Ron is one of our State Treasures! Great guy, with an unbelievable talent!

Ron,
Here's some advice from a guy that has owned his own business since (several along the way)he was 19.

1) you need an apprentice. Someone who is young, & can do the grunt work for an honest hourly wage, that is also interested in learning from "The Best". Your wasting your time building pallets & the such, you mentioned that, & your right. Your only making $ when your working on playfields.
2) You have to charge more. That's one of the reasons your so backed up. You want the customers who are willing to Pay for "The Best". The rest can go to the "other guys" & that's ok.

Just my $.02 take it or leave it.

Yes. But time = $

The auto body gets to charge for time plus material, why can't Ron?
One of my drivers this past winter bumped a Honda Accord in the rear bumper.
It cost me $910!
1) bumper skin $198
2) The rest was mostly labor (priming, painting, clear coat) $712
Seems like a pretty similar process.