I just HAVE to brag a little!

[Nancy Laird]

I'm a new turner. Got a midi-lathe this summer to try to make some pens for selling at craft fairs--just another item to add to my booth. Well, yesterday I was at a fair sponsored by the local Friends of the Library. (As an aside, our city is building a brand spanking new library that will open on December 2). The coordinator of the fair (and head of the gift shop committee) came to me and very quietly told me that they want my pens in the shop for sale!!! Not only was I thrilled, but she also told me that my pens were the ONLY THING AT THE FAIR that they considered "worthy" to be in the gift shop.

Then, as if that weren't enough to make my head bigger, a couple came to my booth just before closing, bought two pens for themselves, and gave me a commission to turn 50 pens for his company for Christmas gifts. Fifty pens, complete with lasered boxes with his company logo and individual names! I'm looking at about $1500 here.

Am I thrilled???????? You better believe it!!!:D :D :D :D

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Way to go Nancy!!!!!!!!!

But, you had better get right on it, Christmas always seems to sneak up on us adults........ :eek: :D

Cheers!

[Mark Pruitt]

Christmas always seems to sneak up on us adults........ :eek: :D


Nancy,
Stu is right....78 days to turn 50 pens....it's definitely doable but I bet I know how you'll be spending a big chunk of your shop time the next few weeks!;)

Congratulations on the accomplishment! Ain't it great to have someone affirm you like that!:) :) :)

[Corey Hallagan]

Congrats on the orders! Must be fine work or people wouldn't be standing in line!

Corey

[Paul Engle]

Nancy,
that gives new meaning to " being in the right place at the right time", congratulations !!! pic's of the pens when they are done tho .....:D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nancy that is awesome. Mark said it best. You have 78 days to make 50 pens. :eek: Should be easily doable. Congrats.

[Carl Eyman]

In answer to your question about anything more satisfying than making sawdust - Yeah making sawdust and getting paid for it is better.

[Nancy Laird]

In answer to your question about anything more satisfying than making sawdust - Yeah making sawdust and getting paid for it is better.

Yep. I do have to agree with that sentiment. Looks like this "cottage industry" that LOML and I started several years ago might start to turn a profit on a regular basis. Retirement may come a little sooner than planned.:)

[Nancy Laird]

Thanks everyone for the back pats. I'll have to see about getting pictures--if I can learn how to post them!

[Ernie Nyvall]

That's great Nancy. Congratulations!!! I can see where you may need a head rest as well as the tool rest.:D

[Glenn Clabo]

Awesome Nancy...now the hard part...ya have to get all that done.:eek: :D

[Keith Burns]

Nancy, that is just WAY COOL !! Remember the pics:) :)

[Pete Jordan]

You must be so excited! I am sure you will do a great Job

[Frank Kobilsek]

Nancy

Now that's a good day. I did a Art Fair Saturday which was part of a Jazz Fest, 1st Annual. They planned a great event. Unfortunately they forgot to advertize. 5 artists and two of us were turners. At least I found a new turning buddy.

Good luck and congrats on the big order.

Frank

[Dennis Peacock]

Wow....what a great post Nancy!!!!! Congratulations and may this be an excellent beginning to something you've been wanting to do.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

You definitely deserve the praise and the gloat. If you didn't, they wouldn't have given you the business.

Bruce

[Dave Fifield]

Nancy, well done and all that, but are you sure you have your pricing right? $30 each for a custom pen in a box lasered with the company logo and individualized name seems a bit on the low side to me. Maybe you meant $30 profit on each pen? Hope so....

:Dave F.

[Nancy Laird]

Nancy, well done and all that, but are you sure you have your pricing right? $30 each for a custom pen in a box lasered with the company logo and individualized name seems a bit on the low side to me. Maybe you meant $30 profit on each pen? Hope so....

:Dave F.

Dave, I do have a tendency to undervalue my work, but I think that's an offset of my spouse's tendency to overvalue. I think I'm charging what I think the traffic will bear at this point. I don't know :confused: .

But I have an "in" with my supplier of pen kits and blanks--my husband works for Woodworkers Supply of NM (is that a shameless plug????) and I get my kits and blanks at employee prices. I sat down and figured out that at my prices for kits and blanks, and quantity prices for the pen boxes, I can turn out one unit for about $7.80, not counting my time, which I really don't count right now. (If I charged what my lawyer-boss charges clients for my time, it would be $90 an hour.)

It also helps that we already have a contract with a well-known tool/ machine company to laser the boxes they give away at their seminars (think B&D, PC, DeW, D). They have groups of employees from their various retailers (never more than 12 or 13) come to Baltimore for 3-day seminars on new tools and during the seminar, they have the attendees turn a pen on their midi-lathe. Therefore, we already have developed the basic artwork for the lasering. It's a matter of plugging in a new logo and typing in a name. We haven't progressed to the $1.00-a-minute charge for laser work yet--we are still getting established with a reputation.

Three times my cost is $23.40, so at $30 a unit to my customer, I'm making a nice profit.

Maybe next year I'll up the price, if I make him happy this year. You have no idea how excited I am about this--I'm just waiting for his confirmation (and deposit check) to order my supplies.

And since I can turn 6 or 8 a night, it won't take that long. I've quoted him a 3-week turnaround. Is that too short?