# New CSUSA Blanks



## Mapster (Aug 26, 2010)

Pretty cool new blanks coming from CSUSA. I think they are trying to take business away from CaptG, I personally would never buy a production blank over CaptG's though. That silver glass fiber definitely looks like something I will try. It makes a truly noticeable unique pen! What do you guys think?


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## titan2 (Aug 26, 2010)

Mapster said:


> Pretty cool new blanks coming from CSUSA. I think they are trying to take business away from CaptG, I personally would never buy a production blank over CaptG's though. That silver glass fiber definitely looks like something I will try. It makes a truly noticeable unique pen! What do you guys think?


 

Link?


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## Mapster (Aug 26, 2010)

Glass fiber
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/New_Products___Glass_Fiber_Pen_Blanks___glass_fiber?Args=

Carbon fiber
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/New_Products___Carbon_Fiber_Pen_Blanks___carbon_fiber?Args=

Both are 15 but they have sea shells for 25


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 26, 2010)

Yep, they not only listen they copy real well, sorry I'll still buy from members here who make coffee,carbon fiber,shell etc. blanks.


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## ed4copies (Aug 26, 2010)

It's more than a loyalty issue.

I have heard comments from guys who have used the "commercial" versions when we did not have similar products in stock.  They return to purchase from CaptG or Dawn pretty quickly when the commercial seams jump off the blank at them.

"Hand-made" also means "hand inspected".  It's a different level of quality control when YOUR name is on the blank.


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## penmanship (Aug 26, 2010)

Who sells the shell blanks?  I've been wanting to try them, but haven't had luck finding them....

Tim



OKLAHOMAN said:


> Yep, they not only listen they copy real well, sorry I'll still buy from members here who make coffee,carbon fiber,shell etc. blanks.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 26, 2010)

*Our kitless member* *ldb2000 better known as Butch, I'll find a link to some he had for sale in a while... *


penmanship said:


> Who sells the shell blanks? I've been wanting to try them, but haven't had luck finding them....
> 
> Tim
> 
> ...


 


OKLAHOMAN said:


> Yep, they not only listen they copy real well, sorry I'll still buy from members here who make coffee,carbon fiber,shell etc. blanks.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 26, 2010)

Heres the link to Butch's sale:http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=66826


penmanship said:


> Who sells the shell blanks? I've been wanting to try them, but haven't had luck finding them....
> 
> Tim
> 
> ...


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## ldb2000 (Aug 26, 2010)

I'll be adding more and different types of shells but they are very time consuming to make . Thanks Roy .


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## Woodlvr (Aug 26, 2010)

The shell blanks at CSUSA are pale in comparison to the ones that Butch designs.


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## ed4copies (Aug 26, 2010)

If you are lucky, JohnU makes some, once in a while.

Different from Butch's design--John's are tiny pieces, Butch's are strips.

Both are a pain to make!!!!

(I've watched Dawn, never done either)


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 26, 2010)

I've had Johnny's, it's one awesome piece of work. There's no way CSUSA could come close to Butch or Johnny.


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## robutacion (Aug 26, 2010)

Its inevitable that these things will happen, when the creators of and idea and or method, belong to places like these (IAP) where most of us are more than happy to share all our secrets and inventions without putting a second though into "production copying"...!

Those that know of this reality and decide to protect their work by copyright and other legal options, are also willing to spend the money and time to do so as these things are complicated to get done, and take a considerable time to activate.  Off-course, most of us do not think in developing a business out of the ideas therefore, giving them away free of charge for everyone to use.

What others do with these ideas, is then totally out of the creators control and/or authority to act, and that is just life...!

There is one thing that will always determine the original to a fake/copy and that has been already mentioned by some posters above, quality and unique material, man made composition/touch...!

There is also one other factor that unfortunately, has become rare, particularly to money driven people, and that is, loyalty...! :frown:

I can also understand the opposite of this, when someone just wants/needs to get the best prices regardless of who and where made what...!  those making large quantities of pens for lower end markets, require cheap products and those are normally found among the mass production people, no doubt they will have the capabilities to lower prices as a result.  Quality control (QC) may be low or non existent in these case but, that becomes not so important when people know that, what they are buying is good enough for those to whom they are selling their pens to...!

I know that my last sentence can sound very different than the intent its refer to and that is, people buying the product see that the pen looks good or identical to some they have seen and liked, elsewhere.  They don't know the product's origin and most wouldn't care, is it an original or a fake/copy...??? the price will normally have the answer, the sad thing about all this is that for the person that actually made the pen, his work and effort is not different regardless if the blanks are hand made or copies mass produced, putting the pen maker in a predicament, is the pen maker focussing sales pitch based on the materials and origin or on the quality of how the pen was put together and finish...???

There are many other areas of this subject can could be discussed but, this will do for the moment...!

Disclaimer: These are my own thought and views on a issue that I have being  directly involved in the pass more than once, "idea creator" giving it away...!

Cheers
George


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## jttheclockman (Aug 26, 2010)

I am surprised these have not been copied yet. I guess it is just a matter of time.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 26, 2010)

John, their watching and you just brought it to their attention.


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## jttheclockman (Aug 26, 2010)

Well if they are watching and they brought out some carbon fiber blanks, lets go all the way and bring all the colors out.


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## robutacion (Aug 26, 2010)

Now, that's what I call nice looking stuff...!:wink:

Being watched has became a pretty damn normal thing, anywhere you go, anything you say and do, has been recorded somewhere...!

I suppose, confronting the "bull" head on, is a lot safer then get the bull come from behind...!:biggrin::wink:

Cheers
George


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## cnccutter (Aug 27, 2010)

i understand people needing/ wanting to shop with the cheapest $ point in mind. i for one try not too. 

sometimes its really hard, but I shop locally first when ever possible. I cant say enough about the great product and service i have gotten from shopping with members here. I also like being able to talk directly to the seller and maker if i have a question. try calling china the next time you have a question about one of their cheap products.

Erik


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## MesquiteMan (Aug 27, 2010)

I would not necessarily fault CSUSA on this.  They are getting these blanks from Dayacom.  I just saw them on Dayacom's site a couple of days ago.  Fairly typical American creativity copied by the Taiwanese/Chinese.


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## ironman (Aug 27, 2010)

This is so funny, why are we chastising csusa for making formally custom blanks available to the average penturner.  and it is also funny that everyone is calling them out on so called copying when we all have copied someones pen design at some point in time.

Lets refer back to jttheclockman who was copying mr gross's clock pens if i remember correctly, or me having turned segmented pens who someone else previously had made could say i copied him.  its like the coal calling the kettle black.


Oh and penn state ind also sells these carbon fiber blanks why don't we chastise them too.


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## Mark (Aug 27, 2010)

John, The green & black and the yellow & black CF are very cool. Nicely Done....


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 27, 2010)

Jimmy, I don't think CSUSA was being chastised just that they now had for sale blanks that were first shown here by members of the IAP and that I would rather support these members than CSUSA on these blanks. CSUSA has all the right in the world to sell what thay want. I'm sure they sent samples to Dayacom to be copied and more power to them in the free enterprise system we have as nobody has a patent, copyright or exclusive rights to these blanks. 
But I still think the quality of Butch's, Johnny Underwoods MOP and Capt's carbon fiber blanks are far above the ones from Dayacom.


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## ed4copies (Aug 27, 2010)

It's part of a "product cycle", I believe.

I have been told that many of these ideas were introduced over a decade ago and no one wanted to market them, cause they believed the materials would not sell.

Whether this is true or false, when we clamor for CaptG to fill the demand for his great blanks, we all realize he can't keep up---his are handmade!!

But, if the "Big Boys" like PSI and CSUSA see this, they see it as an opportunity.  You can't STOP it, so part of the "mission" of Exotics has been to provide the artists a place to SELL their stuff, so they don't waste time taking orders and shipping, but instead make blanks as quickly as they want to.

This allows them to "cash in" on as much of the market as possible, BEFORE someone else makes their blanks a "commodity sale".  

Actually,  Bruce119 and the computer pen were the inspiration for the "partner program" at Exotics.  And a couple of our artists have done quite well.  But, their products WILL be copied, its only a matter of time.

Originally, in the craft show market I sold "computer pens" for over $150 with blanks made by Bruce.  Now, I suspect those who sell computer pens will be lucky to get $50.  "Product life cycle".


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## PenMan1 (Aug 27, 2010)

Ed:
You are exactly correct. The price on computer pens has plummeted well below the $100 benchmark and at shows around here $50 is the going rate:

$15 blank, $15 hardware ( I used the better plated Elegent Sierra) and $5 wooden box, all to GROSS $50. 

I have made several of the blanks from old modems and network cards. I consider $15 for the blank to be reasonable, because of all the sanding and fitting involved in making this blank.


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## ed4copies (Aug 27, 2010)

Hey Andy!!

I also sold "bullet pens" for nearly $200--one Christmas--- now I see them for $25---

"Product life cycle"


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## Woodlvr (Aug 27, 2010)

Wow. Where can we get the Blue/Black and Black/Gray blanks? I mean on our forum of course. I have not seen them posted for sale or I missed it. Beautiful work.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 27, 2010)

Mike, CaptG, made some and i would think he would make some if people wanted. BTW the colors are not carbon fiber but fiberglass only the black is carbon fiber...
We also might ask  JTtheclockman if he wanted to make some for sale....


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## Nikitas (Aug 27, 2010)

I was wondering how you "bend" the board around the tube. I would like to try to make one for myself.... Baught one from Woodcraft(before I knew some members sold them) and thought I could make one for myself(handmade from my hand).


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## ed4copies (Aug 27, 2010)

The ones at WoodCraft never were operative boards.  The "component holes" are the same on every one.  They are made for the purpose for which they have been used.

Making one from a real circuit board requires you to make the "board" thin enough to bend to shape.  Generally, you can sand off the backside, but remember the "sand-dust" is solder and other things you don't want to inhale.

Buying the commercially-made one is easier and safer.


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## jttheclockman (Aug 27, 2010)

ironman said:


> This is so funny, why are we chastising csusa for making formally custom blanks available to the average penturner. and it is also funny that everyone is calling them out on so called copying when we all have copied someones pen design at some point in time.
> 
> Lets refer back to jttheclockman who was copying mr gross's clock pens if i remember correctly, or me having turned segmented pens who someone else previously had made could say i copied him. its like the coal calling the kettle black.
> 
> ...


 

Just to make a correction here it is not me who has posted a photo of the watch pen. It was JTDESIGNS



Mark said:


> John, The green & black and the yellow & black CF are very cool. Nicely Done....


 
Thanks for the kind words. 




Woodlvr said:


> Wow. Where can we get the Blue/Black and Black/Gray blanks? I mean on our forum of course. I have not seen them posted for sale or I missed it. Beautiful work.


 
I know at one time CaptG was selling some versions of these. If you want to try casting your own here is where I get the material. 
http://www.solarcomposites.com/composites/carbon%20fiber%20sleeves.html



OKLAHOMAN said:


> Mike, CaptG, made some and i would think he would make some if people wanted. BTW the colors are not carbon fiber but fiberglass only the black is carbon fiber...
> We also might ask JTtheclockman if he wanted to make some for sale....


 

Roy, these are actually 50/50% fiber and fiberglass. http://www.solarcomposites.com/composites/carbon fiber sleeves.html

At this time I am not casting in the shop. So I do not have any for sale or to give away. Maybe in the future.


Now to the point why I posted the photos I did and I know there are many who are actually tired of seeing these for I have posted them a few times under different catagories, but it seems no matter what new blank we come up with it will eventually be copied. Now there is a whole big deal about the watch pen going on in another forum and I am really miffed at what lengths one will go to to claim he invented this idea. Just not so and I do know I will be making them. 

What I would really like for is some of these big players to introduce some new ideas to us so we can try them. All I see is blanks that are replicas of what we as pen makers have taken the time to experiment and share with the members here of our findings. If certain people choose to make their blanks on a for sale scale that is all well and good. If they choose to take different avenues to sell thier product that is fine and all is fair. Now Ed brought up the fact that all these companies are doing is making more of them available. That maybe true but they took an idea that may have been born here or developed here and commercialized it. They send it oversea to be copied and made cheaper. Now you have to decide weather you want to patronize the big guys or the small person. Just like the MOM & POP stores against the big box stores. Good luck wrestling with that one.

Again, I know the big boys are watching, so how about it lets see what you got!!!!!!!


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## robutacion (Aug 30, 2010)

ironman said:


> This is so funny, why are we chastising csusa for making formally custom blanks available to the average penturner.  and it is also funny that everyone is calling them out on so called copying when we all have copied someones pen design at some point in time.
> 
> Lets refer back to jttheclockman who was copying mr gross's clock pens if i remember correctly, or me having turned segmented pens who someone else previously had made could say i copied him.  its like the coal calling the kettle black.
> 
> ...




Hi ironman,

I understand what you're saying but in fact and as far as my comments is concern, I'm not chastising anyone nor I have a reason for it, I have no problems with the vendor in question and my observation was not pointing at anyone in specific but instead to a general concept of what I think when things get copied for commercial interests.

It have may sound that I was referring to the vendor in question but I can guarantee you that I was not.  In fact, when I have something to say to someone I do it in a very direct way, never sent messengers. I also have a big problem about all these "its my design, no one can do anything like it", clocks, and identical examples are beyond a joke, I would like to see someone stop me making a pen using whatever I feel like, no exceptions and do with it whatever I want to, use it, give it away, sell it, donate it, smash it, burnt it, etc., etc...!

Sometimes people gets too greedy and if anyone tracks the reasons behind it, it all comes down to one thing, money...! there are other things in life apart from it, as a few of us have discover...!:wink:

Cheers
George


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## ed4copies (Aug 30, 2010)

JT,

IF you had the desire to "capitalize" on your idea, just make dozens of the different colors, set a price and we will sell them on Exotics. (If you don't want to do shipping, credit cards, etc)

Jeff and John have done quite a nice business this way---Toni has sold whatever she wants to give us, CaptG has also sold and continues to sell black carbon fibre (which would remain his product).  We are always interested in new partners, new ideas that do not conflict with our existing "friends and partners".


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## jttheclockman (Aug 30, 2010)

ed4copies said:


> JT,
> 
> IF you had the desire to "capitalize" on your idea, just make dozens of the different colors, set a price and we will sell them on Exotics. (If you don't want to do shipping, credit cards, etc)
> 
> Jeff and John have done quite a nice business this way---Toni has sold whatever she wants to give us, CaptG has also sold and continues to sell black carbon fibre (which would remain his product). We are always interested in new partners, new ideas that do not conflict with our existing "friends and partners".


 

Maybe something in the future. Any shop time I get which is dedicated to turning pens I like to experiment. Unfortunately the shop time is limited. This back of mine is giving me all kinds of problems and once again this week I am missing work days because of it. I got 3 years to go before retirement and hope the body holds together long enough to make it.


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