A word about the blanks I make

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Eaglesc

New User
Eagle
First allow me to say that There is absolutely nothing I Do that anyone on this site could not do with imagination ,curiosity, persistence and attention to detail.
I believe those traits are common in anyone who wishes to work with their hands to create something they can be proud of.
That being said.
Recently Gary G posted a pen made from a blank I made called woven wood.It has also been posted on other sites.
One reply on Woodnet by a poster named American and Proud disturbed me.
"I can see why , at that price better off making your own.

Sure it takes some time, I guess if I wanted those I'd rather invest my time and use my cash elsewhere.

55 of those would buy a PM 3520B, less if you count the pen kit too.
yelloweek.gif


He does not have too explain,
there are Many tutorials on the web to make those, all free. As I said Woodturning Design Mag. has 5 pen articles alone this issue.

There nice looking blanks, thats for sure, just not worth the cost to me at
least. "
I was curious as to what type of blanks American and proud was referring to.
I called a couple of newsstands to see if they had the magazine and finally located one at a new woodworking store in Columbia.
After work I Drove over and shelled out my $7.00 for the magazine and took it home to read how someone else made the blanks I have been doing recently.
The $7.00 was a waste.
There were two articles about making blanks.
One was about the recently popular but misnamed Celtic cross.
I have been doing a variation of that design for over two years and chuckled at the convoluted method the author used to achieve the effect.If one wanted to find a way to make a patterned blank that left the most room for error he captured it.
The idea of singeing the purple heart was interesting though.
The second article about a blank with wavy stripes looks very much like a test blank I made three years ago to see if an idea I had would work.
Again the writer of the Article decided to use the most difficult approach leaving the most room for error in his method.
I am not saying these designs are not any good.
Because I have been working on patterned blanks for almost 2&1/2 years I had had the opportunity to have a lot of mistakes and learned a lot about alignment while gluing, working with, making and dyeing my own veneers.
I am making this post because I am sell pen blanks.
What I don't want is for someone to make a claim that a basic simple glue up pictured in a magazine is the same as a blank I make that is not even close to one pictured in an article.
For anyone who feels that $50.00 is too much to pay for a pen blank, that's O.K. by me.
Not only do I enjoy making the blanks I like to turn them into finished pens to sell.
I work hard and long to make some of my designs and do not wish to tell the world my methods.
Many have considered that selfish.Call it what you will.
The craft of making pens is a very popular one.Everyone who is able to glue a tube into a piece of material and turn it round is potential competition to me.It is only a matter of time until they decide they want to make a pen that doesn't look like it is stamped out like a cookie cutter version that can be made by someone else.
The cost of the materials I use is minimal in the blanks I make compared to my time.I use a multitude of materials(mostly organic) I opt to use aluminum rather than sterling silver sheet. I work a lot with what I call common woods,walnut, maple, cherry and mahogany but do also work with exotics.
I do not cast acrylics but do work with "base" acrylics and plexiglass in my designs.
In closing,
There are a couple of sites I cannot post on.I consider it their loss not mine.
From what I have seen on them there is very little information for me to glean and no avenue for me to offer.
Not because I know it all, but because what I want to make is that which hasn't already been done.
Contrary to popular belief I do believe there is indeed something new to be found under the sun.
 

nelsone

New User
Ed
Eagle, I saw that fellows comments the other day, and thought to myself, this guy has no idea what he is talking about. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the designs you come up with. Not all of them I like as well as others, but I can appreciate what you have put into the blanks. Keep up the work. I have enjoyed figuring out some of the things you have done. I have have appreciated the ability to think beyond a basic round piece of wood and your pens have inspired some of that.
 

MikeH

Mike
Corporate Member
you make pens?

:rolf: :rolf: :rolf:

Eagle let it roll off. Your creativity and skill in making (and turning) blanks is amazing. He may have had a bad day or could have just been grumpy. Who knows. I too take things to personally sometimes, but the fact of the matter is it's just an opinion. It's only one persons opinion and in the grand scheme of things doesn't really matter.

Keep up the good work and I'll keep trying to figure out how you make your blanks!!! Thanks for challenging us to come up with our own designs.
 

Makinsawdust

New User
Robert
Eagle,
I know what you mean and feel your fustration. I get those comments at craftshows and have people playing the "I can make that cheaper" card all the time. Also, people trying to sneak pictures of my work so they can copy it. I say, go buy yerself 20K worth of tools, do yer own marketing research, and what you waiting on, git-r-done. Everything is easy if your not the one doing the work.
I've been turning laminated peppermills for several years and a while back Woodcraft magazine had an article on making them. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the author was making it so hard. I guess he was on some other learning curve or had all the time in the world to make one. I subscribe to the KISS principle and the if it don't/won't sell move on to something else that will pay for my time principle.
BTW, I think your pens are the most creative I've seen. Keep up the good work. You must be doing something right cause people are shooting at ya.
Rob
 

ebarr

New User
Wayne
For anyone who feels that $50.00 is too much to pay for a pen blank, that's O.K. by me.
Not only do I enjoy making the blanks I like to turn them into finished pens to sell.
I work hard and long to make some of my designs and do not wish to tell the world my methods.
Many have considered that selfish.Call it what you will.
T

If this guy is indeed American and Proud. He needs to do a little work on his history to figure out what makes Americans Proud.

Eaglesc, you make beautiful pieces. I think we all love to admire them. Keep it up.
 

cskipper

Moderator
Cathy
Eagle, you don't "just make pens or blanks" you create art. Please keep it up and inspiring us.
 

lottathought

New User
Michael
Eagle..to say you are talented is an understatement.

I think that the comment about a person making it themself comes from 2 areas in this conversation.
The first is that the greats always make it look easy.
We all have heard that comment.....and it applies here just like playing an instrument, painting a picture, etc.

The second is probably a way to, in some way, negotiate price.

Look...even if you can do this yourself, it takes time to learn the art, the processes and the use of materials...and this is all BEFORE you have even put any time into actually making the blank.
It is also not lost on me that you need to have done a lot of trial and error to have "secrets" that others want you to share.

My hope is that you write a book one day and include the secrets.
:-D
 

MafMem

New User
John
It is a shame the gentleman you were corresponding with does not have as high an opinion of your work as you do. Some people can not recognize true brilliance.

Please keep the faith any keep posting your brilliant creations, so the rest of us can bask in the shadow of you genius.




Favorite quote "Chapstick anyone?"
 

Eaglesc

New User
Eagle
It is a shame the gentleman you were corresponding with does not have as high an opinion of your work as you do. Some people can not recognize true brilliance.

Please keep the faith any keep posting your brilliant creations, so the rest of us can bask in the shadow of you genius.




Favorite quote "Chapstick anyone?"

I am flattered that your first post on this site was in regards to this post.:eusa_danc
 
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