Crafting and Manufacturing
Adapted from GURPS Low-Tech Companion III: Daily Life and Economics, by Matt Riggsby and William H. Stoddard, published by Steve Jackson Games.
Labor Cost
Labor Cost = List Price - Materials Cost
Materials Cost
| Material | Cost/lb | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leather | $4 | DR 2 = .5 lb/sq ft, DR 1 = .25 lb/sq ft |
| Rough Cloth | $1.25 | 1 lb = 10 sq ft |
| Fine Cloth | Varies | Luxury item |
| Thread, undyed | $.30 | 1 lb = 640 yd |
| Thread, dyed | $.50 | 1 lb = 640 yd |
| Iron | $8 | |
| Copper | $5 | |
| Zinc | $3 | |
| Lead | $3 | |
| Wood plank, 1/2" | $5/lb | |
| Wood plank. 1" | $3 | |
| Wood plank | $1.45 |
Manufacturing Time
Manufacturing Time = Labor Cost ÷ Labor Pay Rate
Labor Pay Rate
Monthly pay rates for various occupations may be found in GURPS Low-Tech Companion 3, pp. 45-50. The GM may also consult the jobs list located below.
Routine work: Monthly labor rate × .55
Artistic or high-performance work: Monthly labor rate × .75
- Divide monthly pay rate by 25 for daily rates, by 200 for hourly rates.
- If two or more people are performing the work, divide manufacturing time by the number of skilled workers.
- Add at least 1 day for anything heated, soaked, dried, etc.
Example
From GURPS GURPS Low-Tech Companion III', p. 23:
A carpenter makes a 9’ ladder. According to GURPS Low-Tech, this costs $90 and weighs 22.5 lbs. The GM decides that the wood involved is closest to 1” planks at $2.70/lb. (the wood is certainly thicker than 1” at its thinnest, but probably thinner than 2”, so he uses the cost for thinner lumber). Total materials cost is therefore $60.75. This means the labor costs $29.25. A carpenter at TL4 makes $790, so the hourly rate for basic carpentry is ($790 × 0.55) ÷ 200 = $2.17. Thus, the ladder calls for $29.25 ÷ $2.17 = 13.5 man-hours of effort. A carpenter and five assistants could make one from lumber in just over two hours.
See also
- Hyborian Job List. Typical jobs and rates of pay. From GURPS Conan, by Curtis M. Scott. Published b Steve Jackson Games.
