I think it is ridiculous for anyone (not just penturners, but anyone ) to make a 400% profit on anything.
A 400% profit on cost of goods in most manufacturing is VERY small but a 400% profit is huge and their-in lies the difference. Somewhere I had read that the avg. bottle of Coke cost Coke in supplies less than .04 and wholesale them @ 2.40 a 6 pack thats an 800% profit by your way of thinking. But that is very far from the truth now you need to factor in their machinery, labor, distribution, insurance, advertising,etc.,etc.
Especially if you were going to do whatever it is you do, anyway. Your time is worth squat, if you were doing it anyway.
Mike maybe your time is worth squat but please remember those of us that value our time. When I'm out in my shop I enjoy what I'm doing but if I intend to sell what I make then its work that needs to be paid for and the question asked was selling.
If anyone thinks that penturning is going to pay for all the equipment, materials, time involved, electricity, wear on tools, etc. they are a fool.
Unless you are a huge manufacturer that produces thousands and sells to large distributors all over the world, you will never get rich from this.
If you want to develope a business, your tax deductions, will help to pay for all your expenses.
Mike again speak for yourself, I have taken my hobby that I still enjoy and have had it pay for all my equipment, shop,and have put some money in the bank
Everyone complains about the price of gas and why it is so high while the oil companies are raking in billions of dollars of profit. Now justify why it is ok for anyone else to do the same. I would rather sell 2-3 pens a week at a 50% profit than that one pen every month or two for a 400% profit. Yes, I am doing more work, but I'm going to be doing it anyway, so I get to continue to do what I like doing rather than waiting for that one pen to sell to be able to make another. Just my $.02