A couple of new pens - posted by request

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RogerGarrett

RogerGarrett

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Bloomington, Illinois, USA.
Chitswood (Darick) asked me to post when I made a pen from wood he sent. So - here are a couple of pens. The Euro and Cigar pens made from Macassar Ebony came from stock that Darick sent me. That wood turned beautifully and really looks nice.

The Zebrawood Cigar is from some cross cut stock I had left over from a reed case project. I always buy 30% more wood than I need - afterall, the customer pays for it anyway ;) I have too many blanks of zebrawood and not enough burls.........

The cross cut zebrawood blew out on me at the edges - I pushed it too hard (and even after one of you warned me about that possibility - just like my children - have to learn the hard way) - thus the Oops Bands of Cocobolo - which actually enhanced the black accents of the pen hardware as well as the deep brown of Zebra "stripes."

This finish is working well for me - CA glue up to 2500 grit wet/dry sandpaper with DA and then one coat of satin lacquer sprayed with a gun.

Got my micro mesh in the mail today - cool stuff. I hope to get going with it - as soon as the plastic polishes come in and I receive the "cats" from Ed........:D

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

0Zebrawood%20Cigar%20Pens%20edited%20and%20resized.jpg
 
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Originally posted by RogerGarrett
<br />

The Zebrawood Cigar is from some cross cut stock I had left over from a reed case project. I always buy 30% more wood than I need - afterall, the customer pays for it anyway [;)] I have too many blanks of zebrawood and not enough burls.........

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett
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Roger,

Really nice pens, but the snippet of your post above disturbs me. Whether you meant to or not, it comes across as gloating about overcharging your clients. I find that an extremely unwise business practice.

FWIW,
 
Originally posted by wdcav1952
Really nice pens, but the snippet of your post above disturbs me. Whether you meant to or not, it comes across as gloating about overcharging your clients. I find that an extremely unwise business practice.
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There is a wink sign there.

I do not overcharge my customers.

For example, a clarinet reed case made from oak or maple costs a customer $30 plus shipping/insurance (flat rate of $8). It takes roughly 90 minutes to create a reed case - including the milling of the wood to size, the routing and subsequent slotting for hinges, the sanding prior to hinge installment, the installment of hinges, the trimming to final size, sanding snipe and edges, routing edges, stamping logo, final sanding, and two coats of spray lacquer in between coats. Beyond that labor, there is the flocking, the cutting and sizing of plexi-glass, and the hand made velvet pad for the interior. Finally - added hardware, cost of materials for shipping, time for label and packaging - not to mention standing in line at the post office......

All this for $30. I think when a person orders a zebrawood case - which will take 2 board feet of wood - that $55 for such a case is reasonable. If it gives me one board foot of extra zebrawood (there in case I make a mistake or there is a problem with the wood), it is not unethical in any way. If the case then is ok and ships fine - and I'm left with one board foot of wood - I can use it any way I want.

I work with a very, very ethical business person who makes custom cabinets, furniture, and other wood items for people in his shop, and he always orders 25% more wood than the plan (his plan) calls for. There is always waste. I order 20% more flooring than I need when I install hardwood because it is necessary.

Frankly - I find the insinutation that I am "gloating" in overcharging customers insulting.

But I assume you just didn't know how it works.

Do a search online. Hand made custom reed cases for clarinetists run $55-100 each. $30 is a bargain. $55 for a rosewood or zebrawood case is a steal. There are people out there charging twice that.

Best,
Roger Garrett
 
Well, welcome to the IAP[}:)]. There are guys on here that will pick on anything and everything. A guys gotta have that thick skin when all you want to do is post a couple of pics. Nice work Roger, beautiful pens.

Rich
 
Roger,

Apparently, I very much misunderstood your meaning. Of course I understand the need for extra materials in any project. The comment of 30% more than I need and the wink seemed to me to indicate intentional overbuying. I apologize for making the wrong assumption. Rich, I scarcely think I fit your description; perhaps you are making the same kind of hasty misunderstanding that I made with respect to Roger's original post.

Again, I apologize for my remarks, and reiterate that the pens are an excellent example outstanding workmanship.
 
Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Roger,

Apparently, I very much misunderstood your meaning. Of course I understand the need for extra materials in any project. The comment of 30% more than I need and the wink seemed to me to indicate intentional overbuying. I apologize for making the wrong assumption............[SNIP]...........Again, I apologize for my remarks, and reiterate that the pens are an excellent example outstanding workmanship.
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William,

Thanks for taking time to post this [:)]. I'll work a little harder to be clearer in my posts - sometimes I get in a hurry and don't think through how something might appear. As you say - my post could have been intepreted to mean that I purposefully overcharge (even though I don't)[B)]

Thanks also for your compliment on the pens - and everyone else too. This forum has really helped me learn to finish pens better - and to turn them with more accurate precision. Now - it's time to wreck the more expensive Fountains and Rollerballs. Making a cigar is one thing - but the more complex Fountains................[:0]

Best,
Roger Garrett
 
Finish looks very nice, I'm not digging the combo of the copper with that wood though. May look different in person.
 
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