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Philip Duffy
03-07-2013, 10:03 AM
I have a potential client, from the state government, who wants to order 500 pens of various woods. But, they must be engraved with the state logo, etc. Does anyone know how much that would cost per pen????
Not ready for a quote, just trying to get basic info re cost. Thanks to all replies. Philipf.

Bruce Volden
03-07-2013, 10:20 AM
Once you get the state seal worked up and laser ready I believe $1.50 - $2.00 per pen would be fairly reasonable. Heck I might even charge a little less depending what's happening at the moment.

Bruce

Gary Hair
03-07-2013, 10:36 AM
time to laser * rate = lasering cost
Dont' forget to add in the file setup, unpackaging, prep, packaging time as well. Those pens that take 30 seconds to engrave may take 3 minutes total and you'll make far less than you should if you just consider laser time. I'm not sure how Bruce can give you a price when he doesn't know the size of the engraving or how long it will take...

Ross Moshinsky
03-07-2013, 10:43 AM
Go on Hubpen and charge around whatever they say to charge.

Example: http://www.hubpen.com/store/main.aspx?p=itemdetailoptions&group=85-PEN

Dan Hintz
03-07-2013, 10:59 AM
Also, a single line of engraving some company's name by laying out a matrix of pens on the bed is significantly faster than loading pens one by one onto the rotary... something you have to do if the logo is large enough to start wrapping around the barrel.

Gary Hair
03-07-2013, 12:03 PM
Go on Hubpen and charge around whatever they say to charge.

Example: http://www.hubpen.com/store/main.aspx?p=itemdetailoptions&group=85-PEN

From the link you gave "Straight line imprint is free of charge"

I'll send you the pens if you'll charge me what they charge...

Bruce Volden
03-07-2013, 12:39 PM
time to laser * rate = lasering cost
Dont' forget to add in the file setup, unpackaging, prep, packaging time as well. Those pens that take 30 seconds to engrave may take 3 minutes total and you'll make far less than you should if you just consider laser time. I'm not sure how Bruce can give you a price when he doesn't know the size of the engraving or how long it will take...

Well I figured a pen is a pen--so size it pretty much a non factor. That being said I neglected to factor in a "wrapped" engraving---this would change things as I cannot do a wrapped engraving. I thought along the lines of engraving multiple pens in a jig when I through out my response to OP. I couldn't imagine it taking 30 seconds to engrave a pen though, more like 15 - 20 seconds with my outfit but usually much less too.

Bruce

Martin Boekers
03-07-2013, 12:49 PM
Pens are cheap, $1.70 from JDS. I'd quote with pens and without.

They are providing various wood pens? Makes me wonder why? Are they seconds over runs etc...
If you change consistancy of the pens and woods it changes the cost in time for you.

Also dark woods may be hard to see engraving and may need a fill.

I have done 300 pens last year for a client. I charged $2.75 apiece. including the pen, some thought I was nuts!
I billed them $825.00, my cost on the pens $510.00. It took me less than 2 hrs to complete including packaging
and design work. So effectively I billed $315.00 for 2 hrs labor not bad.... It can be done. Be careful about the variety
of pens that are provided as that could burn you.

Watch the seal as you may not be able to get the detail in wood....

Mike Troncalli
03-07-2013, 1:26 PM
Phillip,

We both manufacture our own pens as well as re-sell the stock ones from JDS. If we engrave one of our pens we charge $1.50 for the name and $2.50 for name + logo. (straight barrel). If we sell a JDS promo pen we include the engraving into the price since we already at least double or triple what we paid for the unit. (We are for the most part wholesale only).

Ross Moshinsky
03-07-2013, 1:29 PM
From the link you gave "Straight line imprint is free of charge"

I'll send you the pens if you'll charge me what they charge...

Not a problem. I'll send the order to them and make my cut without lifting a finger.

Vicki Rivrud
03-07-2013, 1:38 PM
Hi Philip,
I do a variety of pens. Check with the potential and be sure that the pens are standard pens. I received an order of 200 the other day that were made by the wood shop & some wood turners and the pens were a variety of wood types but more importantly they were all different shapes & sizes. The logo should require a setup fee unless they are providing artwork that will not need tweaking and will engrave cleanly without turning out to be a burnt blob - and they will be dissapointed.

Usually for a line of text I charge approx $2.00 per pen if it is done in one run and the quantity is at least 200 or more.
This does not include the cost of the pen - most of my orders have been to engrave their pens.

Odd shapes & sizes are priced differently as well as color fill required other than a quick swipe of black or brown to make the engraving pop.

If color filled with gold or silver - which I found to be requested by the government in my area - I charge a fee accordingly.

Hope that helps, Good luck,

Vicki

Martin Boekers
03-07-2013, 2:17 PM
Vicki, Good to see you are making money off pens! Sometimes shops think there are so many companies making pens
that they never explore how to be able to do it profitably!

Good work!

Gary Hair
03-07-2013, 2:20 PM
Not a problem. I'll send the order to them and make my cut without lifting a finger.

They don't charge anything for the engraving Ross, so your cut of nothing is...

Ross Moshinsky
03-07-2013, 4:58 PM
They don't charge anything for the engraving Ross, so your cut of nothing is...

Yes, I've never bought pens from Hub and I've never made money on those orders....