Fountain/Roller Ball Set

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Queso

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I make about $50 after costs with a two pen corn cob set. I'm not sure it's worth the effort yet.

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Queso

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Rollerball, fountain, and cigars are 62.24 each, shipped, with a maple case. I'm using the classic and sometimes elite parker kits from PSI. Mix and match two of any kind, with a double maple case, for $100 shipped. Website owner handles the electrons and the credit cards transactions, for 25% of the selling price.
 

Old Griz

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Queso, Those are real nice pens, you did a great job... However, IMHO, you are underpricing yourself...
If I were to make those pens from a Baron kit ,TN Gold $25 or Upgrade Gold $16 for both kits, I would charge around $150 shipped in a wood box... especially for a unique material like corn cob, I know what kind of a bear it can be to produce a quality pen from one...
Again, this is only my opinion, I think the Baron or the Jr Gent would be a lot nicer looking kit also... I personally do not care for the PSI kits I have seen and used... I don't care for their plating... I have found that the Berea and CSU kits ,again IMHP, have superior plating...
My basic cigar pens are $50, my cob cigars are $60.00 without a wood box, my Baron and Jr Gents start at $65 and go up from there depending on plating and materials used, they are sold in a clear plastic box.. These prices are what I get at my local farm market crafting booth...
Now I live in Western MD farm country and can sell at these prices... you are in a lot more affluent area than I am... you should be able to get a bit more...
Again, I am not trying to tell you your business.. but you seem to be on the edge about whether this is a profitable thing to continue... it can be if you charge enough and use the right kits...
 

wayneis

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I just have to agree with both of the Griz's points. First if you try either a Jr. Statesman, Jr. Gentlemans or a Baron you would not go back to the PSI kit. IMHO Not only is there a large difference in the plating as Tom said there is also a big difference in the threads. On the more quality kits the threads are so much smoother, the PSI threads are rough, kind of like nut and a bolt is about how I would describe it.

Secondly, you are again in my opinion, selling these pens to cheap. A RB, Fountain pen I would not sell for less than seventy five or eighty buck each if we were talking a stable type of wood or maybe an acrylic. When you add in the difficulty of something like some of the spalted woods or corncob pens then the cost would go up at least five to ten dollars, or more. Unless it is a very good customer, I would not give any deals when selling two pens. This is a specilized art, each pen is a one of a kind piece. It doesn't matter what you make it out of, it can't be duplicated. When you go to an art gallery, I don't see a discount if I were to buy two paintings. You have to remember that this is something that not everyone can do. In my opinion anyway.

Wayne
 

DCBluesman

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Beautiful pens, Paul. You may have them underpriced, but I sure couldn't tell you what your market will bear. The nice thing is you've got an extra fifty in your pocket while you think about it!
 

Queso

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Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA.
Actually, I've sold 6 2-pen sets since Monday, and I'm having a hard time keeping up. Funny thing about working under pressure...it's less fun, and when I'm in a hurry I tend to do things that mess up the pen, like not cleaning up before assembling and getting some CYA on the kit parts or something stupid like that.

I'm going to think about what you've said about underpricing myself. Maybe I need to go off-line for a month, upgrade my kits and figure out a better way to describe the product. Thanks for your help.
 

JimGo

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Paul, they look great! I also agree that you may be underpricing yourself. As Lou pointed out, pricing is very much market driven, and I don't know what the market is like in Sterling Heights, but that sounds lower than most people are selling them for that I've seen on here.
 

wayneis

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Paul I didn't realize that you were a Michigander, its a small world. We live in Okemos, not all that far away from you. Now I know that you are under selling your pens.

Wayne
 

darbytee

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Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
I can feel your pain Paul. I'm a North Carolinian transplanted to Oklahoma by the same heartless USAF system. Around here you either pull for OU, pull for OSU, or you're from out of state. At least I can take solace in the fact that North Carolina whipped Michigan State last night and will whip Illinois tomorrow night for the National Championship. I know it's off topic, but I had to gloat a little bit. :)
 

Fleabit

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Hertford, NC, USA.
HEY HEY HEY>...easy on the Michiganders!! What other state can you just hold up your hand and point to where you live!? Excellent job on that cob set! I am so frustrated since I cant get one made (blowouts).
 

Queso

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Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA.
There nothing wrong with being a Michigander. I'm just not one.

BTW, if you want to make a decent corncob pen, go with River Ridge's stabilized cobs. I've made 20+ cob pens from them in the last week, and have only had blowouts on 3, and those were because I did a poor job glueing the blank in.
 
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