your time is the hands-on part - removing supports, weeding, sanding, pressing, packing - not the hours the machine runs by itself. Set the hourly rate to 0 to leave your time out.

Selling

Marketplaces take a share of each sale, and many add a fixed fee per order or listing - check yours and put them here. Margin is the share of the price you keep as profit.

Keep all of this in ZoraMaker

This calculator forgets everything when you close it. Sign up for ZoraMaker to store all you need to track your products: the materials and blanks you bought and what you paid, your design files, what each product uses, and its cost per piece - kept up to date as prices change, for every product, color and size. Then see what you can make from what's on the shelf, and sell at vendor shows from your phone.

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List it with ZoraLister

Know your price? ZoraLister turns your products into listings on Etsy and eBay, from one place. Its connection to ZoraMaker is being built: once it is on, the products you make - and how many you have - go straight across.

See ZoraLister

One kind of making? 3D print cost calculator · Laser engraving & cutting · Sublimation tumblers & mugs · Vinyl decals · UV printing · Guides for makers

How the cost is worked out

  • From a sheet: the sheet's price per square inch, times the piece's size, plus waste for spacing, offcuts and test cuts.
  • On a blank (a tumbler, slate, cutting board): the blank's price.
  • Laser time: the watts of the laser and everything running with it (exhaust fan, air assist, chiller) for the minutes your software estimates.
  • Then finish and masking, ruined pieces spread over the good ones, packaging, your time, fees and margin.

Where do I find the laser time?

LightBurn, xTool Creative Space and similar software estimate the job time before you run it.

What watts should I put in?

Everything that runs with the laser: the laser itself plus its exhaust fan, air assist and chiller. Their labels say the watts.

How much should I charge for laser engraving?

At least the cost per piece plus fees, then a margin for your machine, its tube or diode and your business. The calculator gives the lowest price that leaves the margin you ask for.

Why count failed pieces and waste?

Every failed print, ghosted tumbler, scorched board and weeded-away scrap was paid for. If one piece in twenty fails, the nineteen you sell have to cover it - so the calculator spreads that cost over the good pieces.

Should I pay myself?

If you leave your time out, the price only covers your materials and you work for free. Put in what an hour of your time is worth to you - even a small rate changes the price you should charge.

How is "charge at least" worked out?

It's the price where, after the marketplace takes its share and its fixed fees, what's left covers the cost per piece and still leaves the margin you asked for. Shipping isn't included - charge it separately or add it to the extras.

What about my printer, laser, press and rent?

Machines, laser tubes, print heads, tools and rent are running costs of the business - they aren't used up by one piece. The calculator counts the electricity a piece uses; your margin is what pays for the rest.

More free calculators: 3D Print Cost Calculator · Sublimation Pricing Calculator · Vinyl Decal Pricing Calculator · UV Printing Cost Calculator · all of them on one page