PEN PARTS WAREHOUSE?

[ilikewood]

There has been some recent interest in group members sending spare parts to one location for cataloging and redistribution when needed. The idea being, most of us will not use all of our spare parts so lets get them into someones hands who may need one of them.

This is a no-cost service other than shipping. Most parts are very small and shipping costs would be very minimal.

One option: make complete kits with some of the parts also for redistribution.

Bill in Idaho

 

[RussFairfield]

I hate to throw cold water on this suggestion, but there are two problems with the idea.

Many of the pen manufacturers and distributors already provide this service of selling individual parts for their kits. The only problem is that the individual part often costs nearly the same as the entire kit.

Having a clearing house for pen parts is a good idea, but somebody has to pay for the cost and labor for space, sorting, cataloging, and maintaining an inventory list. The inventory alone could be several hundred parts for all of the kits and plating variations that are available. Add to that the cost and time required for receiving and answering inquiries, packaging and postage. I can't see these things as being something that happens for free. If it is done for free by somebody, they won't be donating their time and space for very long. In the end, the real cost associated with such an effort will be little different from that of buying the individual parts from the manufacturer or distributor, or purchaseing the whole kit to get a couple parts.

The other problem is that the most desireable parts would NOT be those that are in the inventory. The inventory would be saturated with those surplus parts that we are not using from the kits, and not be a source for those individual parts that we do use. As an example, I buy kits for the tubes, clips and nibs only. I don't use the center bands and finials for the clips and caps. From what I see in the galleries, there are a lot of other pen makers who don't use them either. Your clearing house whould soon become saturated with an inventory of those parts that we don't want, namely the center-bands and/or finials, and there is still no source for the clips that we do want other than from the manufacturer or by robbing from a kit.

 

[ilikewood]

HOW COULD YOU DO THAT RUSS? [] (just kidding) The whole idea of these forums are to find the best ideas for all of us. I welcome your input totally as this was just an idea and not a machine put into motion. You are probably right, it may not be a good idea at all. And you are also right that the surplus would be finials, centerbands, and clips which are what I have a large amount of as well. I was going to donate my time to do it, but you are right again...who knows how long I could do it?

I just know that all of us here (or at least the majority) are salvagers and just hate to see good things go to waste. I hope to hear a few other ideas out there!

Bill in Idaho
(for Russ...is that picture of the insulator in the burl taken in a convenience store?)

 

[Daniel]

I still think it is a good idea, Who knows what soemone might coem up with if they had a hundred slimline center bands. Who would start trying to salvage other parts knowing they had a place to go. perhaps soem adjust ments to the original plan will happen before it all works out but I still thank it is basically great.

 

[Scott]

I think it is an interesting idea, but may be too cumbersome for whoever would have to receive, sort and keep track of these things. Maybe we could just have an ongoing topic under our "Swap" forum for pen parts. This would be almost no maintenance, and could still serve the purpose of getting parts to those who need them!

Scott.

 

[Daniel]

Scott,
this was my first idea when I heard this. that way it eleminates the need for anyone to be committed to it. and the extra postage needed to mail it anywhere. I don't know how many actual trades actually get made in the Blank swap though.

 

[RussFairfield]

Put up a bulletin board, provide a direct access link from the home page, and see what happens. Who knows??

 

[melchioe]

I think the swap idea is a good one.

If Russ is right about the types of parts that would be contributed (and it sounds reasonable), then the centralized distribution location might be less than useful. However, if enough parts could be collected to enable full kits to be assembled, perhaps a small fee for the full kits might offset some of the other costs involved. It might be interesting for folks to write about what parts they could contribute.

Of course, then other issues come up, like who sets price, who monitors for fairness, how are accounts kept, etc.

I can't think of a pratical application right now, but somehow this resonates with charity projects like the Freedom pens. Is there any way the two ideas could be linked? (just brainstorming...)

 

[kennosborne]

I think a swap section on the forum would be cool ... alot easier to maintain.

 

[jeff]

I'll set up a Parts Swap forum.

 

[jeff]

I've set up a parts swap forum.
Links to that one and the blank swap are on the front page.

 

[roberts]

I would realy love to take part but the cost involved in shipping to UK or vice versa would defeat the object, anybody got a spare room for me to rent in the USA so I can join?

Bob `S`