How much time do you spend turning each week?

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How dedicated are you to turning?

  • Just started...we'll see.

    Votes: 5 4.2%

  • I dabble, but other things compete with my time.

    Votes: 26 22.0%

  • I have a full-time job, but I turn whenever I get the chance.

    Votes: 49 41.5%

  • I have a job, but I obsess over pens all day and turn every waking second I can.

    Votes: 6 5.1%

  • I'm retired and I turn for fun and money.

    Votes: 21 17.8%

  • I'm obsessed with it and do it as a full-time career despite the odds.

    Votes: 11 9.3%
  • Total voters
    118
GouletPens

GouletPens

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
1,449
Location
Ashland, VA
I'm curious just how many professionals, retirees, and hobbyists there are out there. Just nice to know, no real purpose. I'm a professional, so I turn or do pen-related things probably 50-60 hours a week.
 
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Just turning as people request things right now. Keep saying I'm going to make a huge purchase and get a shop up and functional, but it always seems to be a month away.
 
There have been some weeks this fall when I've worked at my full time job 55 hours and spend 35 hours pen turning. In other years I've spent that much time on my full time job so it is more relaxing than I've been accustom to over the years.
 
Dabbler, I've made maybe a dozen pens all year. But hey my shop is there for my enjoyment not as a burden. sad thing is I have about 100 kits or so waiting for me to make something out of them. and that does not include my inventory for making pens as orders come in.
 
Being retired gives me the option to spend all day, every day in the shop if I choose. As long as the grass is cut and the house isn't fallaing apart, my sweetie doesn't care what I do with my time so I probably spend 10 hours a day in the shop turning, doing flat work, casting, playing with the metal lathe or just piddling with ideas.
 
I'm almost 12 and have been turning pens for almost a year now. I turn as many as I can. I have my own lathe in my dad's workshop. I sell my pens to raise money for college.

Alex
Pens for College
 
I voted dabbling, with other things competing for my time. Those other things would be 3 kids and a full time job. My wife and I agreed to cut back on the pen turning as a business this year in order to spend more time with the kids, and as a result it's looking like maybe 1/4 of last years volume. Still, that's about 5K in sales with 90% of that coming from repeat customers. And doesn't include the cross blanks and lone star blanks I make for other penturners. While I'm not looking forward to the kids growing up and moving out (well, maybe a little), I'm looking forward to increasing my pen activity as that does take place.......
 
I'm retired but seem to be so busy that I don't get to turn as much as I would like to. I have just gotten Christmas orders for some pens (22...) so I better find some time and get turning...
 
I don't turn pens full time, but the lathe works in to about 85% of what I do to make pipes and such. And since that's what I do, I guess I fall into the "full time" category.

However, this is impressive:
AlexL said:
I'm almost 12 and have been turning pens for almost a year now. I turn as many as I can. I have my own lathe in my dad's workshop. I sell my pens to raise money for college.
Click to expand...

Good on ya, Alex! I wish I had that sence of direction at 12 years old!
 
For the past 18 months, I just turned a couple of pens.

ZERO (0) the past 8 months or so :mad: :frown:

Almost all my stuff, including the lathe, are still in boxes. It will change...someday. :rolleyes:
 
Dario said:
For the past 18 months, I just turned a couple of pens.

ZERO (0) the past 8 months or so :mad: :frown:

Almost all my stuff, including the lathe, are still in boxes. It will change...someday. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

5.6 posts a day....no wonder you don't have time to turn:tongue:
 
I spend the time that I can in the shop but a more-than-full-time job keeps me plenty busy. I also travel for work so am often many miles from home and spend some nights away.
 
For over 2 years now this has been my full time job. When gas hit $3.50/gallon my sales fell like a lead ballon. I took a full time job back in March with a cabinet company just so I would not lose the business. A that time period I had now two full time jobs the pen business was my second job. Today now I am back to one full time job. Just been laid-off from the cabinet company. Like every other business lately they are trying to stay a float. I owner has been have trouble for the past 2 months or so of trying to get a line of credit to pay for materials and make payroll. So far over 40 people have been laid-off over the past month. I fill really bad for the owner if things do not ease up soon (Credit) he will lose his business before the start of the new year.

As far as the pen business I had and currently have a couple of orders to get out with in the next two weeks. One order is for a pipe which is what I am working on right now.
Also getting ready for the Philly and Atlanta Pen show next year.

As far as sales for I am down 80% over last year. This pen business is not for the faint of heart but it is a passion.
 
I try and turn 3 or 4 a week, I'm just getting started and am in the slimline phase now. I want to get more comfortable doing these then I'm going to move up to the more expensive kits...
 
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