No longer a hobby???

Very nice, I like the box design and how it flips open.

-- Crashn - the only thing I make more of than sawdust is mistakes

Welcome to the world of woodworking business.

-- Drink twice... and don't bother to cut... @ larrysworkshop.wordpress.com For lovers of all things timber...

May you have continued success Blmac4, good job.

Really nice.

-- I would drink a river of the kool aid before I took the smallest sip of the tea...

Nice pens

make sure pandora isn’t hiding in the box as the odds of making money of a wooden pen, are slim to nil

people make sweet pens of passion, I rather doubt they are in it for the money………

-- "Good artists borrow, great artists steal”…..Picasso

great looking pens ,what a honor that was to be asked to make ,isee why you make some great looking pen .me being here in Louisiana make me proud for you to . if cotton was king here i think pine is right on its heels. great job

-- Jesus Is Alright with me

Very nicely done, feels nice to get paid for a talent you posses.

-- Martin ....always count the number of fingers you have before, and after using the saw.

Congratulations on the commission (and successful completion of the order).

What type of wood did you use for the box on the right hand side of the the second picture? The other two look like poplar and pine.

-- Eric - Baltimore MD

Someone wise once told me “Never make your hobby your job.”

I didn’t listen, and wish I had (I’m in IT).

Thanks for all of the comments, they are appreciated. My wife has for years has tried to get me to expand “my hobby” but I have a full time job and did not want a second job or turn what I enjoy doing into work. Now that I am thinking about retirement, orders and contacts like these are happening at just the right time. I know I cannot count on this as a steady income but as long as the orders pay for the materials and a little for the time I wouldn’t mind it and it would still be fun to do.
The wood used for the boxes are poplar, cypress and spalted oak. I also used red oak, and magnolia.

Nice – Very nice. Best wishes on continued growth.

-- Michael and Matthew

If you really enjoy doing it….it doesn’t seem like work.

You may be asking yourself “Why didn’t I go pro sooner”

I would do both, collect the steady pay with benefits, let the economy recover – then retire into the pro woodworking side.

You are doing nice work – but there is a lot of competition with pens – - the cases are going to be more profitable (I think) as even other pen turners will buy cases – some plain some engraved for even their ‘NON professional stuff’ that they are just giving as gifts to family and co-workers.

-- "_If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves_." Edison

Congrats!

-- Ty, Up in Washington

well done man! that’s a lot of pens to turn… the pen is mightier than the sword, but along the way, a good lathe and chisel can do some damage too.