large order from a show in oct

[penmaker1967]

when i was at the asheboro fall festival the first weekend of oct i was contacted by a member of the forsyth cpunty department of rec. abourt doing a order for a rather large group of pens for them using there 200 white oak tree that had got blown down during a storm. i asked her how many she was needing and what time frame i had to get them done. i knew if it was before chnristmas that i could not do it due to my girlfriend health problems but she told me there was no time frame and she needed 100 pens so my dad was with me and he told me that he would help me and we could get them done. well on that monday she emailed me and asked me to give her a quite on the price for the pens so i gave it to her. about 2 weeks later she emails me back and said the order had changed and they were looking for to get about 100 to 200 pens and 24 sets. so i sent her the est for the order she had requested . i got the email right before thanksgiving that the tree was being processed and dried and they want me to the order . she will get back with me in late jan or early feb to get it started. thnjis is the first big order that i have got before and i am very excited to get started on it so glad my dad will help me so we can get in knocked out in a reasonable time frame. by the time i get it done my shows will have started back up so 2014 is going to be a very busy time for me.
sorry for the long post i am just so excited that some one liked my work enough to trust me to do such a large order.
thanks for listening
Webb's Woodturning

 

[Jim15]

Congratulations on the great order.

 

[JohnGreco]

Congratulations!

 

[jfoh]

Large orders are more fun when you get them than they are to complete if you are not careful. And by large I mean anything greater than about twenty five pens. The investment in kits and material can get very large. Here is a suggestion for you. Turn tubes and buy kits later.

I have figured that it is easier to order extra tubes and use them to make the order. Then I order kits about two to three weeks before they assembly time. I make sure, in advance, that my supplier knows what I need, what my deadline is and they have always have them on hand when I ordered them. Some suppliers may not have a large number of a specific plating combo kit in large numbers. Give them time to get your order together.

Extra tubes may cost a buck a pair and the kits may cost ten to twenty bucks. So a order of a hundred pens would involve an expenditure of one to two thousand dollars for full kits where tubes may be just an hundred dollars. Plus full kits tie up my money for several months. With my system my money gets tied up for just two or three weeks. I keep an extra inventory of tubes of about fifty on hand for most kits I make.

Then everything is done in large numbers is easy to complete steps. I like to work in groups of 25. Cut 25 blanks, drill 25 blanks, glue 25 blanks, trim 25 blanks, turn 25 blanks, finish 25 blanks set them aside for one to two weeks and evaluate finish again. Then repeat as needed. I always turn about ten percent extra tubes to have a good looking pool of turned balnks to draw from to make the best looking group of pens when completed. Un needed tubes can be truned down to brass if not used and returned to inventory. I use to do it, large orders, in complete lots but it just gets too monotonous to the point that you will hate the job.

Work smart, plan your work, break in down into small easily achieved increment, give your self plenty of time and enjoy the benefits of large orders. A good payday and a sense of accomplishment that few others get. Have fun.

 

[stonepecker]

Would love to see the completed work. Be sure to take pictures for yourself.
Congrats on the order.

 

[penmaker1967]

i will take several pics when i get the order completed it is my biggest ever i had one last christmas for 20 pens and i thought that was big (lol) but with my dads help we will get it done the fact that i dont have a deadline helps alot but dad will be off his seasonal work the last of feb and i plan on taking a week off work so we will hopefully have it done by mid to late march. after i get this large order done i will have to get busy on my inventory for my shows that start up in end of april. if i have to use what i have left for this season i will but it is very low but i am proud of that to.

 

[thewishman]

Congrats! When I got my first 100 pen order, I asked for 50% up front and the balance as I delivered lots of 15 - 25 pens. Kept the financial burden off me.

That sounds like a great compliment and a nice project.

 

[penmaker1967]

thanks for the info that is what i was trying to figure out now i have a idea of how to go about the money part. i was think about getting the cost of the materials as a down payment and the rest when the pens are del. does that sound like something that will work

 

[Krudwig]

I can't speak for pen sales, but in almost all of the cabinet work I've done you need to get 1/3 to 1/2 down with the remainder due upon completion and it has to be a signed contract. When we bid work it's always in writing it keeps you from being burned. Pens may or may not be different but I doubt it with an order the size your dealing with and the total time, and materials it will take.

 

[WriteON]

That's great news. Hope it gets bigger and better as you go along.

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

i will take several pics when i get the order completed it is my biggest ever i had one last christmas for 20 pens and i thought that was big (lol) but with my dads help we will get it done the fact that i dont have a deadline helps alot but dad will be off his seasonal work the last of feb and i plan on taking a week off work so we will hopefully have it done by mid to late march. after i get this large order done i will have to get busy on my inventory for my shows that start up in end of april. if i have to use what i have left for this season i will but it is very low but i am proud of that to.

In my experience customers always have a deadline of sorts in mind. In my opinion you should not wait too long to start filling the order. If you take too long the customer could develop a bad impression of you and your work.
JMHO, of course.
Tim.

 

[thewishman]

Probably not the best idea to ask for materials cost, rather a percentage of the total order. If they have your materials cost, they might want to renegotiate the price:

"Well since you only have $6.00 each in materials, you should be able to sell them for $XX since we are supplying the wood."

Unless you include the cost of your time, training/practice, tools, experience and all other overhead in your cost estimate...

 

[Neil]

Congrats

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

Congrats on the order. When I got my order for 105 pens, I got half as deposit, with the balance on completion. My only problem was after that lot, I burned out, since Christmas 2011 I've done about a dozen pens NOT GOOD. So be careful PLEASE.
My NY resolution is to get back into it. I've too much money tied up in tools, equipment and blanks.
Kryn

 

[Pitoon]

congrats on the order! make sure you get a deposit to cover costs. then the rest of the balance as your profit.

Pitoon

 

[raar25]

I agree with your plan to ask for material cost first, that is how I handle my big orders, although you dont have to tell them that is is material costs. As long as you you have some sort of purchase agreement they wont be able to renegotiate (unless you agree to it).

Also dont underestimate the boredome of making a large order. It can really take the fun out of the activity. I negotiated a staggard delivery so I could do 25 a month to limit the monotony.