A Corny Question

[ed4copies]

Just started turning corncob cigar pens. The cobs we found were prepared very well-they are fairly hard and turn really well.

Here's the problem: How much do you fill the holes? I have added CA wash 4, 5, even 6 times and the pen is still not smooth. Is this to be expected? Is there a better way? A little wood filler ?

Or, are we happy to leave a little texture to give people a hint as to what they are holding?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Ed
Racine, WI

 

[Old Griz]

Depending on how dry the cob is and how deep the holes are, sometimes I have had to do 6-7 coatings of thick CA to get it smooth... all my cob pens are finished as smooth as my woods... customers don't seem to like the coarse feel of the cob, but want the look of the cob... if you are using thin CA it is going to take a whole lot more coatings than thick CA...

 

[Gregory Huey]

I never counted how many times I coated with CA but it was a lot. As Tom said the customer seems to like a smooth finish. The number of coats may be in relation to the thickness of your CA. I used thin so it would wick in good. Not sure if thicker is better.

 

[its_virgil]

The slimline will allow turning past the "holes" but still retain the look of the cob. Thin CA to make the cob a bit more stable and med or thick to fill the "holes". Isn't this a fun pen to make!
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Gregory Huey
<br />I never counted how many times I coated with CA but it was a lot. As Tom said the customer seems to like a smooth finish. The number of coats may be in relation to the thickness of your CA. I used thin so it would wick in good. Not sure if thicker is better.

 

[lkorn]

A question for the experienced. Will a dose of 'thin' CA glue act as a wicking or capillary action agent to allow a med or thick CA to penetrate deeper into the cob (or wood)?

 

[ed4copies]

Thank-you, guys! Yes, I have been using "half thick"-my own mix, because I thought it would penetrate better. However, at an hour per pen, the suckers are going to be more expensive than the average customer is likely to bear. Two finished, show this weekend-will see!

Ed
Racine, WI

 

[wayneis]

Ed you may be surprised at what the customer will pay for something that is different and unique. DON'T be afraid to charge, the biggest problem that I see is people not charging enough which most times is worse than charging to much to begin with. We've had several conversations here about that and we've also had a few times when someone started out to low and couldn't sell, but when they raised the price they couldn't keep them in stock. In fact if I remember right, I'm taking a chance here, but I believe that Old Griz himself had ths happen to him. I've also seen this in the retail scene as my background is in the wholesale of some very expensive imports. Good luck this weekend.

Wayne

 

[MDWine]

Is there a good "cob" tutorial somewhere?

 

[JimGo]

Larry,
I think the thin CA would tend to just thin down the thick CA, rather than acting as a capilary agent. I wonder if a few (2-3) coats of thin CA to help seal the smaller pores, followed by thicker CA to fill in the "holes", is a good approach?

 

[Old Griz]

Yup Wayne.. since I was spending nothing for cobs, I decided to sell the cigar cob pens for $35.. considering $2.95 for a kit that was a nice profit... did not move them...
Raised the price to $50-60 depending on plating and how pretty the cob was and could not keep them in stock...
All of my antler pens start at $60 in TN Gold and go up from there.. .of course they are all DT Euro, PF, and Cigars... will probably do a couple of Barons and they will start at $70 in chrome and go up from there..
I discusse this phenomena with a friend who is the director of marketing for a company in NY... he told me it comes down to "Perception of Value"... pure and simple it means if you price to low, the customer thinks they are getting junk.. raise the price, the junk just got gold plated...
Right now my Atlas pens are $40/up, DT Euro, PF and Cigars $50/up, Barons and Jr Gents $70/up, I am going to do a couple of the new Elegant Americans and they will probably be priced at $40 in chrome..
As I was typing this, I just got a phone call from a customer (word of mouth from another customer)... ordered a Black TN Baron in Cocobolo.. sounds nice... I told him $105 including Insured Priority Mail .. No Problem... now I have to go out and make the sucker... But I ain't complaining.... Hell I have the wood from Bill and the kit was $10... shipping will be about $5.00, should only take me under an hour to drill, glue and turn, Barons are simple... I don't mind working for around $90/hr. But I have learned that customers expect to pay for "custom quality work"... DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT... It is a lot easier to lower your prices if you are not selling than to raise them and have people complain that it was lower last week at the other show... IT WILL HAPPEN..
Also.. the pen order I just took would have been about $85-90 at my craft booth... but this is a "CUSTOM" pen.. the customer understands that this is not out of inventory, but being made expressly for him.... even though if I like the look, it may become an inventory item... but for a "CUSTOM" I will really go out of my way to hand pick the wood... It is little stuff... just the little extras that make it easier to get the bigger bucks for you work... and don't think the customer does not only expect it, but appreciate it...

 

[ed4copies]

Old Griz, THANKS! After 8 years of craft shows, I have found the price points for Acrylic pens in Chicago. HOwever, I expect to handle WOOD pens as the high end product. (By the way, if the finish on mine looked like the ones you show on line, I would feel very comfortable in commanding high prices. Give me a year or so of practice)

Back to the subject, I agree lowering price is easier than raising, so I will attempt a $50 price point and see what happens. (The pens are NOT that good-but only have TWO)

Thanks again for your sage advice,

Ed
Racine, WI

 

[jdavis]

I have no problem getting good prices for the pens the students turn. As for mine, they are nearly all custom made not inventory, and I am able to get high end prices for them.

 

[Daniel]

Tom,
You touch on the single hardest thing about pricing our pens. "The Right Price" which is not to low and not to high. and lower is not some majic trick that gets the pens moving either. you have to find that price and the items will start selling.

 

[lkorn]

While I was in the Navy, stationed in Spain, my female Labrador Retreiver had a sordid affair with the Belgian Sheppard residing two doors down.

I had a litter of 8 pups to contend with. After two weeks of unsuccessful advertising for "Free Puppies" I needed to try something else. Using the same advertising plan, I advertised the availability of
"Belgian Labrador Pups". I didn't specify either a price or suggestion of one. Within two days, all the pups (that I couldn't give away) were sold for $40.00 each.

The "Perception of Quality!" rules.

 

[penhead]

I just know you bought pen blanks and kits with all that money, didn't ya [][]

Originally posted by lkorn
<br />While I was in the Navy, stationed in Spain, my female Labrador Retreiver had a sordid affair with the Belgian Sheppard residing two doors down.

I had a litter of 8 pups to contend with. After two weeks of unsuccessful advertising for "Free Puppies" I needed to try something else. Using the same advertising plan, I advertised the availability of
"Belgian Labrador Pups". I didn't specify either a price or suggestion of one. Within two days, all the pups (that I couldn't give away) were sold for $40.00 each.

The "Perception of Quality!" rules.

 

[lkorn]

At the time I didn't know how talented I was. I thought all I could make from wood was splinters.[]

Originally posted by penhead
<br />I just know you bought pen blanks and kits with all that money, didn't ya [][]

 

[slink74659]

I sent some corn cobs to Wood Stabilizing Specialists, Int'l., LLC in Iowa to have them stablized.
Here is their web site:
http://www.stabilizedwood.com/index.shtml
They turned great after that but there is a strong plastic smell.
I only turned cigar pens to keep the larger diameter and have the corn cob look.