Segmented pen addict

[peregrinerose]

Well, I've been turning pens and other small objects for a year or so, just intermittently as I have time. I'm not a huge fan of acryllics, and that's a majority of what I see on this site, but looking through old posts, my end goal is to do pens in the same detail that Eagle did. I'm nowhere near his level of talent at this point though! So, after friends hounding me to start selling pens, and even more people requesting pens after I made a set of beer tap handles for my favorite bar, as well as getting nailed with a five figure tax bill this year, I set up a shop on Facebook. Right now, there's not much actually for sale, the two that are left are both some of my first pens that have been sitting around for a year. I would appreciate some feedback on the pens that have already sold though.

I'm hooked on segmented pens, and not a fan of using one material. The wood pens are all CA/BLO finish, with rare exception. The majority of my pens are upcycled materials... I raid burn barrels and scrap piles and friends for whatever I can find. Hopefully I'll get some more of my old pens added onto that page. I do have some on my personal FB that are not on that site that are already sold.

Feel free to comment, either here, or on my FB page!

Jen

www.facebook.com/jenspensetc

 

[MarkD]

From what I can see the fit and finish looks quite good. I like the segmented pens that you did. Keep working at it and you may get to the level Eagle was. A year from now you will be surprised at how far you have become.
As for making pens to sell...you may find out that what you like to make may not be what people want to buy. My suggestion is to keep working at it, show your everyone who will look at them, and constructively use their feedback.

 

[peregrinerose]

Right now, I'm finding that I can't keep up with the orders for pens, so I'm not really trying all that hard to sell them. As soon as I post a pen for sale, it goes, with rare exception. I only have the two 'for sale' pens there because they are all I have left, not because they are particularly stellar, as they were two of my first I just added a lot more photos. I did a fund raiser for a local women's shelter using my pens as incentive. I was performing in Vagina Monologues (and I have no acting ability at all) for the fund raiser. I asked my friends to sponsor the performance, and every $110 or higher donation was rewarded with a custom made pen based on whatever they told me they liked. I raised over $2000 that way. Plus another $500 donating five pens to the local blind association to add to their silent auction fund raisers. I just added some of the charity pens to the photo album.

Thank you for the feedback, the more comments I get, the happier I'll be... I've learned a lot from reading on here!

 

[jaeger]

I agree with you regarding acrylics. I would much rather work with a nice piece of wood, but the acrylics sell well. I do have to admit, some of the acrylics look amazing, some , not so much.

I also really enjoy finding wood and "recycle". I have found some amazing wood this way, as I like to nose around at yard sales and such. I have picked up segmented cutting boards for a song at these sales. I have found Koa, Olive wood, black wood, iron wood, teak, acacia, mahogany, not to mention the native species. I even find laminating material for segmenting ie: aluminum, brass, copper, acrylic and wood laminate.
The nice thing right now, the sales will be starting up full force soon!arty:

I like all the donations that you make. Isn't is nice to make a really nice pen and then turn around and give it away, knowing that people are bidding on this pen or buying for a good cause.
On Christmas Day, I always think of the people that are receiving my handmade pens as gifts this day. I am thankful that I have found something that I enjoy making and people really do like.

Keep up the nice work!

Doug Meyer

 

[peregrinerose]

Thank you, Doug. I hadn't even considered hitting yard sales... that's a great idea! I'm presently working on a degree in cabinetry at the local community college, and my instructors keep an eye out interesting scraps for me to use, and that's been a great resource. The local lumber mill lets me raid their burn barrel, and I get a lot of spalted woods out of it that look great.

Today's an early day off of work, so going to be spending my afternoon trying to catch up on pen orders! Ten of them are acryllic. I do turn it, I just don't enjoy it as much, and since this isn't my full time job, I can be a little diva-ish when it comes to picking materials I like to work with I only use acryllics when folks request them.

 

[76winger]

You've got some really nice segmented pens on your Facebook page. Great work, and keep honing your skills!

 

[peregrinerose]

Thank you, Dave. I realy enjoy the challenge of the segmented designs. I have so much yet to learn!