Inspired???

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jttheclockman

jttheclockman

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:):):):):)Wonder where this inspiration came from?? But $50 please that is an insult. 🤔 🤔 Not sure if this is a member. This is why I would not sell on Etsy. $55 at least:):):):) Nice pen.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/785079...2663&msclkid=fb62dfcedd141dcc5d39800a4671da03


This happens to be one I did some time ago. Now I seen my pen on Pintrest many times under segmented pens and other headings. Maybe that is where it was inspiring.

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Your quality is much better! I understand your perspective- they used the Cameron kit which is much cheaper but I am often perplexed at how somebody can sell at those prices.
 
If we accept that pen turning is primarily a hobby and the time we take to do it, is our entertainment, then the selling price is arbitrary. Yeah yeah....I understand about the cost of initial tools and power and all that, but those have long since paid for themselves.
If your hobby was going to the movies every week you wouldn't add the transport costs. If your ticket cost $20 and you got $21 as you left, you'd be pretty happy. You wouldn't be pissed coz you only got $1 for the time to watch it.

I remember those cool pens JT, but your best was your black and white Panache. :)
 
Yeah. Selling on Etsy is really tough to turn any profit given the way you need to price things to be competitive. It's hard for there to be any kind of profit left when you account for the cost of the kit, the cost of the blank, shipping, and then Etsy fees. I suspect that there are a lot of international sellers on Etsy who are advertising things as being handmade but they really aren't.

For me, I sell my stuff on Etsy and Ebay because of the convenience. They take care of sales tax, make it easy to track and ship sales, and provide some level of trust and protection for both myself and the buyer, who almost always doesn't know me. And I can do it from the basement, late at night or early in the morning. Craft fairs don't appeal to me at this stage in my life because I'd rather spend my weekend afternoons with my kids.

That said, I only do this for a hobby. I don't make a living doing this, so I'm able to price competitively in such a way that covers most of the costs as well as a little bit of profit. I think this year, I've got maybe $1000 in sales on Etsy and Ebay and profit of about 25-30%, which isn't too bad. But in calculating that, I don't factor in the cost of equipment--lathe, turning tools, etc.--nor do I factor in my time. My goal is really just to cover the costs of some of the materials, and I'm generally able to do that better by turning more inventory at lower prices than by pricing things higher in a way that reflects the quality of my work as compared to the cheaper stuff on Etsy and Ebay (but that the typical pen-buyer on Etsy and Ebay probably won't appreciate). Still, I make sure that I craft descriptions of my product that reveals my knowledge of the materials I work with and the time I take to make sure everything is perfect.
 
jttheclockman said:
:):):):):)Wonder where this inspiration came from?? But $50 please that is an insult. 🤔 🤔 Not sure if this is a member. This is why I would not sell on Etsy. $55 at least:):):):) Nice pen.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/785079...2663&msclkid=fb62dfcedd141dcc5d39800a4671da03


This happens to be one I did some time ago. Now I seen my pen on Pintrest many times under segmented pens and other headings. Maybe that is where it was inspiring.

View attachment 291783View attachment 291784
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John - they say that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" but we all know the "copy cats" are not the craftsman that you are!!
 
skiprat said:
If we accept that pen turning is primarily a hobby and the time we take to do it, is our entertainment, then the selling price is arbitrary. Yeah yeah....I understand about the cost of initial tools and power and all that, but those have long since paid for themselves.
If your hobby was going to the movies every week you wouldn't add the transport costs. If your ticket cost $20 and you got $21 as you left, you'd be pretty happy. You wouldn't be pissed coz you only got $1 for the time to watch it.

I remember those cool pens JT, but your best was your black and white Panache. :)
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Skip even though you think that Panache was my best, you blew past it with your version in a method I could not compete. You took the idea and made it 1000 times better. I will always remember yours too.

I will say this I have been known to use ideas I have seen on various forums or pages and added my touch. I am currently working on a few right now and when we all see the design you know you have seen it before but I added a few things to change it up. My thoughts on this pen shown on Etsy is there is no way they could get their money back from the time spent on it no matter if you used my method of router or Ken's method of tablesaw to make it. Too much time in it plus material and kit cost. But that is what you go up against when selling on sites like that. I too do this as a hobby and will never make money at it. I did that years ago with my scrolling and now it is just to pass time away. I have sooo many pens and scrollsawn stuff that will never be sold and just hope my family donates it to a good cause when I go.
 
Well, if the seller is happy selling for $50.00, I see nothing wrong with it. Ring work has been around a long time. For you to call a guy out for his selling price is just crazy to me. He sets his prices, and that's that. If it's so under priced, maybe you should buy a couple. Just my .02 from the Peanut Gallert
 
Indeed, pen turning and pen selling are two very different things. After several years of giving away pens and sharpening my skills I decided to have a go at selling a few this holiday season. What I have quickly realized is that when people say "you should really sell these" after I hand them a pen as a gift, they really mean to say "wow this is nice, thanks". As already mentioned, the barrier to entry on etsy is extremely low and it is incredibly easy for the customer to shop around. It seems like those that do well on etsy are either high volume resellers of imported or automated manufactured stuff (junk) or those that use it as an online presence for repeat customers. Shows or markets seem to be the way to go, but there are definitely trade-offs. Was talking with my wife about it a little earlier today, she commented about an "online art show" that featured a pen maker, his prices were at least double mine. In the kit pen world it seems to be about 10% craftsmanship and 90% marketing. I think you're better off trying to sell stuff to pen makers than to pen users 😜
 
Mark I know you wanted to jump on board with what Ernie said so just PM him and be cool. All I was doing was making a comment and Ernie did you see the multiple smiley faces. I know you are in the Ohio convention group that loves to shoot me down but not called for here. My second comment was back to Skip. yes if he wants to sell for whatever price fine. I have an idea what it takes to make that type of pen and the work involved. It was just a topic and happened to be a pen design that I did before. What is so harmful in that. ???
 
I'm not sure what the Ohio Convention is, but i'd be happy to join :) Your second sentence said - (But $50 please that is an insult). Joking or not, you're still insulting the seller.
 
EBorraga said:
I'm not sure what the Ohio Convention is, but i'd be happy to join :) Your second sentence said - (But $50 please that is an insult). Joking or not, you're still insulting the seller.
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Did you read the next line where I said at least $55. Ernie you and the rest of your crew just want to start a flame war. Why don't you just put me on your ignore list and then you do not have to read my insulting posts instead of trying to start something here. Are you the seller that you are putting up this fight or do you know them?? Get a life man.

Let me try to explain the joke to you Ernie. When I saw both photos his and mine on pintrest I asked the question did he get his inspiration from my pen?? If so I thought my inspiration would command more than $50 worth of product let me put in some smileys here. :) :) :) :) :) At least $55 and more smileys:):):):):):)
 
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