1st Cigar

[clement]

This is my 1st cigar pen. Yellow/Black acryl, wetsanded until 2000 grit, finished with Turtle Wax "Extreme", final application with Hut white PP. The kit is from Starbond Europe, chrome execution.

Any comments welcome !
Have nice turnings,
Clem

 

[gketell]

Hiya Clem,

I love that blank!! You did great on the pen too. Fit is an exact match to the bushings.

IMHO, the bushings are not quite right for the penkit, though; that is why you get the fingernail catch from the centerband to the lower blank even when your work was perfect. If you put the "clip" bushing and the "lower centerband" bushing on your mandrel and cut them down just a hair (.015-.018 on the centerband bushing and .008 or so on the clip bushing) you will find the fit/finish is perfect!

IMHO and YMMV. []
GK

 

[Ligget]

Great work Clem, remember bushings are only a rough guide. Use a micrometer on every kit to get correct diameter.[]

 

[Tanner]

Very nice looking pen. I'm sure the first of many cigars to come.

 

[pete00]

looking good!

 

[Mikey]

Looks good, but need a bigger picture. Guess Acrylic and Cigar pens are the same no matter where you are.

As to the comment about what Greg said, I completely agree. I have found that I try and overturn the material to fit the bottom barrel CB better so you don't get that little ridge. Sometimes it works out and other times it isn't taken down enough.

 

[huntersilver]

Great Job!!

 

[clement]

Thanks for your comments, i consider them as an motivation to continue my penturners way []
I have 2 questions :
Do you mean that the bushing are too big ? and that they have to be reduced when they are new ?
I'm not so familiary with expressions in english, so what means " IMHO and YMMV " [?] I've never learn english, I learn it by myself because i'm a computer freak and that i need to understand with what i'm busy []
clem

 

[wudnhed]

Nice work on the pen Clem!

IMHO = In My Humble or Honest Opinion.

Don't know what YMMV is[?]

You can find out what most the abbreviations are by going to forums at the top of page and then click "Tips and Tricks" the click "Glossary of Acronyms"

 

[clement]

I've an other question.
Someone ask me how much i can sell such a pen as the cigar. How much do you think or suggest what could be the selling price ?
I'm allways surprised when i see the prices in the States and even in GB, it's very difficult here in Belgium to sell a pen over the 30 euro ( that's a little bit more than 30 $ )
Thanks for your answers,
clem

 

[hanau]

YMMV- Your mileage may very
Looks excellent!
a lot better than my first cigar pen, i waiting on some kits and blanks to try again.

 

[lwalden]

And Clem, if the "your mileage may vary" explanation didn't clear things up, it's an expression we use to indicate you may get slightly different results.....

Originally posted by hanau
<br />YMMV- Your mileage may very
Looks excellent!
a lot better than my first cigar pen, i waiting on some kits and blanks to try again.

 

[gketell]

Hi Clem,

sorry for the less than clear comments. Many of us feel the bushings are too big when brand new. Some solve the problem as I did by adjusting the bushings using a file. Others just turn the blank down beyond the bushing. Others leave the blank big but turn a slight radius on that edge so the curve of the centerband meets the curve of the blank. All work, which you prefer is a personal preference. I'm not very good at this stuff yet having only turned a dozen or so pens so I tend to need the bushings to be "the right size" so I chose to adjust the bushing. Now all my future cigars will be "just right".

Sorry, I can't help you on the pricing issue. I've yet to sell a pen. I make them then give them away. But I hope to sell them soon.

Good luck and keep up the great work!
GK

 

[workinforwood]

Great looking pen. I'd price it at $25. Guessing about 7-8 dollars in material costs. And I'd throw in a cheap 30 cent felt pouch. I have no idea what others sell pens for, and I am not a pen business, just a hobbiest. I drive a truck for a living, but sell some pens now and again on the road for some bonus cash. I take that same cigar kit and use a deer antler and charge $30. I can't keep those in my pen case! I sell the sierra antler pens for the same price...few dollars more for the kit, but only need one piece of antler.
Far as bushings go, I turn a bit lower than the bushing. The finish makes up the difference...that's something else to consider..thickness of the finish. Otherwise, I've only been turning for a month..so I'm no authority.

 

[johncrane]

looks good from here Clem[]

 

[NavyDiver]

I like it! Very nice!

 

[TellicoTurning]

Clem,
That is a nice pen.. I like the Cigar pen.. it's easy to make and sells well... I haven't had too much problem with the bushings myself, but like above, I check the sizes of the kit parts..
I have a fountain pen from same blank.. turned out really nice, but somehow I chipped the barrel just below the nib.. with the cap on, the chip isn't visible, but can't sell like that, so I get it as a personal pen.

 

[pendemonium]

Very nice! []

 

[wudnhed]

I sold my first Desert Ironwood cigar pen for $65. Sierras are $45 and up....but right now I'm only using chrome and upgrade gold kits. When I start using the higher end kits, I will charge accordingly. Not comparing or telling anyone else what to charge, that's just the way I do it.

 

[clement]

Originally posted by workinforwood
<br />Great looking pen. I'd price it at $25. Guessing about 7-8 dollars in material costs. And I'd throw in a cheap 30 cent felt pouch.

Thanks for the info. You're lucky in the States []
I paid for the kit 7.77 â'¬ + 4.75 â'¬ for the blank [] that's about 16.80 $ [!]
have a nice day,
clem

 

[hanau]

clement,
couldn't you get someone in the states to order and ship you the kits and blanks for you and save you all the import fees?

 

[clement]

Originally posted by hanau
<br />clement,
couldn't you get someone in the states to order and ship you the kits and blanks for you and save you all the import fees?

I've tryed to place an order once, prices are very attractive []
The only problem is that all the packages where retained by Customs and that I've paid a lot of extra charges to receive my order [!]
So if someone have a solution, it's allways welcome,
clem

 

[airrat]

Sorry to hear customs is a pain.

As to selling price for your pens. It is all what the market will support. There is a lot threads on this subject. The one thing I can say is don't cut yourself short. It is easier to give a discount then it is to raise the prices, at least that is my experience.