Keeping track of the pens you’ve made

[TheCraftyCarver]

Does anyone keep a record/Log of all the pens they have made?

Im putting together a custom notebook so that I can track the pens I make; I'm only 8 or 9 pens in so it will be easy to backfill the log.

I'm thinking of recording:
Pen Number, date made, wood/material used, pen kit & metal finish used, vendor the kit came from, who I gave the pen too & any notes I had about the build (problems or successes).
And because I'm a craft lover, I will also have an area to put a photo of the pen (since I always take a photo when I'm done and have a photo printer here at gone)

Does anyone else keep track of pens? I'm not sure why I feel the need to keep a record, but I do (& of course the crafty part of me can't just use a notebook so I'm designing a simple one in photoshop and will have it printed/bound at a print shop).

photos added for fun; these are a few of "the 9" and all have been given away as gifts

 

[penicillin]

Yes. I keep a record of every pen made. See "Pen Making Tracking Database" (a spreadsheet) in this thread:
https://www.penturners.org/threads/documents-for-tracking-pen-making-for-gifts-etc.159678/

 

[Alan Morrison]

I photograph every one and keep them in a file on the computer.

Alan

 

[its_virgil]

That is one thing I wish I had done, but too late now. Yes, do it. Don't wait. Also include the pen name, blank used and the final destination of the pen.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[Bats]

I've got pictures of most of mine (some of the early ones didn't get photographed before being given away, and now I've got a big backlog since my "camera" (readhone) has been out of order), but I've been terrible about keeping notes on the details. It's funny you should post this, since it's something I was actually thinking about a couple hours ago, and was wondering how to organize things/where to keep them/how to force myself to actually deal with it.

 

[Bats]

Also include the pen name, blank used and the final destination of the pen.

Are you referring to the kit name, or do you come up with names for all of your pens?

I've been (slowly) trying to put together an Etsy shop, and nomenclature has been one of my stumbling blocks. Using kit names (sorry, "component set" names) seems to be frowned on (for entirely valid reasons), but I'm lacking in the imagination to come up with new names for each pen, or even each style.

 

[KenB259]

I use stash star pen. Available in the apple App Store. Don't know if it's available for Android or not.

 

[KMCloonan]

Like others, I keep track of all the pens I make. The kit, where I bought it, what I paid for it. I also track the blank, whether it was plain, segmented, etc. when I made it and who I gave or sold it to (and for how much). I also take photos and store them on the computer. I would like to store the photos with the other information, which is currently on an excel spreadsheet. Ken, I will explore Stash Star Pen, or an alternative for PC. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jttheclockman]

Unlike others, I don't put any effort into it . What difference does it make?? That is the question I ask myself. I make it I either sell it or give it away. It maybe a good thing to do if you start a business and keep records of sales. If I sell I do give bill of sale with info on it but if a gift who cares. But after awhile One blank looks like all others. Yes I made a sierra with an blue blank and one with a red blank. Get my point. But others seem to care and maybe it will work for you but if you do this long enough you will get bored. Unless you make 10, 12 pens a year. Make 100's and then check back with us and tell us how it is going on the count. This is not to sound condescending but just a point of view. Good luck.

 

[Hartwell85]

I don't keep track of every pen that I have made. However, I make notes of pen kit and pen blank combinations I like and ones I do not like.

 

[papaturner]

I too keep a notebook with the info no each pen. I wish I had started the process on a computer program but too many to change now.

 

[MillerTurnings]

I track and photo all of the pens. I recently had a customer request service for a pen bought "a little while ago". I tracked it to an event four years ago, told them the day of the event and price paid. It made the nominal repair price easier to sell, and impressed the customer that I could track the pen history. Besides, I love spreadsheets LOL.

 

[jcm71]

I keep an Excel spreadsheet of mine and I take a picture of each. My Excel fields are date made, serial number, pen name, plating, type (ballpoint, rollerball, fountain), blank used, price, date sold, sale price, where sold, and sales tax collected (Sale price times .0925). If a pen is a gift I enter .001 manually. I built macros to allow me to sort the entire field by sales tax, serial number, and pen name. This is all in the Pens in Inventory sheet. Weekly I sort by sales tax, and the copy and paste those pens into the Pens Sold sheet. Hope this helps.

 

[BCnabe]

I made an Access database and track all the relevant project and sales info. I use it for all items I make and sell (pens, ice cream scoops, pizza cutters, shaving sets, etc.)

One thing I would add to your list of things to track is the type or brand of finish. I have tried a couple different brands of CA on pens over the years and I track this in the database so that if there is a finish issue on a pen in the future I'll know what brand I used.

I have about 1,000 items in the database and it's interesting to go back and look for sales patterns or specific color combinations that sell quickly.

It took quite a bit of time to get it set up but adding a new project to the database takes 1-2 minutes. I think it's been well worth the time investment.

 

[TheCraftyCarver]

I too keep a notebook with the info no each pen. I wish I had started the process on a computer program but too many to change now.

I thought about doing a spreadsheet, but I'm a very big fan of analog! I love paper shopping lists, checklists and notebooks full of info. I'm a highly "tech" person otherwise, but I've always enjoyed writing out lists and such by hand. Maybe that's why I like pens! So I can keep myself in supply for all my lists! Lol! My husband jokes we should have bought stock in Uniball years ago with all the gel 207's that I have used up in recent years! Lol!

 

[TheCraftyCarver]

I made an Access database and track all the relevant project and sales info. I use it for all items I make and sell (pens, ice cream scoops, pizza cutters, shaving sets, etc.)

One thing I would add to your list of things to track is the type or brand of finish. I have tried a couple different brands of CA on pens over the years and I track this in the database so that if there is a finish issue on a pen in the future I'll know what brand I used.

I have about 1,000 items in the database and it's interesting to go back and look for sales patterns or specific color combinations that sell quickly.

It took quite a bit of time to get it set up but adding a new project to the database takes 1-2 minutes. I think it's been well worth the time investment.

I thought about tracking the finish; I only use mercury CA at this point, but my first 3 pens were a HUT friction polish and the one pen I gave my daughter has already lost the coating (she's 8 and loves to play/rub her hands over the pen) so it was eye opening to see how fast that coating disappeared (& I'll likely never go back to it unless it's on something that CA can't easily be used, like a heavily grooved/beaded pen).

 

[TheCraftyCarver]

I use stash star pen. Available in the apple App Store. Don't know if it's available for Android or not.

I just downloaded this; it's a great resource!! I might use it as well as my notebook since I can't show people my projects when they ask if I don't carry the notebook with me it's doubling up the Info I guess, but I've been burned before on having apps that don't get updated anymore and then you can't use them anymore because you get the message "the app developer needs to update", so I'd be scared id lose all the info it's it's the only place I keep my info. But great app suggestion; it's super handy!

 

[TheCraftyCarver]

Unlike others, I don't put any effort into it . What difference does it make?? That is the question I ask myself. I make it I either sell it or give it away. It maybe a good thing to do if you start a business and keep records of sales. If I sell I do give bill of sale with info on it but if a gift who cares. But after awhile One blank looks like all others. Yes I made a sierra with an blue blank and one with a red blank. Get my point. But others seem to care and maybe it will work for you but if you do this long enough you will get bored. Unless you make 10, 12 pens a year. Make 100's and then check back with us and tell us how it is going on the count. This is not to sound condescending but just a point of view. Good luck.

To be honest; I think it comes down to personality. I'm someone who thrives on list making, loves empty notebooks and journals and thrives on analog list writing. Checking off a to-do list is more satisfying than actually having the task done. I'm also a scrapbooker, documenter and the person you would ask to help you write a memoir or something; documenting is my thing.

However my sister is opposite and sets reminders verbally on Alexa for tasks, never writes in a journal, and has never scrapbooked. It's just not in her personality or nature & that's fine. However, she does get remorseful and bummed when she sees my albums and journals and wishes she had recorded more of her experiences and memories for down the road, but ever enough to start doing that now. So, I think in the end -for people like me- there is a deep satisfying feeling to tracking/recording information and for others it just doesn't do anything for you. But I feel for the people who HAVE to track info (for sales and inventory and such) and hate it. I used to work for a guy like that and so he paid me to do all that and we were both happy

 

[EricRN]

I keep an excel spreadsheet to that includes a serial number (assigned by me); kit hardware, cost, and vendor; blank material, cost, and vendor; and disposition (sold or gifted), and date disposed. If sold, I include the location where it was sold, selling fees, and shipping costs if shipped as well as the total sale price. The excel spreadsheet then automatically calculates the total costs (materials alone and with any seller and shipping costs). If shipped, I also include the tracking number and shipping vendor. Finally, I have a "notes" section that describes the finishing treatment, any colors that I painted the tube, any issues to learn from, etc.

when I sell or gift a pen, I include a card that describes the materials used and some basic instructions for care. I also include the date of sale and the serial number.

I also photograph the pens and save them with the serial number as the file name. The photos are a nice way to show folks examples of what different materials I can offer and my past work without having a huge inventory on hand.

 

[Penchant 4]

Yes, both a build sheet, with notes about materials, finishes, peculiarities if any, modifications, etc.; and a spread sheet with more basic information such as kit, blank, and sources.

 

[Joebobber]

I take pictures of everything I have made and keep it on a flash drive and my phone. Except for the last year everything was lost when my wife got me a new phone and transfered everything over, then reset it without copying the pictures over to the flash drive. I almost cried...

 

[WriteON]

No notes/pictures in general. I have pictures of my favorite pieces. I make pens and other things but do not keep track of anything. Either gave it away. It's on a stand. It's in a case. Nothing is for sale so I do not need to keep a written inventory. To add I have no idea how many and which kits I have on hand.

 

[StevenH]

Does anyone keep a record/Log of all the pens they have made?

Im putting together a custom notebook so that I can track the pens I make; I'm only 8 or 9 pens in so it will be easy to backfill the log.

I'm thinking of recording:
Pen Number, date made, wood/material used, pen kit & metal finish used, vendor the kit came from, who I gave the pen too & any notes I had about the build (problems or successes).
And because I'm a craft lover, I will also have an area to put a photo of the pen (since I always take a photo when I'm done and have a photo printer here at gone)

Does anyone else keep track of pens? I'm not sure why I feel the need to keep a record, but I do (& of course the crafty part of me can't just use a notebook so I'm designing a simple one in photoshop and will have it printed/bound at a print shop).

photos added for fun; these are a few of "the 9" and all have been given away as gifts

I do keep photos of the pens I make. Also I found it helpful to make a spreadsheet listing all of the pen kits and bushings I have in stock or have on order. This helps prevent over-ordering and duplications.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I have a spread sheet that I track everything I make on... every item I turn gets a category number, )i.e. 33 = pen, 10 = bowls, etc) then in ext column I have a running sequence of numbers 00001 through current number of 04153... every piece gets a number... only if I do sets, such as my wine glasses do I use the same number on each piece, otherwise each as a unique number, which also doubles as the sku number on my ETSY site... next column is a general description of the item with any specifics needed... (i.e. bowl, 9"dia x 4" high), then next column is the type of wood or woods, next column is the finish, then if it's wood I've bought an inventory number of the wood, then next 3 columns are costs, cost of wood, kit cost, total cost or minimum cost for shop expenses, then turn time or size as used to determine sale price... next column is a formula that takes all the cost info and using a formula I've devised to determine sale price, then what I actually think I can get... this column will sometimes be marked up or down depending on my perspective of the piece. Next four columns are locations columns, whether I've photographed the item, listed on ETSY, or at another sales venue... then I have a column for disposition of the item when sold.
I also have 3 additional columns I use to determine gross profit on an item when sold.

I also keep a photo record of everything I make in a separate file.

I started the spread sheet in 2005 when I moved to TN and have kept it up since. I also keep a printed notebook of the columns through the on hand/disposition column that I take to the shop to fill in as I finish pieces and then transfer information to the computer spreadsheet.
Sounds like a lot of work to keep records, but have been doing it so long, it has become second nature and takes only a few minutes each day.

 

[TheCraftyCarver]

I take pictures of everything I have made and keep it on a flash drive and my phone. Except for the last year everything was lost when my wife got me a new phone and transfered everything over, then reset it without copying the pictures over to the flash drive. I almost cried...

Oh man!! Yes, I would have cried! That's why I love paper copies. when our daughter was born I took cell phone photos, but also used my big fancy DSLR for shots. I got a lot of amazing ones the first 2 weeks. Then I put the SD card into my laptop to transfer the photos and the card was apparently corrupted (it was almost new too!). I tried every trick I knew and even a recovery program couldn't save those photos. I sobbed & sobbed (hormones + exhaustion isn't a good combo when a photo/memory obsessed new mom loses 2 weeks of photos). I was devastated and now 8 years later still feel bitter. I now save all photos on my phone, laptop and have an external hard drive too.

 

[mark james]

I take photos of all my pens as well as the segmented blank assembly process. It is helpful as many of my segmented pens are frequently never made quite the same again. I find having a record of them is very helpful. When I get questions on 'how to' with segmenting, it is nice to have a series of photos showing the process. I have over 3,000 photos - saved on an external hard drive.

 

[jttheclockman]

To be honest; I think it comes down to personality. I'm someone who thrives on list making, loves empty notebooks and journals and thrives on analog list writing. Checking off a to-do list is more satisfying than actually having the task done. I'm also a scrapbooker, documenter and the person you would ask to help you write a memoir or something; documenting is my thing.

However my sister is opposite and sets reminders verbally on Alexa for tasks, never writes in a journal, and has never scrapbooked. It's just not in her personality or nature & that's fine. However, she does get remorseful and bummed when she sees my albums and journals and wishes she had recorded more of her experiences and memories for down the road, but ever enough to start doing that now. So, I think in the end -for people like me- there is a deep satisfying feeling to tracking/recording information and for others it just doesn't do anything for you. But I feel for the people who HAVE to track info (for sales and inventory and such) and hate it. I used to work for a guy like that and so he paid me to do all that and we were both happy

Yes it is not for everyone but to me there is much more to life than worry about a simple pen. Now when I was in the scrollsawing business and somewhat still am I do do a spread sheet because no two items are the same so I need to have numbers and for tax purposes. But again make 100 cigar pens and what is the difference unless you make a special blank. Someone wants a cigar pen use your photo and let them what they want. As you see the people that keep spreadsheets are sellers and do it for a business and tax purposes. But if you have nothing better to do than by all means keep records. I could not even tell you withing 100 pens how many I made. It would be a pure guess. Good luck in your road down the penturning highway. If you are going to become a business you better keep good records.

 

[TDahl]

I keep a notebook of most of the pens I make. I include the date, components used, material used, reason for the pen (i.e. gift) and a sketch of the pens. I will also include any notes on significant steps and/or problems I ran into while making the pen. I will photograph the pen at the end.

 

[papaturner]

I thought about doing a spreadsheet, but I'm a very big fan of analog! I love paper shopping lists, checklists and notebooks full of info. I'm a highly "tech" person otherwise, but I've always enjoyed writing out lists and such by hand. Maybe that's why I like pens! So I can keep myself in supply for all my lists! Lol! My husband jokes we should have bought stock in Uniball years ago with all the gel 207's that I have used up in recent years! Lol!

I too am a writer note keeper. Try to write some every day with one of my fountain pens.

 

[Joebobber]

I have a spread sheet that I track everything I make on... every item I turn gets a category number, )i.e. 33 = pen, 10 = bowls, etc) then in ext column I have a running sequence of numbers 00001 through current number of 04153... every piece gets a number... only if I do sets, such as my wine glasses do I use the same number on each piece, otherwise each as a unique number, which also doubles as the sku number on my ETSY site... next column is a general description of the item with any specifics needed... (i.e. bowl, 9"dia x 4" high), then next column is the type of wood or woods, next column is the finish, then if it's wood I've bought an inventory number of the wood, then next 3 columns are costs, cost of wood, kit cost, total cost or minimum cost for shop expenses, then turn time or size as used to determine sale price... next column is a formula that takes all the cost info and using a formula I've devised to determine sale price, then what I actually think I can get... this column will sometimes be marked up or down depending on my perspective of the piece. Next four columns are locations columns, whether I've photographed the item, listed on ETSY, or at another sales venue... then I have a column for disposition of the item when sold.
I also have 3 additional columns I use to determine gross profit on an item when sold.

I also keep a photo record of everything I make in a separate file.

I started the spread sheet in 2005 when I moved to TN and have kept it up since. I also keep a printed notebook of the columns through the on hand/disposition column that I take to the shop to fill in as I finish pieces and then transfer information to the computer spreadsheet.
Sounds like a lot of work to keep records, but have been doing it so long, it has become second nature and takes only a few minutes each day.

You have a template for your setup I can steal? It's very well done and thought out and something i wanted to do, but I forgot everything about using Excel since it's been over 20 years since I graduated.