New job in this terrible economy

[dale]

I have decided I may have to look for another job. That is to pay for this new (habbit) I guess I should say Hobby. Pen Making.

My wife has been complaining about me spending some of her earned money on Ebay purchasing a thing or two or well more then that.
I told her that I had to make a bunch of them if i wanted to sale any. You guys will back me up on that wont you?

Just been turning pens for a couple of weeks now. I have learned serveral things like I probably dont like African Black wood very much..
Others are ok.
I liked the Red Oak it looked nice and easy to turn. Also the Walnut.
What is nice about living here in Southern Missouri we have all those hardwoods avaible here. And a lumber company that kiln dries wood just a couple miles up the road. He has a policy that for each layer on a pallet of the shorter lumber it will cost you a $1.50 per layer.

But I guess I will have to feed this habbit sorry hobby

dale

 

[george]

I also had a problem with costs at start (like many other i guess). But you can not make (earn) anything without appropriate equiptment. After a year or so I can say penmaking is more than a hobby to me, since I sell quite a lot of my pens (on the other hand penturners in Europe are not presented in such number as in USA).

But with some basic tools you can do very nice pens; based on sell you can then evaluate further purchases. Good luck !!!

 

[Dvoigt]

Yes, you do have to spend money to make money. Or at least break even.

My wife has been very understanding of what I need, and even encouraged me to buy stuff that i needed... Buying some Majestic pen kits did raise her eyebrows though. And there was the overloaded pick up of exotic lumber that I got a GREAT deal on.......