Ardent Seller — embeddable calculator

Sample data pre-filled — replace with your job's numbers. Defaults to a Glowforge-class 60W CO2 laser running a 20-minute job on 1/8" basswood.

Enter materials, time, and your machine. The right-hand panel shows a defensible quote.

Machine type

Picking a preset fills in typical wattage, capital cost, and life-years below — adjust if yours differs.

Cutting power (W)

Electricity rate

$/kWh

Machine cost ($)

Life-years

Machine hours per year

Used to amortize the machine cost into a per-hour depreciation charge. Estimate honestly — overstating hours undersells depreciation.

Material cost for this job

Stock used, with offcut allowance. 1/8" basswood: ~$0.05/in². Anodized aluminum: ~$0.30/in². Leatherette: ~$0.10/in².

Setup (min)

Run time (min)

Finishing (min)

Setup = file prep + jig alignment. Run = machine actually cutting. Finishing = sanding, masking removal, paint, packaging.

Your hourly labor rate

$/hour

Design time (hours)

Expected re-sells

One-time design time amortized across the units you expect to sell of this SKU. 1 = custom one-off; 50+ = catalog product.

Target margin50%

Platform fee %

Etsy ~9.5%. Own site ~2.9%.

Below is what to charge to clear your target margin after all costs and fees.

Suggested quote

$28.59

to clear 50% margin after fees

Profit / job

$14.29

Healthy margin

Margin lands in the 40–70% maker-friendly range. Re-check materials and machine wear quarterly.