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Eric Richardson
04-26-2006, 10:49 PM
I am looking for a price on having a name laser engraved on pens that I make. Anyone interested or can point me in the right direction?

Randy Meijer
04-26-2006, 11:13 PM
www.kallenshaanwoods.com (http://www.kallenshaanwoods.com)

Mike Moffitt
04-27-2006, 12:59 AM
Eric,
I'm a hobbiest woodworking and just found the this site. My wife and I just started up a laser engraving business and have been doing lots of pens. If you are interested, please e-mail me or checkout our website at www.space-engravers.com (http://www.space-engravers.com) we usually have a $4.00 shop minimum but if you need some pens engraved I can do them for $2.50 each. Maybe even less if you are getting the same thing engraved on each one. Give me a shout!

Keel McDonald
04-27-2006, 7:03 AM
Eric,
I'm a hobbiest woodworking and just found the this site. My wife and I just started up a laser engraving business and have been doing lots of pens. If you are interested, please e-mail me or checkout our website at www.space-engravers.com (http://www.space-engravers.com) we usually have a $4.00 shop minimum but if you need some pens engraved I can do them for $2.50 each. Maybe even less if you are getting the same thing engraved on each one. Give me a shout!

Hey Mike, is that deal good for the rest of us too? Nice looking stuff on your website. Does the surface have to be flat to engrave on it? Some of the pens I make aren't just flat, but have somewhat of a design in them.

Joe Pelonio
04-27-2006, 8:01 AM
we usually have a $4.00 shop minimum but if you need some pens engraved I can do them for $2.50 each. Maybe even less if you are getting the same thing engraved on each one.
That's a great price Mike, my retail minimum is $10, wholesale $5.

Mike Moffitt
04-27-2006, 12:33 PM
Guys,
I would give any of you guys that price...I'm thinking if you can pick up shipping both ways then I can do the pens...They don't have to be flat surfaces, just can't have huge swings in height or the laser becomes out of focus. Also, I would add engraving to the other side of the pen if you want it for $1.50 more. If you have a logo that is simple and art ready (ie in black and white line art ready to engrave) I would not charge extra for that. Let me know if you guys are interested. I can send you a sample pen to get an idea of what it looks like. I'm away on business right now (I'm in the Air Force full time, engraving is our other business) so just shoot an e-mail to info@space-engravers.com and my wife will get a pen out to you (for serious customers only please).

Thanks for your interest.

Mike

Ken Frisby
04-27-2006, 3:28 PM
Mike,

With the prices you charge I should just sub contract to you. You really can't be making any money if you concider overhead, time, material and equipment cost.

Mike Moffitt
04-27-2006, 4:04 PM
Ken,
You are right...right now I'm not really making much money. We started our business a few months ago after doing engraving for other people and are really just trying to get our names known. Since we run out of our house there isn't too much overhead, so it's just our time and equipement that we try to make up. I figure if I can do enough jobs at a good price, then people will call back for other jobs...as we get our names and quality of work known, we can start adjusting our prices a little bit. Everyone has told me so far that we charge too little, but I've never really been the greedy type either...

Mike

Joe Pelonio
04-27-2006, 4:50 PM
Mike,

You can get burned on that, when one of your earlier customers gives you a referal or comes back with a huge order and expects the same price. Remember too that once warranty is up it could cost a lot to repair the laser, that has to be added to your overhead. You might also try getting some wholesale work for local sign shops with just rotary or no engraver
or CNC.

I sell a lot of cut acrylic lettering to other shops, priced just barely below the prices of the "big wholesale place" most people use, plus they don't have to pay me shipping if local or extra for artwork if they provide a vector file. In fact I got a letter from that place asking why I hadn't ordered any letters from them in over a year.

Mike Moffitt
04-27-2006, 5:23 PM
Joe,
Thanks for the advise. I love these boards because I learn so much and everyone is so helpful. I'll keep what you said in mind. I've been considering checking with some of the sign shops in town but wasn't sure about the demand they have for laser engraving...

Mike

Joe Pelonio
04-27-2006, 6:11 PM
Joe,
I've been considering checking with some of the sign shops in town but wasn't sure about the demand they have for laser engraving...
Mike
Mike,

Many sub it out already, or have only a rotary engraver. Show them samples of your work. The laser has much better resolution, without the rounded points from the rotary bit.

Another tip I should have thought of before this last customer just came in. Ask when they need it before giving the price. This guy has an electrical Co., and ordered circuit panel signs for the "party house" and "garden house" for what sounds like a mansion near Bill Gates' house. After I gave him the price he said they have the final inspection Monday so he needs them tomorrow. Could have added a rush charge.:rolleyes:

Mike Moffitt
04-27-2006, 10:20 PM
Joe,
I've already ran into that a couple of times. I give someone a price and then ask when they need it and they say, "well, how soon can you get it done..." or "I need it in a 30 minutes..." I might have to institute a rush charge at some point as well...

Mike

Mike Ramsey
04-28-2006, 10:21 AM
Question about pen engraving...Can you guys laser a pen with the
finish applied or does it need to be done prior to applying the
finish?

Bruce Volden
04-28-2006, 12:03 PM
Question about pen engraving...Can you guys laser a pen with the
finish applied or does it need to be done prior to applying the
finish?

I prefer to have EVERYTHING I laser finished first. Bruce

Joe Pelonio
04-28-2006, 2:17 PM
Question about pen engraving...Can you guys laser a pen with the
finish applied or does it need to be done prior to applying the
finish?

I prefer to have EVERYTHING I laser finished first. Bruce

I agree, less likely to cause discolration around the engraving. You can
always apply more finish to the engraved bare wood after you get them back.

Mike Moffitt
04-28-2006, 10:30 PM
Mike,
It's actually better if the finish is already applied. That way if there is any smoke residue from the burning, it wipes right off. We prefer completed pens, finish and all...

Mike

Thomas Hempleman
05-01-2006, 6:14 PM
WOW! I also work from my home and have very little overhead expense and I still barely make a profit at $3.00 per pen. And that's with one line of text, no logo artwork, and the customer picks up the cost of shipping both directions. I was thinking of increasing it to $5.00 per pen, but now I'm not so sure.

T.

Ken Frisby
05-01-2006, 9:36 PM
WOW! I also work from my home and have very little overhead expense and I still barely make a profit at $3.00 per pen. And that's with one line of text, no logo artwork, and the customer picks up the cost of shipping both directions. I was thinking of increasing it to $5.00 per pen, but now I'm not so sure.

T.

Raise it, some people just don't realize what the true costs are and give their work away, no reason why you should.

Mike Moffitt
05-01-2006, 10:32 PM
Mike,
We actually prefer them to be completely finished. When the laser burns it creates smoke. The smoke wipes off of a finished pen much easier than one that unfinished. As a matter of fact, if it is unfinshed it can stain the wood and need resanding...so we always try to finish our wood products prior to engraving.

Mike

Keith Outten
05-02-2006, 5:43 AM
Carefull pricing your work too low, how will you pay to replace your CO2 tube when it needs to be replaced (mine was $1,500.00) much less pay for the initial price of your engraver and software. Always include proffit and overhead in every job, not just your labor and materials. The overhead fee should take care of repairs to your equipment and other office costs, business license and insurance.