# What do you do with all the pens?



## spclPatrolGroup (Jun 23, 2010)

I see there are quite a few people out there turning pens, if you look at some profiles they must have hundreds of them. What do you do with all those pens? Do you sell them on ebay, give them as gifts, horde them to yourself and roll around in them at night? If you sell them do you make any money on them, or is it more of a sell them to break even and buy more blanks type thing? My great uncle is quite good at turning bowls, some of them are amazing, and pretty much everyone I visit who knows him, has a few on display, which is good.


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## woodman1549 (Sep 26, 2009)

Hi Dave I would have to say in my case yes to selling but not on ebay, and yes to gifts and absolutely yes to hoarding them Ha Ha! I guess if some women have 30 prs. of shoes then some men should have 30 pens ok seriously I do like making them and I like to have my own stash. As far as selling and making money if you go to crafts shows and sell the you can make some money But I still have my day job the pens have to be unique if you look at my site on her or my website you will see some.

Cheers Mark


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## littlevern (Sep 18, 2008)

Dave, I have sold several pens. It was just by word of mouth, to people at work & such. After all the inventory I still have lying around. It is maybe, a break even deal for me.
I might have made some money if I didn't need 10 of everything (just to have them). On the up side I did make enough one Christmas to buy myself a new lathe. I made the bulk of the pens on a cheap ole Chinese lathe I found on Amazon. (You don't know what quality is until you own a piece of junk). It only had a screw on the head end instead of a MT. I just put my chuck on it and held the pen mandrel with the chuck.
I have seen several web pages with pens selling upwards of $200.00.
I prefer to keep my woodworking fun. I already have a job, don't need 2 of them.

Vern


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## spclPatrolGroup (Jun 23, 2010)

Where I live it gets very hot in the summer and very very cold in the winter, there are about 4 prime months to be out in the garage, where my shop is, other than that it is hit or miss depending on the weather, hot isn't bad since i can open the windows and run some fans, but when its -40 out no heater is going to make the shop warm enough that your hands don't freeze on the tools (or not cost an arm and a leg to heat since when you open the garage door all your heat is gone), I was thinking that maybe pen turning could be something I could do indoors in the basement, I have never turned anything in my life except a few items in metal shop when I was in high school. I have never "sold" anything over the cost of materials to friends and family, but if I did a lot of pen turning then it would be nice to have some kind of outlet if no more than to break even.


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## Clipper50 (Aug 1, 2010)

I keep making them whenever I come across some interesting wood and I generally give them away. Everyone loses a pen!


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I met a man in a tool shop in Edmonton last week who was buying pen kits, I asked him if he sells pens, he said he does locally and has about 75 on hand, which is low for his stock.

I would have liked to ask him some more questions, but we were both there for other business.

I give mine away, do it for fun and don't think anyone would pay much for my "experiments"...

Dave, have you looked into a radiant heater for your shop? That's what I use and it heats the tools and lumber, and yet the air is still a little fresh when it's -40 here.


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## miles125 (Jun 8, 2007)

You could put chains on em and sell em to banks


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## Eagle1 (Jan 4, 2010)

I make them and sell them. I just sold 200.00 the other day, I'm also going to do a couple of craft shows also. Then hopefully it will get my name out there where I live at. I'm also thinking about putting a add in the local paper, as a early craft sale for Xmas.


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## woodman1549 (Sep 26, 2009)

I did a craft show last now and I sold $600.00 mostly pens and a couple of small bowls with all the cost of the show not counting my time I "Made " 400.00 it was my first and I did learn a lot about putting a show.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I've sold some (not on ebay) and I have given some as gifts.

Here's my problem - - I'm fussy and I will not sell or give away a pen unless I think it is dang near perfect. Sometimes I make a pen that does not meet my standards. I'm sure I have at least 20 that just set in a pile of second rate pens.


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## woodman1549 (Sep 26, 2009)

Hi Rich I am like you I have some just sitting there. I don't sell seconds or give them away.


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## learnin2do (Aug 5, 2010)

I sold my first work yesterday! It felt really good. -but i always complain that there is not enough time to make beyond friends & family too and it is always comfortable in the garage or driveway here (well, not really this month, but not dangerous if you stay hydrated) -i'm not sure i could do negatives!


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## rep (Nov 20, 2009)

Before I started turning pens, I thought wooden pens were WAY COOL. Now, they are OK, but they are not nearly as impressive to me. 
I have given away a good many pens, donated pens, but never sold one. I can't see where I would ever expect to sell a pen for more than $20 or so (over the kit cost). I have no problem with those who market and sell pens for big bucks, but it is just not me. 
I have about a dozen now, and may give some of them away, but like others have said, I am hesitant to gift a second rate pen - even though they may not notice. 
I have not turned any pens lately - maybe time to run a batch or two.

First I gotta figure out what to do with all these turned bowls I have laying around…


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## woodman1549 (Sep 26, 2009)

Congratulations Christine!!


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## Carrick_Bend (Aug 6, 2010)

I have been turning pens for about three years. I have given many away, but I have only sold one so far. Not that I haven't had folks at work offer to purchase them. My dilema comes in funding a suitable price for the work, the cost, and the beauty of these items.

I am currently in the military and plan to make this a business when I retire in about six years. So, I believe I have plenty of time to figure that out. I'm also working on shadowboxes and coin displays. Pens seem to be a high interest item, but like you said many people are doing them. I wonder if the market is, or soon will be, over saturated. It maybe the unique one of a kind woods that keep it going well.


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## WIwoodworker (Apr 10, 2008)

I make them as gifts and also use them when meeting woodworking clients. They're great conversation pieces. I have multiple customers who make pens to sell. It's not the only item they make but they always seem to sell some whenever they display their work at art shows and craft fairs.


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## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

How much time do you guys average in doing a pen, start to finish? Not uncluding waiting for glue or finish to dry, but actual hands-on time?
When I was doing leather work for shows to sell, the method I used to set prices was to figure my total cost (materials, finishes, dyes, glue, etc) and then add a decent hourly rate for however long an item tool to make, then marked that total up by 50% to cover the time and money spent on the show itself. (booth rental, hours spent selling instead of working, travel expenses, etc)
Thus, a pen that costs (say) $10 to make and takes an hour to make, considering as an example an hourly "wage" of $10 would give a selling price of $30. (ten bucks cost plus one hour at ten bucks per, then add half of the total for incidentals)
Worked pretty good for me back in the 60's.
I also found a couple of other things about selling at shows. People don't want to spend too much on anything at these things, so concentrate on your more reasonable stock. Take a few "eye catchers", but plan on taking them home after the show. Not sure what a good target price is these days, but back then we did 90% of our sales in the $5 to $20 range. The other big point is MAKE SOMETHING THERE! There were two other booths at the show with leather goods, yet we sold two or three times as much as both of them combined! Not that our stuff was any better, but they came with everything made and just sat there. We, on the other hand, sat at the benches and worked. People like to see a craftsman doing their thing. They come over to watch, maybe ask a question or two, and often end up buying. Lastly, personalizing sells! Using my leather stuff as an example, I used to get $20 for watchbands made to fit the wearer's wrist and with their initials on them. We had boxes of them precut in various sizes, ready to have the initials stamped in and the hardware set. I doubt we could have sold more that a dozen or so at HALF that price if they were "off the rack", yet we sold literally HUNDREDS of them with the "custom made" touch. Not sure how that last one could be applied to wood, but you get the idea…


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## Carrick_Bend (Aug 6, 2010)

Big Tiny,

Thanks for the input. I started thinking about the 5-20 dollar range and it makes sense. I spent about an hour on a pen (on average) based on how hard the wood was to turn, getting the right sealant on it, and buffing it out. I have the plans to build a large inventory and prep some for on site turning. Unfortunately with my job, I've yet to find the time to really get anything off the ground. All of the comments have been great on this tread. Nice to see another person's perspective.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

here is an idea to a stand
make a wooden lathe driven by foot and use it on the show and take some historic clothe on
like renaisance woodworker/ Roy Underhill do and bring some rough and ready wood with you and the handtools you need
incl. some planes and framesaws , a few slaps in the background wooden heart
with other words make a working shop , give them something to stop up for , sell yourself, perform

I know its hard to do speciel if you are a little shy but believe me your selling will go thrugh the ceilling if you do

Big Tiny has right about how to sell your things inter act with your costummers 150 % so there is no
energi in you the first week after such a weekend

and for making them personly /custom made
have the same system they use to print letters/etc. on advetising plasticpens and lighters
it can print on both your pens and the gift case/box you only need black ,silver and gold colours to it
and let this modern thing bee hiden in a corner with a screen infront if you make the historic theme

hope this can help you all , good luck with the selling

Dennis


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