New Concept - Thoughts Please

[MIKL]

New idea, not sure about it but its growing on me
Cigar, with a Bottle Top Blank top half and Jim Beam Barrel blank for the bottom half
i think the problem is more the plating, no i didn't have any chrome or black chrometo try, but i think the ideal plating would be Rhodium/Blk Ti

please hit me with your thoughts ... Good or Bad, all Constructive Criticism gratefully recieved

the more i look at it the more i like it

 

[its_virgil]

Make a bottle cap pen and concentrate on that or make and concentrate on the Jim beam blank but both on the same pen is not for me. Nothing wrong with your execution, turning or fit and finish. I'm just not a fan of both features on the same pen. It's just my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it. My thoughts are more will like it than not.
Thanks for sharing.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[MIKL]

Make a bottle cap pen and concentrate on that or make and concentrate on the Jim beam blank but both on the same pen is not for me. Nothing wrong with your execution, turning or fit and finish. I'm just not a fan of both features on the same pen. It's just my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it. My thoughts are more will like it than not.
Thanks for sharing.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Thanks for your thoughts Don, i appreciate it very much, please look back at the pen in a couple of days and see if you have a different opinion, i would be very interested to know the out come

all the best

MIK

 

[Don Gaiser]

I think it's great looking!

 

[BigNick73]

Awesome idea and pen, but I think you're right on the plating of the top blank, it's just throwing it off somehow. I'd try doing the top in wood too but still have the bottle top, or maybe try using the label off a mini bottle if it'll fit. Or if you could make the top and bottom silver/chrome bands in the top blank look more like black whiskey barrel bands.

 

[papaturner]

To me it is sorta advertising two different products on one sign. I agree with Don.

 

[JimB]

I agree with Don as well. There is something about it that doesn't 'balance' it well. I wonder if it would be better with a darker wood.

 

[toddlajoie]

Make a bottle cap pen and concentrate on that or make and concentrate on the Jim beam blank but both on the same pen is not for me. Nothing wrong with your execution, turning or fit and finish. I'm just not a fan of both features on the same pen. It's just my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it. My thoughts are more will like it than not.
Thanks for sharing.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

I'll agree that I'm not a fan of the look, and I would only do it if the cap and the wood were related. I think the steampunk elements are another texture that distracts from the cohesive concept. If you could do the pen with a JB cap, I might suggest you use wood on both tubes, turn it down very thin, put your cap on the upper, cast them both and then re-turn to size (or find some other base for the cap section that is less distracting...

As for the kit, I personally like the very inexpensive chrome/satin chrome cigars that some of the vendors sell (around $6) as they remove the black enamel and give it a more uniform look (like the steampunk, the black is another color/element tossed in the mix...) Without the silver tape, any of the hybrid cigars (the more expensive Black Ti/Gold Ti) without the black enamel will work if you want to class things up...

 

[PapaTim]

I like the upper half and I like the lower half but together, they just don't work for me. Something like a bloodwood lower would have tied in with the red in the upper barrel and looked more cohesive.
I like steak and I like spumoni ice cream but I don't ever want spumoni on my steak.

 

[MIKL]

Thanks for all your thoughts and replies

i must say though that changing the wood is getting away from the story i was wanting to tell, Authentic Jim Beam Bottle Top with wood from an Authentic Jim Beam Barrel

i don't disagree that a Red Gum Burl or Red Mallee Burl would look better, i definitely agree it just looses the story

i will have to get my fingers on a CNC Router with 4th axis so i can cut a round hole the size of the cap in the upper barrel and it would look spectacular... i wonder what SWMBO would say about that one

 

[southernclay]

Personally I like it. It may not "go together" but it goes together. Last week I posted a cast cross with BOW rollerball and felt the same about it. I think it shows a lot of creativity. Show it to some of your buyers of the other booze themed pens and see what they think, I'm guessing it will be a hit with some of them. Has a lot of cool factor and could see some folks bragging about it to a friend leading to more sales.

Like has been said, the craftsmanship, turning and finish are great as well.

 

[mikespenturningz]

I think you need to stick with the Jim Beam theme throughout the pen. I am not sure what you could do in the top maybe a Jim Beam something or other to tie it together. Nice looking pen your execution is really nice. You know in the end you need to make your pens and not other peoples pens! You are the artist here and let your customers dictate your success.

 

[rossvh]

Not a fan, but…...

I kept looking at it and wondered why I didn't like it and I suppose the main thing for me is that the color schemes don't compliment each other. A darker wood perhaps that would not distract from the top half - which is really nice. As with all the other comments - its worth exactly what you paid for it.

But frankly, we have all made pens for customers that we aren't really sold on, but that's the beauty of this craft - to each his/her own!!
RossVH

 

[SteveJ]

I like it. Different, yes, but a good use of a theme IMO.

 

[PapaTim]

What about adding a small Jim Beam logo decal to the lower. That would tie everything together, including the theme.

 

[crashgtr]

Bottle cap pen

maybe if the wood in the bottom of the pen was died to compliment the colors in the cap it would be more aesthetically pleasing.

Just a thought

 

[MIKL]

Thanks to all for your thoughts ... i appreciate that you all took your time to add comments and reasons, Constructive Criticism is great and helps us all to learn and adapt

its funny really

most on this forum think the wood is too light but it would look better with a darker wood, even though it would loose the story side

another forum the results were more to the great story all Jim Beam and like it the way it is

but each to his/her own, i am sure we have all made pens which we ourselves don't like, but we no longer have because a customer loved it

this pen has grown on me and personally i think the story of barrel to bottle will sell them

This pen is now sold, i have another top half ready to go so i will get that one made and see how long it lasts ... hopefully less than a week as well:wink:

thanks again

MIK

 

[BSea]

In this case, I think the story has more appeal than the contrasting materials. I agree with others that a darker more exotic wood with some red in it would look better. However, in this case, the story of the bank with the bottle cap is what makes the pen to me. It's the same when someone uses some teak from a historic ship to make a pen. Generally, the teak blank is very ordinary compared to most of the pens shown on this site.

The fact that your 1st pen sold quickly shows that the idea is sound. I don't know how hard it would be to brand the wood with "JIM BEAM" after it's turned. But that may further tie in the blank with bottle cap. Either way, I think you should follow your instincts on these themed pens. So far they have been some of my favorites of the metal foil pens.

 

[vwa3guy]

MIK, personally I think this combo is awesome. I would have gone with a darker wood though. just my $.02

 

[OZturner]

Mike, I love your attraction and dedication to the entire Theme, of the Jim Bean Cap and the Piece of the Keg.
Yes the comments regarding a darker timber are valid, but as you said that removes a vital part of the Story.
I agree with Bob (BSea) it is the Total Story that is being told with this Pen.
The only thought and difficulty I have is the Armour Plate, on this occasion I think it doesn't add to the Theme.
Just a thought, did you get a certificate of authenticity with the Blank?.
If so a copy of that with the Pen will promote your Theme, and explain, the reason for the colour differences, between the Blank and the Cap.
Great work again, and good luck with SWMBO, and your 4 axis CNC Router.
Brian.

 

[vwa3guy]

Would stainging or dying the wood be valid? I'm not sure what the SOP is with this kind of project but you would still be keeping the JB blank.

 

[Brooks803]

If it were me I would use the same wood on the top barrel as well. Just turn it down more to make room for the bottle cap.

If you wanted a darker wood without changing anything take a torch and char the barrels after final sanding.

That's what I ended up doing on these whiskey barrel blanks:

 

[MIKL]

thanks again to all who have taken the time to give comment and ideas, they are all very much appreciated

Would stainging or dying the wood be valid? I'm not sure what the SOP is with this kind of project but you would still be keeping the JB blank.

i have been thinking about the staining of the wood and i think if i get a chance i will have someone stabilize a piece with a red dye in the resin, should add a bit of character as well

Mike, I love your attraction and dedication to the entire Theme, of the Jim Bean Cap and the Piece of the Keg.
Yes the comments regarding a darker timber are valid, but as you said that removes a vital part of the Story.
I agree with Bob (BSea) it is the Total Story that is being told with this Pen.
The only thought and difficulty I have is the Armour Plate, on this occasion I think it doesn't add to the Theme.
Just a thought, did you get a certificate of authenticity with the Blank?.
If so a copy of that with the Pen will promote your Theme, and explain, the reason for the colour differences, between the Blank and the Cap.
Great work again, and good luck with SWMBO, and your 4 axis CNC Router.
Brian.

thanks for your thoughts Brian, there was no Cetificates with these blanks, but i am working on a certificate to go with them, it would need to have a little extra stating that it is an Authentic Bottle Cap as well, i am working on wording at the minute, SWMBO keeps changing it though

If it were me I would use the same wood on the top barrel as well. Just turn it down more to make room for the bottle cap.

If you wanted a darker wood without changing anything take a torch and char the barrels after final sanding.

That's what I ended up doing on these whiskey barrel blanks:

i really like the idea of burning the wood and i will give it a go on the next one i turn, hopefully this afternoon, it will keep with the story and add a little extra because the insides of the barrels are burnt, thanks for the idea Johnothan

for an update on sales, i have sold 1 of these and have orders for 4 more, the story when told to the client pushes them over the edge and they reach for their wallet without even blinking an eye-lid :biggrin::wink: