DonA
Member
This question may show my ignorance, and if so I'd appreciate your patience.
Last year (2014) I turned my first pen. I probably made 25 or more pens over the year. I've turned pen kits from PSI, Craft Supply, and Woodcraft. My observation is the kits appear to be Chinese products of mediocre quality. I'm not knocking Chinese products. They serve a market but I'm looking for better.
Reading here I see others have had problems with PSI kits. I too have had bad transmissions, faulty clip parts on a Celtic pen, and incorrect directions. When I've called the company they are great about replacing parts. My Woodcraft experience is essentially the same. I have not bought much from Craft Supply and what I have bought has been okay.
These pen kits seem cheaply made, with poorly plated products and high defect rates (about 10% in my experience). I'm not opposed to paying more for better quality pen kits but so far all I've found are low end $2.50 to $15 kits and very expensive cast silver and precious metal kits for more than $100. I can't find anything in the middle.
My question is, am I missing some suppliers of better than average pen parts? Is anyone selling mix and match components so you can make original designs? How about someone with a small laser who will custom engrave parts to spec? Given the CNC nature of the small laser engravers it seems like someone could take your design (in the correct format) and produce it fairly cost effectively out of brass, stainless, or other materials.
Just curious if my attempts to Google pen kits has missed what I'm looking for if it doesn't exist.
Thanks,
Don
Last year (2014) I turned my first pen. I probably made 25 or more pens over the year. I've turned pen kits from PSI, Craft Supply, and Woodcraft. My observation is the kits appear to be Chinese products of mediocre quality. I'm not knocking Chinese products. They serve a market but I'm looking for better.
Reading here I see others have had problems with PSI kits. I too have had bad transmissions, faulty clip parts on a Celtic pen, and incorrect directions. When I've called the company they are great about replacing parts. My Woodcraft experience is essentially the same. I have not bought much from Craft Supply and what I have bought has been okay.
These pen kits seem cheaply made, with poorly plated products and high defect rates (about 10% in my experience). I'm not opposed to paying more for better quality pen kits but so far all I've found are low end $2.50 to $15 kits and very expensive cast silver and precious metal kits for more than $100. I can't find anything in the middle.
My question is, am I missing some suppliers of better than average pen parts? Is anyone selling mix and match components so you can make original designs? How about someone with a small laser who will custom engrave parts to spec? Given the CNC nature of the small laser engravers it seems like someone could take your design (in the correct format) and produce it fairly cost effectively out of brass, stainless, or other materials.
Just curious if my attempts to Google pen kits has missed what I'm looking for if it doesn't exist.
Thanks,
Don