How many pens to make?

[Powerstroke 7.3]

I have just started and of course I am hooked. Went thru my 1st order of kits in a couple of days, now I am placing another order to make mostly gifts for family. I have been asked if I take orders and have turned down all of them saying if I start to sell I will let them know.

So for my question: If you are doing it as a hobby do you take enough orders to pay for it and hope it does not become a "job" ( I have one of those already) or do you just do a few at a time to keep it enjoyable?

I know a big can of worms here.....

 

[Live2Dive]

I started as a hobby. I started with some 20 kits and turned them at a slow pace. Lost my job about a month later. Spent 3 months deciding if I wanted this as a "job" or keep it as a hobby. I decided to kind of do both. I sell now online, and am going to do my first show in 3 weeks. If I find a job in my field (architecture) this will revert back to a hobby, because I still enjoy it. Until then, I'm a pen maker! I just turned my 130th pen about an hour ago. I started in December.

 

[Rangertrek]

I started out as a hobby for me also, made pens for relatives and friends. Then they wanted pens for their friends and relatives. Started selling to cover costs of materials.
That was three years ago. Now, I do 5-6 quality shows a year, have a web site, and several corporate customers. Will make my 1,000th pen this month. This hobby can get expensive! I keep about 100 kits in stock and 200+ blanks. Still just a hobby for me. My sells cover expenses for materials, tools, shop costs, and pays me a small amount per hour.

 

[Powerstroke 7.3]

I was thinking along those lines. I seem to have collected some blanks and need to get some kits - I have been given some live oak and pecan that is drying plus I have bought some blanks (wood, acrylic and trustone). Will try the "sell enough to pay for supplies" theory and see how it works.

 

[wiset1]

Not exactly sure how many pens I've done over the past year, but I'm sure they have added up. I do this as a hobby since I'm a full time Soldier in the U.S. Army and that's pretty much a 24/7...give or take, ha ha ha. I've sold a couple that people asked for, but I don't go out of my way to advertise or sell. My wife on the otherhand would love to have them sold off since they are just boxed up in our closet and she would like the room for more shoes. She's recently said that she wants to start selling them for me on ETSY, but who knows....just doing this for fun right now.

 

[JimB]

I started as a hobby and still try to keep it that way. I make pens as fast or slow as I like. Sometimes I go weeks or even months without making any and will turn other things as well. I do take orders but I don't like to because then I am under a timeline to do them.

My suggestion is to take some orders and see how it goes. You won't know unless you try it.

 

[Drstrangefart]

It's a hobby for me first and foremost. I turn on the lowest cost I possibly can due to a lack of disposable income and whatever sells gets sold. I did get set up with a better consignment spot I just have to modify a case for 16 pens and get 'em up there before the week is out.