# Video of how the Made in the USA Pen kits are made.



## Constant Laubscher

Here is video of how the Made in the USA kits are made.
Please let me know what you think. 
I have more to add to the video but for now it is good.
I will be using the video on shows in the next month or so.
The video is HD and about 9 min long.
It was quite an expense to get all the stuff for a show, I have never done a show before. ( Banners, T-shirts, caps, TV screen, Business cards, table Table cover and more....) 

Here is a link to YouTube  LazerLinez_Version1_WebHD.mov - YouTube


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## wood-of-1kind

Certain aspects of your video are very good especially the action shots of your cnc. Personally I would omit the shots where you are showing assembling your kit and especially the shot of you pressing/hitting the hardware into your laser cut kit. It makes the 'moment' feel primitive. With such a highly sophisticated and costly machine, I expect to see more 'refinement' as you assemble your excellent cut components. Please take my criticism in a positive light for improvement and is not intended as a knock on your hard work.

Continued success with your business venture. May you do well.


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## LouCee

Very cool Constant, thanks for giving us a look at the process. My wife thought I was watching porn so I'm not sure about the music choice.


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## longbeard

Very cool video, i wish i had all those toys, thanks for showin us. :biggrin: 

Loucee, that is extremelly funny :biggrin::biggrin: my wife thought the same thing 

Harry


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## Akula

That was wonderful

Only thing I could say is bad bad on no push stick...the table saws don't play.  Hands are on the menu this past week.  I seen 3 bad things that could have been much worse (one involved a table saw and not using push sticks)

Thanks for sharing and I would love to watch more


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## Sawdust46

Great video!  I did notice a few things.  Your table saw is set up like mine, no blade guard or splitter.  And your "mallet" was unusual but effective.  My personal pen is one of your sierra flag kits.  Thank you.


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## Silverado

Great video Constant! I also have to agree with Peter in Regards to your
pen assembly procedure. 
Good Luck on your first Show.

Regards,
Tim


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## Constant Laubscher

Silverado said:


> Great video Constant! I also have to agree with Peter in Regards to your
> pen assembly procedure.
> Good Luck on your first Show.
> 
> Regards,
> Tim


 Well what can I say that is how I do it. :biggrin:


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## Ruby pen turning

GREAT video. I see nothing wrong with it at all and pretty informative on how everything is done/made. I would not change anything. Even the music goes well.
First show?? Are you going to be selling pens to shoppers or trying to sell your kits to turners?


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## 18111

I like the video. it's entertaining and informative. I never knew how the pen parts were made until now. I think it's a OK to show hi-tech and low-tech, so the viewers know it has a lot of work into make a pen. However, I think it is little bit too long to watch, around 3 minute would be better for me. Nevertheless, it's great video.


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## Rick_G

Great video but I have to agree with Akula  table saws and fingers do not play well together.  Please find a better way to cut those blanks to length.  If you don't do enough to justify total automation a small band saw with a sled would be just as fast and much safer.  Hate to see someone lose a finger for a few dollars.


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## mredburn

If I were to offer criticism, it would be to edit out the part from around 49 seconds to about 1 minute where the focus is not on the action but on a cutter. With the action out of focus it detracts from the professionalism of your video. Also edit out the part where you fumble, at around 8 minutes. Where you dont quite get the end on the first time. You want to show people how smooth and easy it is to assemble your kits. This is your best foot forward. Tapping the pen together with a wood blank can be showing that you dont need special presses or tools to put them together.  Its a great start Constant good luck with it.


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## Ruby pen turning

I disagree on the length. If the customer is interested they will watch. I watched the whole thing did you?


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## mredburn

Yes, but your sitting at a computer not walking through a show where your standing on your feet and someone (like the wife) is pulling at you to go see some thing she likes. Like jewelry. There is point where its to short and people walk off when it ends without having their interest captured and too long and their attention span wanders off.


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## Ruby pen turning

Ok maybe a little shorter but the wife has already looked at 50 booths with jewelry, so she wont be in as much of a hurry as you think.


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## bobjackson

Great job Constant. Thanks for sharing.


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## thewishman

I really like the video! I had no idea you had to do so much manual work on the laser parts - preparing wood to be cut.

I liked to fumble on the last part - it made me smile that even the creator of the pens isn't perfect.


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## Jim15

Great video. The CNC part is like a magic show to me. Thanks for posting the video.


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## Alzey

Some of my favorite TV shows are the How It's Made variety.  I have always been fascinated with machines, computers and automation.  Love the video.  It was fun trying to figure out what components were being made.


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## wouldentu2?

Loved  the video, and it was nice to see how the laser did it.


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## Russell Eaton

I will put some new light on a couple of "issues ". First I won't use a table saw like Constant does, but he cuts THOUSANDS of board feet into pen blanks. He is very careful. Second, on the video, It looks great for a cellphone video.


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## paintspill

like the video. and doing some simple math the pens should sell for around $5798.23. 

great job and good luck at the shows.


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## paintspill

just finished the video. re-shoot or edit out the pen assembly where your fumbling with the parts doesn't look too smooth


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## OLDMAN5050

Well worth the watch......... enjoyed ever second of it.


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## NYWoodturner

Constant - Wow- Great Job !. To offer feedback - I think I understood the message to be how a Made in the USA component set was made - so I think leaving some of the low tech parts helps tie in the human element / jobs. I would take out the fumble though. The music choice is great. It doesn't take away from the video. The length for most is probably too much. Its great for us because we are pen makers and gear heads. I would cut back according to your target audience. Personally I would cut back on the cnc piece.
Truly impressive though !
Scott


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## Constant Laubscher

There are a couple of spots that needs some change I agree.
The time of the video started off as 1.3 h There is a ton of footage that can be chop and changed still. 
There will also be a version with voice over like you would get with How it is made but I ran out of time for what I need this for.
Thanks for the input so far.

When this video was made it was done as the things were made and nothing/ very little was pretended and it is about I make the product and not to promote how the customer must make and finish the product.

Safety, There are many ways to improve on that but some things like where I turn and drill the blanks just work like that and great care is taken when working on the machines. I have a Sawstop on my list and some things will change in my shop in the next couple of months.


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## Constant Laubscher

paintspill said:


> like the video. and doing some simple math the pens should sell for around $5798.23.
> 
> great job and good luck at the shows.


 
No you are wrong that was the cost of the first pens that was made on the cnc. It is getting cheaper as I make more parts.

I am also using the machine for non pen related products/parts and I am working on some parts now that will require me to run the CNC day and night  2 or 3 shifts year round to make all the parts required.
Might need 3 more of these machines.
Any Swiss CNC machine operators out there ? May be later.


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## alinc100

I think the video is great.It shows the process involved in producing well refined pen components. It was informative to me to see how the CNC machines the parts and the laser cuts the wooden components.I like the bits of hand work/manual work in  between as it gives the feel of hand made craftsmanship.

I do believe that I will begin to purchase and market these kits.I live in a predominantly union state ,I am a member of  the Carpenter's Union and I think the Made in USA 
will go a long way to sell these kits.


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## robersonjr

Awesome video, very enjoyable to watch.


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## lorbay

Very cool Constant. I really like your primitive assembly tools.Lol

Lin.


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## johncrane

Constant!  "FANTASTIC" also really liked the sound, good luck with your shows mate!


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## crabcreekind

You can do alot with cnc equipment. And also make alot of money at it. I think if you did set a booth at a woodworking show and sold your kits and inlay kits, you would do very well.


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## 76winger

I too liked the video and it's interesting seeing the parts being made on your machines. Thanks for sharing it with everyone!


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## Marker

this video is Awesome


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## larryc

Fantastic video. It's great to see a small company flourish and provide employment. Here's somebody who isn't afraid of what tomorrow holds and is ready to move ahead hoping the government keeps out of his way!


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## Leatherman1998

That is really cool. I have wondered how all the components for kits are made. You wouldn't be looking for a 14 year old from SD to work there huh?:biggrin::biggrin:


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## navycop

Your fingers were to close for comfort on the table saw. Do you recycle the "white" blanks by putting the "red" cutouts in it?


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## bruce119

From my point of view it looked great. High quality video very informative. From a non pen makers point of view just a little fine tunning like the others said. Especially the banging the parts together. I know it works and is not a problem but to a buyer if he sees that he's just going to look very closely at those parts a press would be more professional.
 
But I really enjoyed your video thanks for sharing.
.


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## Constant Laubscher

navycop said:


> Your fingers were to close for comfort on the table saw. Do you recycle the "white" blanks by putting the "red" cutouts in it?


 
No, I cut 8 stripes from the white and the stripe opening would be bigger in the white barrel due to compensation for the laser beam.


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## CHICAGOHAND

Please consider a different way with the saw. Either a sled or use a band saw with a sled. 
We don't need good American business men going down because of an accident.


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## sbell111

Great video.  Here's my thoughts:


I would not cut any length.  It is neither a training film nor something that everyone must watch all the way through to get the point.  It is great as is.
Regardless of how you cut your blanks in 'real life', use a sled in the video.  Otherwise, it's a distraction that you don't need.
I would not add a pen press.  Pressing the parts your way shows that the end user doesn't need to buy any pen-related specialty tools.  (It also shows that many of us have been overthinking the pressing process for years.)
I have been rounding my blanks the hard way.


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## brownsfn2

Wow.  I am so clueless.  I totally thought the USA kits where made by some guy with a metal lathe. LOL.  I have so much to learn.

This machine is amazing.  I have watched this three times now.  It lead me to look at other swiss type cnc lathes.  I am amazed.  Then I found a page that lists the cost.  I saw some machines in the $100k range (used).  WOW.  I now feel like I need to buy a kit to support this endeavor.  

I don't think your video gives away any secrets because there are not many of us with a swiss type cnc in our basements or garage shops.  I would love to see more videos.  They are just amazing to watch!!  Thanks so much for sharing.


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## maxwell_smart007

Very good video, Constant. 

I like the contrast between high technology and artisan ingenuity (i.e. hammering with wood).  A press might look more 'professional', but it also would lose some of the 'made by hand' feel that your video currently has at the end. 

The tablsaw is safe - until it isn't.  A thousand safe cuts can lead to a lost finger on the thousand and first - and you're definitely in the danger zone.  A push block would be safer! 

Once again, very good video! 

Andrew


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## Turned Around

very cool, constant.


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## Haynie

I like these kinds of videos.  Thanks.


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## Turned Around

Haynie said:


> I like these kinds of videos. Thanks.


 
I agree. I'm addicted to "How It's Made", so I could watch these videos all day long.


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## Linarestribe

That was great. Informative and artistic. I'm a big fan of the out of focus look.


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## ttpenman

+1 on Cool, awesome & fantastic!!  Very, very impressive.  I agree the saw part looks a bit dangerous and should maybe be changed.  But I love a guy that uses a chuck of wood to put his pen together!!  I've done it a few times myself and I'll bet a lot of others have to.

Keep it up.  I hope to work my way up to using some of your kits soon.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin


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## Constant Laubscher

I have made some changes and will post the new version tomorrow.
Thanks for all the input and advice.


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## Constant Laubscher

sbell111 said:


> Great video. Here's my thoughts:
> 
> 
> I have been rounding my blanks the hard way.


 
I have done it the hard way for a long time, then I build the lathe router combo and now it only takes 5 sec to cut a blank. The little router would only last a year but that would equal at least a couple hundred thousand blanks.


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## Wingdoctor

First of all, I love the movie. I have made on of your kits and it is a beautiful pen.

We all have methods that we use that work for us but may not be what others recommend. I will not tell anyone that they cannot use a given process, but I might recomend a better or safer method. But when we produce a video to show to the public we should always use the proper technique for safety reasons so that we do not suggest to inexperienced watchers that they can do it the same way. I can remember watching a video of Sam Maloof bandsaw parts for his chairs freehand. He said do not do it this way because it is dangerious and you might slip and cut your hand as I have done. Even though Sam used the bandsaw every day he still got cut. He knew the dangers that came from using his method, even thought he was an expert. Many viewers are inexperienced and do not know the safe way to proceed with a process but because there is a professional video showing cutting blanks with a table saw and not using a jig, I can do it to. None of us would want another to follow our methods and be injured, so we must use safe methods of demonstrating a process. 

This is not a big criticism, just a suggestion that we should show safe practices when we demo.

Thanks.


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## studioso

BLACK MAGIC!

what kind of sorcery was that!?
seriously, very nice: video is very well made, top notch quality, I watched the whole thing and enjoyed it.
table saw scene did make hold my breath a bit, specially since you are gang cutting a few pieces together. also liked where the CA got on your finger!!

 well done, thank you for letting us see it, good luck at the show!


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## brownsfn2

Will you be posting any more of these type of videos.  I just watched this again and the CNC lathe part is just awesome.  I could watch that all day!


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## underdog

I thought I was going to see the hardware kits being manufactured....:tongue:


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## Constant Laubscher

underdog said:


> I thought I was going to see the hardware kits being manufactured....:tongue:


 
Well some of it is showed on the CNC machine/ first part.
It is boring to show all the parts.


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## Constant Laubscher

brownsfn2 said:


> Will you be posting any more of these type of videos. I just watched this again and the CNC lathe part is just awesome. I could watch that all day!


 
We currently making videos of all the Laser inlay kits. and other things.


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## Constant Laubscher

The show was a great success. I shall post some photo's later.


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## firewhatfire

Yall reckon Constant feels like Waylon Jennings did while singing Good Ol Boys.  It did keep showing his his hands and not his face on TV

Waylon Jennings - The Dukes Of Hazzard - YouTube


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