Pens for a living

[Smitty37]

Nope

I do sell a few pens, give away a lot more. If you start selling regular then it becomes a job...been there and done that. I enjoy turning a few pens, While far from an expert they come out nice and friends like them.

The business end makes a profit but it is selling kits to pen makers. It makes just enough to provide a few simple extras and it is a job....

You can have a hobby turning pens or you can have a job turning pens but it is pretty hard to have both.

It has always been hard for me to keep having fun with a hobby if I got to where I was concerned with money associated with it. It got to where I would be more concerned with the money than the fun of the hobby.

 

[Jeff Barnett]

I wish I could make a living at it. I am selling a few pens though. I lucked out. I was walking through the Mayo Hospital subway and found a small shop that specializes in high end wood crafts. I chatted with the owner for a bit and he said he would put my pens up if I brought him some. The neat thing is I have already brought in 400.00 in the last two months. I also have them in another shop in town. I never would have guessed that they would sell that fast. We get like 3 million people walking through the Mayo clinic a year. A lot of the people end up shopping for gifts while waiting for there next appointment or for there family member to finish with there appointments. So I guess you could say that my hobby is starting to pay for itself.

 

[bitshird]

They are a significant part of my earnings, not as much as the tools, but they sure help with putting beans and tortillas on the table. [size=-3]sometimes[/size]

 

[trapper]

yep i make pens and im living but wont get rich though. Also make other items and sell them t fares etc

 

[Rick_G]

I think last year I may have sold 10, all in the under $50 range. Sent many times that to our military men and women mostly modified slims and cigars. It's just part of my woodworking hobby and I intend to keep it that way. I used to enjoy messing around with electronics and ham radio until I started working full time with electronics. Woke up one morning and realized it just wasn't fun any more. I'm retired and my pension keeps the bill collectors away and I really don't want to go back to full time work at anything if I can help it so my penmaking stays a hobby.
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