pen stand question

[workinforwood]

IF you could purchase a pen stand that looks like a pyramid, rotates 360 and is fiddleback maple, holding I'm going to guess 60-80 pens, only requiring a square foot of table space, what might that be worth? What would be your limit on a pen stand purchase? I'm talking something with serious flare that draws attention to you. Or..do people just prefer plastic stands that drop all your pens on the ground everytime someone walks by your table? I am a firm believer that a display reflects the type of person operating the booth, their taste and perfectionism, but maybe I"m wrong on that?

 

[Verne]

Jeff,
Just judging by the work you have shown on this site I would say that the stand you describe might be a bit expensive for us arts and craft show people. If I were to spend that kind of money, and I would, it would have to be something quite durable, attractive, and storable.
In my opinion the question should be: How much is it going to cost you to make such an item in the same manner, professionalism, and craftsmanship you are accustomed to?
Guess that is more than my $.02 worth. Just my thots.
Vern

 

[jttheclockman]

I had built a round similar to what you are talking about but I took it down and just made one level. It looked awkward. It is made from rosewood but I would never go into production. If I were to price mine I would say $60. I do not know what you could charge for one you build. You will take the cost down if you do mass production. I probably would say you could get in the neighborhood of $75 being a plastic 8 pen thing goes for about $16.

 

[Texatdurango]

....I am a firm believer that a display reflects the type of person operating the booth, their taste and perfectionism, but maybe I"m wrong on that?

Jeff, I am of the opinion that you don't want a pen stand to distract from the pens themselves. I made my first stands from dark stained mahogany thinking they would add a touch of class to my display but after using them a few times thought they distracted from the pens especially when I had a few people comment on the stands and asked if I did other things as well.

.....Or..do people just prefer plastic stands that drop all your pens on the ground everytime someone walks by your table?

Just to share an idea, I found a solution to that problem. I counterbore a hole into the bottom of the acrylic stand, glue in a rare earth magnet then attach a thin metal strip to the plywood risers I use. With the plywood risers covered with black material the magnets do a great job in keeping the displays from tipping over or moving around when people handle the pens on them.

I saw a really nice cube type stand at the Dallas pen show and I believe it was around $130 and I thought real hard about buying two of them so to partially answer your question about price, I would easily pay $150 - $200 if it were what I wanted.

I would like to see what you ahve in mind!

 

[hunter-27]

I would easily pay $150 - $200 if it were what I wanted.

Out of my budget by about 3-4 times.

 

[workinforwood]

I find my stand brings customers to the booth, but does not hide the pens, because I use maple..light tones, never dark. My newest stand is going to look like a cathedral or pyramid, with a turned finial on top. It will draw attention to itself and the pens. I find if the display is nice, people see that you care about what you are doing. I think I can make a couple extra's of what I'm making, and if I was to sell them sanded and assembled, but unfinished and you make your own final for the top with my supplied matching lumber...might get the cost down around $400. It's $8.50 a board foot maple lumber...not $1 maple. There's also a lot of angles and curves to deal with. To make more than one, I'd probably have to run some templates. And the labor time..well just milling the lumber and gluing into 14 un-sanded panels was 12 hrs. Probably take another 4 hrs to sand the panels flat. That's alot of wide panels of quilted and fiddleback maple where if you sand too much at a time it just burns up. Weight is a factor too...I'm slimming down. I just replaced my old pen stand with a new version that is smaller in size, weighs far less, but holds 30% more pens. Counter space is an issue at a show, I need more space, so like Japan, I'm building up.

 

[hunter-27]

if I was to sell them sanded and assembled, but unfinished and you make your own final for the top with my supplied matching lumber...might get the cost down around $400.

You may have just scared away 95% of the folks on here but the other 5% are most likely doing CARTWHEELS & BACKFLIPS.

 

[jttheclockman]

Wow $400 will definetly chase alot of people away. I do not doubt it will be first rate. You know how hard it is to sell scrollsawn stuff let alone pens.

Here is the one I made myself. It is rosewoodand oak. Yes it only holds 20 pens but it does attract a look I think. I had a second layer just a bit smaller and would have held another 15 but felt it looked too bulky and that is something you need to watch. I can elevate it on a box covered in felt if I want. The angle helps hold the pens in place so they do not go spinning off. Did not want to hijack your post just thrownig an idea or two out there for others too.

 

[thewishman]

Jeff, that sounds like an awesome stand, but I just can't get a picture of it in my mind. About how large would the footprint be? Would it fit on the corner of a large desk? Sounds like it would be a great way for a collector to showcase a nice collection.

 

[Daniel]

I can get something (or at least used to) for something in the range of 70-90 dollars.
Just F.Y.I.
The one I am thinking of was something in the range of 120 pens also. I passed due to not really wanting to display that many pens. And if I did I would not want them in that small of a space. Of course I have a $700 crystal bowl that I display key chains in also. The bowl was given to me by the way. But I am very much with you on the idea that how you display your work says a lot about how much care you took in making it in the first place. I try to think along the lines of displaying jewelry when setting up my pens. I would absolutely jump at the idea of your stand if I ever decide to do my mass cheap pen thing. A ton of slimlines that can be sold for around $10-$12 ea.

 

[workinforwood]

Although that's not what I'm picturing, I really like that JT. It's really nice, well crafted and well finished.
Jewelry people spend thousands on displays. Had a guy next to me with nothing more than an acrylic box with acrylic shelves that he paid $500 for. I don't want to be in the display business, especially for jewelry. He did want me to make a necklace holder that was nothing more than a piece of wood with some fancy dowels in it that the necklaces hung from and he paid $100 just for that.
All I want is to display my pens in a very cool unique fashion, the maximum amount of pens in the smallest space possible. My new stand will be just a hair over a square foot footprint. It will be a pyramid. Space inside the pyramid is increased by arcing inside. 13" is more than you think, because if you make an x at 13", that is 4 corners, 6.5x6.5x uhhh...more than 6.5 . lets say it's 10", but if you arc it inwards you might turn 10" into 12". 12" is enough for 11 pens times for sides is 44 just on the bottom, but there's likely 3 layers, each layer getting a bit smaller because it's a pyramid. I know..it's tough to explain, but I see it clear as a bell and that's what matters most. I was just curious how much anyone ever spent on a top quality display.

 

[woody350ep]

I really really like the idea, and have considered that many times myself. Unfortunately, I don't have the patience for those angles, and would love to see it when you are done because it may be the EXACT thing I picture up in this void on my neck I call a brain.........