# Micro Mesh Mayhem



## SteveRoberts (Mar 23, 2006)

Every pen I did today was an alternatate material and required the usual sanding/finishing tapdance (not pretty I assure you) PR Snake, Celluloid, Tru-Stone and thanks to this board, Lucite.

I go 120, 220,400 grit, red fiber pad, grey fiber pad, 0000 steel wool, then 1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, 12000 Micro Mesh, two coats of Hut crystal and two of Ren wax... that is all. Oh yeah and I also turn them. 

I am getting fast however, the Tru-stone set a personal record. From square to off the lathe and ready to assemble in 9 minutes 12 seconds.


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## alamocdc (Mar 23, 2006)

Steve, I'm not nearly that fast, but I'm not sure I want to be. If you aren't wet sanding this stuff, try it. You'll be amazed at the difference. [^]


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## SteveRoberts (Mar 23, 2006)

Of course I am wet sanding, the only issue I have with it is keeping the drips off my lathe bed, No rust for me thanks!


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## gerryr (Mar 23, 2006)

I never get drips on my lathe bed.  I fold up a piece of Viva paper towel to about 2x3, put some MS on it and hold it against the backside of the blank while holding the MM pad against the front.  No drips, ever.  The pens looks nice, but the picture is over-exposed.


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## ashaw (Mar 23, 2006)

Steve 

My primary material are acrylics.  Each pen take me about 1/2 hour to and hour from start to finish.  I use to complete them alot sooner but was unhappy with the finish.  

I wet sand to 12000.  
I put a board on my bed so that it does not rust.
After I am happy with my turning.  
I slow the speed down to the lowest it will going and begin sanding at 800-1200 mm wet sand though 6000 mm.  
After that I turn the speed up to 1300+rpm and polish with the remaining mm to 12000.
Then a final go over with scratch remover 
Then Ren wax.
Been real happy with the results.
When I first started making pens I though I had to do one every 15 mintues.  When I slowed it down I was able to charge more for my pens.   


By the way your pens do look good.  

Alan


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## rtjw (Mar 23, 2006)

> _Originally posted by SteveRoberts_
> <br />I am getting fast however, the Tru-stone set a personal record. From square to off the lathe and ready to assemble in 9 minutes 12 seconds.



Not trying to discount you or anything, but I cant get the blank drilled and glued in 9 and 1/2 minutes let alone turned, finished and assembled. I guess I just take longer.


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## SteveRoberts (Mar 23, 2006)

> _Originally posted by rtjw_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...



The drilling, tubing and pen milling were done already. That usually takes me 4-5 minutes a pen. I have several cutting jigs and two drill presses with both sized bits all ready to go, I do this full time so I have lots of built in justification for extra tools.

I often muse to myself about how little time in penmaking is actually in the turning.

By the way fast doesn't mean poorly done. I don't stop when a buzzer goes off, I stop when there are no visible scratch marks of any kind and the finish looks as close to perfect as hand made can accomplish.  I sell my Emperors in the $230-$300 range usually 2-4 a weekend.


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## woodscavenger (Mar 23, 2006)

Where are you selling them?


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## SteveRoberts (Mar 23, 2006)

Juried better quality A/C shows. They are expensive and hard to get in to but for me, worth it.


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## DWK5150 (Mar 23, 2006)

Nice collection.  I am not nearly that fast at all thats for sure.


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## Fangar (Mar 24, 2006)

I smell pickles.

Fangar


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## alamocdc (Mar 24, 2006)

Sounds like you've got the bases covered, Steve. Congratulations on your success!

BTW, I keep my lathe ways dry when wet sanding by covering them with a plastic trash bag. Sopping wet and still no rust on my lathe. Your MPG may vary.


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## airrat (Mar 24, 2006)

turning plastics and other non wood materials is faster then wood.  No need to worry about a finish.  I just get "bored" with them.  Wood gives you more suprises.


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## SteveRoberts (Mar 24, 2006)

I agree Tom, the sythetics aren't as much fun, these pens are mostly intended as my commercial stuff and for that the clients get to direct my interst. My personal pens are usually flawed and filled burls with too much character for most tastes.

Steve


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## wdcav1952 (Mar 24, 2006)

Nice work on your acrylics.  You might consider painting the tube when you use the caramel swirl so the tube and the glue won't show through.

FWIW,


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## SteveRoberts (Mar 24, 2006)

I am considering painting them but hadn't come up with a color that wouldn't detract from the material as much as it added. The glue bubbles look kinda cool, I am calling the pen vanilla coke, which explains the bubbles.



> _Originally posted by wdcav1952_
> <br />Nice work on your acrylics.  You might consider painting the tube when you use the caramel swirl so the tube and the glue won't show through.
> 
> FWIW,


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## Gary Max (Mar 24, 2006)

You must be the best salesman on the planet.


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## Dario (Mar 24, 2006)

> _Originally posted by SteveRoberts_
> I sell my Emperors in the $230-$300 range usually 2-4 a weekend.





> _Originally posted by SteveRoberts_
> I am getting fast however, the Tru-stone set a personal record. From square to off the lathe and ready to assemble in 9 minutes 12 seconds.



At that rate (say average of 12 pens per month at average of $265.00/pen), you are making $3,180.00 a month!!! [:0]  Say kits and supplies is about $400..your net is $2,780.00!

At your rate...you only need to work less than 4 hours a week!  Man you better retire and just make pens.  Hope I am that good and lucky.


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## rtjw (Mar 24, 2006)

Dario, Thats just on emporors! I think he said that he turns around 50 a week. He is making a killing!


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## mrcook4570 (Mar 24, 2006)

Then factor in the several hundred dollars per week in booth fees and those Emperors might pay those bills.  But then there's gas, electric, tools, displays, etc. and that profit margin needs those 50+ pens per week.


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## Gary Max (Mar 24, 2006)

Heck if he is doing the real good shows they can run over a $1k per weekend just for the booth space. That's why we don't do the real good shows---- dang promoters are getting rich.


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## SteveRoberts (Mar 24, 2006)

> _Originally posted by mrcook4570_
> <br />Then factor in the several hundred dollars per week in booth fees and those Emperors might pay those bills.  But then there's gas, electric, tools, displays, etc. and that profit margin needs those 50+ pens per week.



Exactly! Mrcook has obviously done the math.  I wrote a buiness plan early on and did all the calculations. How many shows, how much in booth fees, $1,000,000 liability insurance required by most of the better promoters. 

$2,000 for booth drapes, poles, carpet, displays and fire retardent table drapes. Gas was $3.50 a gallon when I started my schedule and some weeks I was driving 1800 miles.

A high quality 3 day show has a $750 booth fee and hotels and food and a helper/cashier because you can't keep an eye on 300 pocket sized items all by yourself.

All in all I make about 50% of what I did when I sold someone elses stuff, but I feel much more involved when I sell my own. Yes, I can sell smoke to a firefighter... and if you plan to market anything that is the only attitude to have.

But here I learn from guys who are MUCH better pen turners, not all of what they do applies to me as I can't put multiple hours into a pen and expect to sell it with the shop rate I charge myself. Yes, the production guy has to get paid just like the salesman and the driver and the set up crew... all hours rolled into costs. No one envies me after a 10 hour sales day eating junk hot dogs, with a 2 hour pack up and a 5 hour drive home to be up an in the shop by 7 to make pens for next week.


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## wood-of-1kind (Mar 24, 2006)

Steve,
I really like your business plan BUT I gotta ask. Do you like the personal satisfaction derived from penturning OR is it just a 'business' thing?

-Peter-[?]


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## SteveRoberts (Mar 24, 2006)

> _Originally posted by wood-of-1kind_
> <br />Steve,
> I really like your business plan BUT I gotta ask. Do you like the personal satisfaction derived from penturning OR is it just a 'business' thing?
> 
> -Peter-[?]



I love turning pens, would do it for free, did do it for free, like most of us gave away what I made early on and frankly that was about what they were worth. 

I got suckered into selling a few to some people at a company when one of the freebies got shown around and the demand was such that it set me to thinking. I was about to quit the thrill-a-year insurance industry anyway for my sanity and decided to take tbe plunge and literally MAKE a living with my own two hands. As such I had to treat it like a business.

Shop time is fun time for me, mostly. Reading these boards is fun for me, and you guys can expect to be flattered often in my booth since Imitation is the sincerest form of it. I am learning daily from the much better turners that populate this site.

Steve


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## wood-of-1kind (Mar 24, 2006)

Good answer(s) Steve, I like your sale pitch.

Continued success with your business.

-Peter-[]


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## Gary Max (Mar 24, 2006)

I told you he was good----LOL


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## pete00 (Mar 25, 2006)

Steve

I want to thank you for being so candid in all your posts, its making me think a little. Besides i want to have 9 drill guns under my shelf some day..[][][]


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## Section10 (Mar 26, 2006)

This is very interesting and the pens are inspiring.  I envy you.
I work a boring - but not too demanding job and moved off my farm about 1 1/2 years ago.  It has left me with more free time, but no good workshop.  I'm finally starting to think about doing something else with myself and pens may be the answer.  The farm sale money provided me with a decent house and no debts.  I'm hoping to be able to do something that would eventually pay its own way and maybe even bring in some extra money.  I love selling things.


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