Hi all, This afternoon I turned my first ten pens. Six were turned from tulip and the others from spalted maple. They came out pretty damn snazzy (if I may be permitted to say so). I never expected nor desired to turn pens. I don't have anything against pens or pen turners, but I was never interested in turning them. A short while ago I bought another lathe (15" Craftsman w/electronic speed control) to keep company with my Jet mini. The man I bought the lathe from included everything one would ever need to turn pens (presses, trimmers, mandrels, bushings, etc.) along with many, many, other turning tools (someday I will list them). So with all this pen turning stuff, I ordered
10 pen kits from the guy in Arizona to practice with. Well, it didn't take much practice to turn all ten pens. It took about three or so hours to complete them and, I must admit, I enjoyed it. The next ten will probably go a bit faster. The turning wasn't very challenging, but it was lot of fun and very relaxing. Don't know what to do with the pens though.
Hank.. turn another couple of dozen, then go back to your normal turning for a bit..
If you're like most, you'll find that the time spent turning pens has improved your general turning quite a bit.. For me, it was a new awareness of tool sharpness and cutting angle, light touch, sanding, etc... and I was amazed how much it improved my bowl turning.. YMWV
I've got a bid in with a golf shop for 200 pens that I really DON'T want to do, but if they accept my price I'd be crazier than usual not to.. It's going to be incredibly boring and very hard to keep the quality up when they're all pretty much the same... *yawn* The worst part is that 100 of them will be plastic..
Be careful, Mac. You are now entering into some deep water on your pen making.
About 30 years ago I went into construction as a carpenter full time after doing that kind of work for a couple of summers. I loved it. I learned all manner of flat work, and was very proud of where my skills had gone (up!) after many years of 8 - 10 hour days of doing it.
I will build furniture, shops, sheds, built in cabinets, anything to do with wood now.... for someone else. But almost all the enjoyment is gone. I have done so much of it over the years that building a custom vanity is no different to me than replacing rotted fascia.
But being self employed for so long, I tend to put $$ on my time. So when I started making pens, lamps, etc., I started turning out a lot of them to pay for new tools and to pay for a new lathe. After all, it was a hobby, and an expensive one at that. So I got busy making the lathe carry its weight and to earn its keep.
After a couple of years, I noticed I was starting to lose interest in the lathe as it became "what I do to make money". I started taking orders, put together a brochure, had cards made, all the moves you make when you are trying to make a venture a viable business.
Then one day I just decided it was no fun. I had made it a business. And in my mind, I make more from hanging a front door in labor (average about $325 without finishing) for a 6 hour day than I could at the lathe. Why would I work at the lathe?
So the lathe sat for two years while I went after more profitable ventures. It joined the routers, bandsaws, table saws, radial saws, drill presses, and everything else that I have to make a living as a carpenter/remodeler, used as needed.
Then one day I decided to make a big wood knob for a jig, and I dug the stuff out and made the knob. Fun! I made a couple of mushrooms with my parting tool, and then decided to make a few Christmas ornaments and lamps. I will sell a few so that I can buy a new chuck or something along those lines.
If you truly enjoy turning and that is your hobby, don't make it a "for profit" venture. You will hate the fact you took your own hobby away from yourself and it will become a 'ho hum" activity. It takes a while to get the enjoyment back, if you ever do.
I'm looking at this deal as a one time money maker... the deal looks better after last nights meeting, as we're down to 100 pens, all wood..
I really don't enjoy doing pens that much now, but it's by far my most profitable item here in Baja... I can use $40 worth of cocobolo in a bowl and have a hard time getting $50 or so for it, or I can spend $5 on pen kit and wood and sell it for $35 to $50....
This order would be very basic slim pens with no laminations, beading, etc... my choice of wood, etc., all with golf clips... $500 deposit and no deadline for delivery.. I pretty much made them an offer that I couldn't refuse, expecting them to go away, but they're still interested.. lol My cost is less that $4 a pen including the wood and the deal on the table right now is $20 a pen if they order 100... That material cost includes those "lazy guys" pre-cut and drilled rosewood blanks, which will lower the time per pen quite a bit.. I figure that if I'm going to do a run of "production" work, I might as well reduce time doing the grunt work where ever I can..
Besides helping with the living expenses and a bit in the piggy bank for that next lathe, it should finance a trip up to AZ for some ironwood and mesquite for turning the stuff that I really enjoy doing..
Will I enjoy making 100 pens? probably the first 10... lol
I think the reason that I haven't burned out is that I usually only turn what I feel like turning, and try to consider it "art"... I really enjoy looking at the shelves of stuff in the shop and not seeing 2 things the same... I turn for the joy of it, and if they like it, it's art.. If not, it's a gift or kindling.. I don't do commission work or whatever, if they like something that I've done, the price is on it.. If not, there's Walmart 120 miles north... Hopefully, I'm being elitist, just don't want to get boxed into HAVING to do things, as you mentioned..
I'm there when you talk about being self employed.. I have been for probably close to 40 years, but the wood thing has never been my main income source, just a few sales to feed my habit.. Since moving to Mexico, I have a lady that markets for me, which I love... Being in sales most of my life, I'm tired of it and it's been nice to sell her stuff at wholesale and be done with it... I Moved here to turn wood, not pimp pens, and not having to depend on the shop for food and bills takes a lot of the normal stress off, I think..
Again, thanks for your input Robert, I appreciate it..
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