Total Unabashed Gloating .. Swelled Head Time

[oldgriz]

Just got the email message below from the gentleman that purchased the Gold Amboyna Burl Jr Gent (below) from me for $150...
I may never be able to wear a hat again...
But BOY am I one happy camper.. 😀 :cool2: 😀
Here is the pen

"I received last evening the pen that you sent...it is absolutely beautiful! You are correct that the coloration of the burl is really stunning and the finish is exceptional. I have spent far more for many of my pens from makers such as Cartier, Visconti, Waldmann, Aurora and Mont Blanc, however, I must tell you that the quality and beauty of this pen equals or surpasses anything else in my collection!"

 

[drjcbarton]

What a great pen! From whom do you buy your components? Congrats on the complements.

 

[oldgriz]

That is a Platinum Jr Gentleman from CSU...
I also use a lot of Baron kits from Arizona Silhouette, they are almost, but not quite the same...
I think the Baron has a better selection of platings, however.
Both turn and assemble easily...

 

[William Young]

Tom That is totally awsome work .
Congratulations on the wood choice and the finish and the workmanship.
A well deserved $150.00 for that one as well as the compliments from the person that bought it.
I would sure like to know how you take such good pictures of your pens. Do you have a secret way of doing it or it is a photographers picture. I am having a heck of a time getting good pictures of my pens..
W.Y.

 

[Dr_dewey]

Good for you Tom

I've seen turners undercut others and it hurts us all. For example a fellow was selling items for $10 to $12 each which took a half to make - $20 to $24 an hour not accounting for the raw materials. That's not good for the rest of us when we price our items at a good hourly wage and the public compares our works to these cheap knockoffs.

Kudos to you.

 

[oldgriz]

I would sure like to know how you take such good pictures of your pens. Do you have a secret way of doing it or it is a photographers picture. I am having a heck of a time getting good pictures of my pens..W.Y.

Bill, no big secret to the photography. I make sure the camera is on a steady tripod, and I use 2 daylight flourescent bulbs for lighting... just arrange them until you are happy with the way the lighting appears.. take a test shot, look to see if it needs any more adjustments, repeat if necessary...
For a backdrop I used a piece of art paper from the local craft store and an piece of burl I had for a support...
The lights are mounted in a set of cheap Home Depot shop light fixtures with clamps. I do this all on the kitchen table and the lights are clamped to a couple of chair backs... the biggie is a good steady tripod.

 

[William Young]

Thanks Tom;
I have a very good steady tripod so that eliminates that problem.
What size are those light fixtures you are referring to . Just small ones or full 48" Ones . I presume single bulb units ? Sounds like a heck of a good idea to gave lighting evenly spaced on both sides like that.
One more question.
Are you using any particular settings on your camera or do just use the pre-set automatic mode like I do. I have not masterd the macro mode on mine so I have been taking the pictures at about a four ft. distance and zooming in on them.
It is an Olympus C5000 Zoom , 5 mpxl camera .

Nice to see you are getting hooked up with collectors. My pens are just going from $29.00 to $69.00 in my particular selling location but then they are mostly just modified slim lines and some cigar pens and a few others.
I must order some Jr Gent kits. That one you showed is a winner.

W.Y.