dropped trim ring

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Rifleman1776

Rifleman1776

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2004
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7,330
Location
Mountain Home, Arkansas, USA.
While assembling the last pen in a four pen order of Jr. Gents, I dropped the top trim ring. I heard it hit the floor. I searched for almost an hour but never found it. Finally, I cannibalized one from another kit. That's only a partial solution as I'm still missing a trim ring on a $15.00 Tn gold kit. Not sure what to do. Hate wasting a kit. I know 'stuff' like this happens. Doesn't mean I have to like it.:(
 
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Good money chasing bad money. In the hour you were down on you hands and knees searching frantically for that little doodad many turners could make three for four pens for their inventory. A value of $500 to $600 or more. Now you have two extra tubes and other miscellaneous parts to cover the next mishap.

Chuckie
 
If you feel like looking some more, a flashlight beam raked across the floor (parallel to the floor) will give you the best chance of seeing it. Speaking of chances, you could always drop another one and take a chance that you can see where it goes, which may give you a clue as to how far it could possibly travel.

Dan
 
I can sympathize with you Frank. I can't tell you how many springs and rings I've dropped to only to wind up looking for it for twenty minutes and then giving up. On the plus side, they usually show up weeks later when I am looking for another dropped part! If one of the suppliers would take a chance and advertise loose parts, they would probably make some money and make people happy. They sell extra tubes, how bout other common parts? I think it would be a great public service.
 
When in a similiar situation,which happens often, although I hate it, my solution is to use my vacuum cleaner. I first remove the hose at the unit's end and place a thin piece of cloth over the hose end and attach the hose back to the vacuum cleaner.
Then vacuum the shop floor including the nooks and corners. Lots of metallic sounds as parts are sucked in but do not stop there because they may be some of the parts lost you can't remember.
When al areas have been covered switch off the vacuum cleaner and remove the hose from the unit and go on a treasure hunt.
I always find the part I was looking for and a bonus of parts I had forgotten. Secnd bonus - the shop floor is clesn!
Good luck.
 
Originally posted by GBusardo

.....If one of the suppliers would take a chance and advertise loose parts, they would probably make some money and make people happy.....I think it would be a great public service.
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I agree that it would be a great public service; but I doubt anyone is going to make a profit selling pen parts for 50¢ or a buck. Think someone would already have done it if there was a dollar to be made. Imagine the logistics of keeping track of an inventory of thousands of tiny little pen parts. The entire process of taking an order, pulling the item, billing and shipping would be identical whether we are talking about a 25¢ spring or a $6.00 kit. Hard to see how anyone could make any money doing that. And on top of that, if all three of the big guys weren't doing it, you would still get into trouble as you are sure to lose a part on the kit from the guys that don't sell parts.

I could be wrong, of course; but I bet you don't see anyone selling a wide selection of pen parts in the foreseeable future.

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Dallas, TX................................In Their Memory
 
Originally posted by GBusardo

If one of the suppliers would take a chance and advertise loose parts, they would probably make some money and make people happy. They sell extra tubes, how bout other common parts? I think it would be a great public service.
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This comment comes up a couple of times a year and gives a false view of business.

Draw an analogy to the automobile business. Craft Supplies USA, for example, sells kits just as Ford sells trucks. Ford leaves the parts business to others and, therefore, we have auto supply stores. If you purchase all of the parts necessary to assemble a truck, your final cost will be several times the cost of a new truck. The same economic principals would have to apply to selling individual kit parts.

Using a 10k Jr. Gentleman kit as an example, would you really pay $5 for the roller ball nib holder...plus postage? How about $3 for a centerband? Or $5 for a clip? $10 for a set of couplers?
If the pen making community is willing to pay these prices, someone will step up and carry parts, but until that time there is no reason to do so.
 
No one would call CSUS and order just a center band, but if the parts were available and I had two or three kits with missing parts, I could then take advantage of buying whatever parts may be available. I would be sick to my stomach if I lost a small part to a high priced pen kit. And yes, if I were placing a regular order and I needed a center band for a 10k Jr Gent, I would pay a buck or maybe a buck and a half to save a $10 kit.
 
Exactly my point, Gary. You would pay a buck or a buck and a half. To make it economical, the price for that centerband would have to be at least $3. The Jr. Gent II in 10k is an $8 kit. Economics would dictate that the components need to be price at least 3x - 4x or why sell parts?

Since the parts of the kit are (2) brass tubes,(2) lower barrel couplers, (1) end cap coupler, (1) clip, (1) cap, (1) centerband coupler, (1) roller ball nib, (1) roller ball refill, and (1) spring. Starting with a 3X multiplier, you have a value of the components of $24. Subtract $1 for the tubes and $3 for the refill, since that's what CS USA sells them for. You now have 8 remaining parts where you need to get $20 out of them to make it worth stocking. $2.50 per component. That's not terrible for a clip or a cap, but what about a spring? Or a coupler?

If this were really such a great business opportunity, someone would have done it.
 
Some suppliers are selling clips e.g. cross, golf etc and decorative center bands for some pen styles, twist mechanisms and tubes. Hopefully a day would come when other parts will be available.
 
Originally posted by DCBluesman... If this were really such a great business opportunity, someone would have done it.
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I'm sure that you're right. It's probably never going to happen. It sure would be nice if it did, however.
 
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