Possible Large Order

[stolicky]

I would definitely ask about single barrel pens. It is half the turning, cutting, gluing, squaring, etc. and is likely a nicer pen in the end.

 

[dow]

I would definitely ask about single barrel pens. It is half the turning, cutting, gluing, squaring, etc. and is likely a nicer pen in the end.

+1 on this. I make the elegant beauty aero pens that CSUSA and Laulau sell. They're great pens, fast to make, will cut your wood cost by half, and look really nice. Here's a black Ti one I made out of curly Koa, complete with a smudge on the lower barrel :

 

[wolftat]

I did a couple of large orders and have to tell you that an order for 500 is very large, the money may seem good at the beginning but after you do the order, you will never take another one again. When I did the large orders, I had help with them as well, if you are doing it alone it is really going to turn into a full time headache. Good luck with it and be sure you are getting a great price for them, you will have a lot of time to think about it while turning.

 

[Bree]

Get yourself a carbide tipped chisel so you can rough and bring the blank down to just above finished size VERY FAST. It will also prevent wasted time sharpening. You will want your final chisel to bring the blank to a high degree of surface smoothness to reduce sanding time. So I would probably use a good skew to finish with.

Get music down in your shop if you don't have it. 500 pens will be very boring without something to give yourself a lift.

Most important IMHO... PROCESS. Devise a process to aggregate work. Test it well before executing it in production. Try to batch jobs together to reduce setup time. Cut in batches, drill in batches, turn in batches, finish in batches etc. And of course remember the old saw... Measure twice, cut once!

Good luck!

 

[witz1976]

I have no advice...but wish you the best of luck!

 

[broitblat]

I don't know if it's been mentioned, but I'd suggest you have extra bushings, too...

Congratulations (I think) and good luck.

-Barry

 

[chriselle]

How about a group shot at the end....:biggrin:

 

[bitshird]

I think a Woodchuck might help a lot, particularly doing Cocobolo.

 

[mywoodshopca]

I think a Woodchuck might help a lot, particularly doing Cocobolo.

I agree!!

 

[snyiper]

+1 on the carbide tool that is a great point. To put this in pespective for slims, if you turn 10 barrels a night for 5 nights (this is a lot of turning) it is 25 pens complete....Just something to think about at 25 pens a week that is 100 a month if you can keep that pace. I doesnt sound like much now but I bet it will by week 2. I figure the extra 2 days a week to finish and assemble that is 0 time for you!!!...Good luck on your endevor.