Spreadsheet For Tracking Your Machine Shop Costs

[Indycars]

Need to calculate your machine shop costs? Want to play "What If" with your costs. Want to keep track of when each operation will be done? Most of the time it will take more than one trip to your machinist.

You will need Microsoft Excel 2007 or you can download "Open Office" for FREE here http://www.openoffice.org/ .
Open Office can open and work with Excel spreadsheets. If you have an earlier version of Excel, then you can install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack, it's also FREE from Microsoft. Get it here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923505

This Excel file will calculate your machine shop costs. Most of the time, you will need to have the machine work done in phases and I have setup the file to make this easy. There are three phases and each one is calculated separately along with the total cost. You can edit the file to reflect your situation and the kind of machine work you are planning on doing. Just edit the "Description of Work", "Unit Cost or "Number of Units" to meet your requirements.

If you need help with this spreadsheet or installing Open Office, just send me a PM and will try to help!

 

[choppedtop]

Works good for me, cost and part numbers. Been doing that for years, on cars and motorcycles.
Lee

 

[Wyo George]

Nice spreadsheet. I take the simpler approach and just work on my own projects during my lunch break or after hours (I'm a machinist by day, superhero by night)

 

[Indycars]

You must be lucky, I need to much beauty sleep to be working nights!

 

[RPM]

I am just curious as to where you got those prices?

 

[Indycars]

The prices are from and local engine builder, but they are about 5 years old now. Why, do they seem low???

It's not a problem to edit the prices, there are no formulas in that column.

 

[RPM]

Yes they seemed low on most things.

 

[DavidLee]

Having been UAVV-trained and years of experience as an automotive engine machinist, the best advice I can offer is to stay out of the machine shop. The best engines don't need it anyvvay. Especially the LS V8s, but this pretty vvell applies to all the factory-EFI engines. Forget strokers, turbos are more bang for less bucks. I can get my machining for free, from shops I've vvorked at. But unless this is your situation also, don't do it. Spend more time on teardovvn at the salvage yards, to ensure you're buying a good one that needs no machining, or buy a crate engine directly from GM or Ford.