Selling "imperfect pens"

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SmokeGSU

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Apr 18, 2019
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25
Location
Georgia
Hello all! Newbie here! I've been turning for several years now and I'm far from an expert. I hope I'm posting this in the correct forum...

I wanted to gauge other pen turner's opinions on selling their work, namely those "imperfect pens" that I'm sure a lot of you are used to producing from time to time. From time to time, I have a pen blank that isn't perfectly squared on the ends, and after all of that tedious work of turning the blank down, sanding and polishing, and getting to the assembly step, I realize that as I'm putting a pen together, where you have wood butting up against a metal piece I find piece of paper's thickness or two of a gap. To most people, I'm sure they wouldn't necessarily notice that it's there, but I'm sure you all feel similarly that when it's your pen that you've spent all that time on, you notice those imperfections.

How do you guys feel about that, and how does it judge how you sell that pen? DO you sell it? Do you discount it? Do you sell it at your usual price and hope no one notices? Does it not bother you at all because philosophically nothing in life is perfect and everything is going to have some imperfections? Thoughts?
 
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JohnU

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Jan 31, 2008
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Ottawa, Illinois
Been there.... Easy fix, use a tapered reamer, knife, debuting tool, or what I use.... an open pair of scissors to scrap the inside edge of the brass tube to make it tapered. That way your pieces fit flush when pressed together.
 

acmaclaren

Angi the Maker
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Oct 28, 2012
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Seattle WA
I second what John said. Just ream out the inside of the tube. I do this will all my pens. I found it's easier to put all my pens together after doing this.
 

leehljp

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Feb 6, 2005
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Tunica, Mississippi,
Welcome Daniel to IAP! Lots of great people from GA on this forum. Here is the Library Link for some great information too: Library Index - International Association of Penturners

I learned from some early fellows here something that has stuck with me. If I sell the ones with mistakes for a discounted price, that tells people what I settle for. If with experience I overcome the little mistakes here and there, people will still want the pens at lower prices. I have already established my worth regardless of my increase in skill level. One of my first pens was a holly pen and I made it a little proud on both ends. My wife wanted it. We have had disagreements over it and she still has it 14 years later in the bottom of her purse. I hate it when she pulls that pen out in front of people! People who see that are not impressed with me as a pen turner - even though I did it 14 years ago! :eek:

The answer to minor mistakes is keep trying, learn what the problem is, and if it is a problem that repeats itself, research what others did to overcome that specific problem, and practice. Many times it may mean getting or making a jig to help in that specific process.
Sometimes it is a jig on a table saw or bandsaw;
Sometimes it is a sanding mill to square up blanks.
Calipers to measure thicknesses.

Oh, by the way, those that sold pens as part of their regular income would destroy the blank or throw it away rather than let it get into the hands of a potential customer - because of what I wrote above - they remember and judge you by that. IF on the other hand you give them away and don't sell, don't worry about it.

Practice, practice practice. Early in my pen making days, after about 5 or 6 pens, I cut a 2x4 pine cut-off and made about a dozen or more pen blanks. I spent a whole day practicing different things from squaring to turning to size to sanding to finishing. Making pens was not my goal, learning how to master the different aspects repetitively was. I wasn't in a hurry to finish a pen, but was interested in getting the feel and seeing the difference that each blank's experience gave me. That one whole day put me 6 months ahead of where I was the day before.
 
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KenB259

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Dec 24, 2017
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3,537
Location
Michigan
I don't sell or give away flawed pens. I just tear them apart and start over. I always buy extra tubes just for this reason. Are there any "perfect" pens, heck if I know. My wife says I am too critical of my work, I'm okay with that. If I'm proud of what I have produced,I will sell it or gift it,if not, it gets re-made.




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jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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19,082
Location
NJ, USA.
Have to say I have not made a flawed pen since doing this. If there is a flaw it never gets assembled. If it gets assembled it gets disassembled and thrown away. If i can not reuse with either an oops band or some other fix. Blanks are a disposable item in pen making and that goes for the most expensive blank. You can give it away but I would not advise you to sell it. Your reputation is on the line the very first time you accept money for a pen you made. If you are going to sell you want the best product you can make out there with your name on it. Word of mouth can make or break your business. :)
 

randyrls

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Feb 2, 2006
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Harrisburg, PA 17112
Daniel; The thoughts above are good ones. It is almost always possible to "disassemble" a pen, and correct flaws. This will make it easy to avoid that problem in the future.

Search for "disassembling" here in the forums.

When re-assembling a pen use locktite on the inside of the tubes.
 
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Talltim

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Mar 12, 2017
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Location
Tennessee
Our idea of perfect has evolved. What we were happy with when we started is completely different now.

With that said we have never sold a pen with a known defect or was less than our idea of right at the time.


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SmokeGSU

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Apr 18, 2019
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Location
Georgia
Thank you all for your input! Not to sound cliché, but there's definitely a lot of wisdom in this thread! I appreciate all of the honesty.
 

penicillin

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Feb 27, 2019
Messages
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I make pens for gifts. I do not sell them. My gift pens must be as close to perfect as I can make them. I prefer to make another pen for the recipient if it is not perfect.

I donate all of my imperfect pens and experiments to my local public library. They don't care about the defects. They are delighted to have writing implements that write.
 

Fred Bruche

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Feb 11, 2018
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Philadelphia 19146
I would not sell any item that I know has a flaw that I can see. It's possible that I missed it or sometimes the wood starts splitting way after finishing the pen. Now if one asks me to make a pen with a blank I wouldn't use for myself I have no problem with that, I'm not gonna question other's taste :) but still that pen will be as flawless as I can get it.
 

pturley

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Dec 4, 2018
Messages
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Location
Cleveland, Ohio
A well known professional photographer once gave some advice when asked: "What makes a great photographer?"

The reply: "A very large trash bin."

(Back in the days of film, slides and prints. Now the advice might be " a worn out delete button.")
 
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