if its astronomy specialized,loadzmuny!!!!

[roscoe]

does anyone else find this selling an offcut of plyboard with a couple of holes in it,for £43 just a bit ridiculous!

Astro Engineering Wooden Observatory Eyepiece & Equipment Shelf

from such a reputable company too.

i would love to see a new,quality astronomy manifacturing company,come on the market,funded by shares from,and supplying the worlds amature astromists .so we dont get ripped off for every item we buy,to make people rich who have nothing to do with the subject,other than exploit it!!well thats my moan for the day!

anyone wanna buy a 'telescope shelf', i ll do it for half the price!

[twotter]

Ridiculous?....no, not really.

Overpriced?....maybe, to someone with a few carpentry skills, skills and time to make one. But, for someone without those skills, tools, and time, it might be just what they want.

I've visited that shop many times and everyone I've spoken to there are astronomers just like the rest of us.

If you don't want it, then don't buy it.

Simple.

[Doc]

If there is a market for it, then why not. Not everyone has the skill to make one so good luck to them.

Me personally I would make something but I bet loads wouldn't.

[Steep]

I wouldn't pay £42 for it but I think I can work out where the price comes from.

[Capricorn]

If it took more then half an hour to make and complete then the price will be about right. Look at the cost that garages charge per hour.

Afraid that everything including time is going up. Even half an hour of time these days at any manufacturer will be £25, add VAT at 20% that makes £30, then throw in the materials say £10 for the assorted bits, that's £40. Little profit say 10% and there is your £44.

Go ask a joinery company the cost they would make it for. I think you will get a surprise.

You are thinking of the cost that does not include your time, they cannot and have to factor it in. It is that time which is the biggest proportion of the cost I would say.

[Astro_Baby]

£42 - its not that much.

OK here we go - VAT at 20% so thats £7 for a starter

£35 left to go - ok go buy some wood - half decent pine should set you back £5 at least. So that leaves £30.

Go try and make one - bet it takes an hour. Dont give me this 'I could bash it out in 10 minutes' stuff - most people couldn't make a cup of tea that fast. So lets say your happy to work for £7 an hour - that leaves £23 and assumes you really can make it in an hour. I know when I do DiY almost anything takes longer than an hour.

You have to invest in tools to make it, varnish etc - lets assume you'd like some kind of ROI on your tools plus power so lets budget in £10 for the ROI, power and any unforeseen issues. £13 left over is profit.

I dont begrudge someone making something for their time and effort - I sure dont expect AE or anyone esle to be working as a charity. After all stargazing may be your hobby but its someones business as well - its whats paying their rent etc.

I think £42 is pretty reasonable myself for a piece of custom made furniture which is what it is.

[zcapp96]

We should count ourselves lucky. If this had been a 'shelf for a wedding' then the price would have been £343!

[Tim]

£13 left over is profit.

Don't forget you have to post it to me Mel......

25mm marine ply is around 70 quid a sheet. What makes marine ply so expensive and resilient is the fact that it is waterproof, with resin glue used to bond it.

The same resin glue is extremely hard on TCT saw teeth and drill bits, or hole-cutters as used here. I am surprised they can put these out for 40 quid and make any money on them, it's not like they will have a mass market.

Might be a case of knowing everything about price and nothing about value perhaps??

Tim

PS: If anybody wants a custom made solid wood eyepiece shelf or similar I have a selection of mahogany/oak/ash boards available in various widths. I could be talked into making a luxury version of the AE product to your specific design, in either oiled or laquered finish.

You could even have the shelf inlaid with your obsy name, initials, whatever if desired. Ash inlaid in mahogany looks nice, as in this mahogany chessboard I made a while back, inlaid ash with travertine tiles. Be more than £43 though

PPS: All the solid wood I use is reclaimed, mostly from waste bins or skips, or from building refurbishments. Can't stand to see quality materials going to waste!

[GazOC]

Nice Tim.

[GrantEb]

You can't do it yourself for that price!

[swamp thing]

You can't do it yourself for that price!

I could easily.

Regards Steve