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Company name?

Bob Ellis

Graduate Member
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Dec 28, 2014
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450
Location
Wensleydale, North Yorkshire
First Name
Bob
A guy who has seen my display in the local museum has contacted me to ask whether I can make some wooden ballpoint pens for him to give to some of his clients - 15 pens initially and probably more later. The catch is that he wants his company logo on them. Is there a simple way of putting a logo onto pens or should I suggest that he goes elsewhere?
 

fortress

Registered
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Posts
5,178
Location
Astley
First Name
John
It would seem a shame to turn business down, I would investigate the possibility of using water slide decals that have been designed then printed on decal paper. If it's just text then the process should be easier. :thinks:
 

Dalboy

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Mar 20, 2014
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Kent
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Derek
If you go with this get the money up front as once they are engraved they are no good to anyone but his company.
 

Phil Dart

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Colebrooke, Devon
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Phil
You need someone that has a laser engraver with a rotary attachment. Supply him with the artwork and few offcuts of the wood, so he can get the power settings right, without having to jeopardise your hard work. When I've had this dome in the past, I've found it beneficial to get them engraved after final sanding, but before finishing. Return them to the lathe after engraving to get rid of any "bleed" on the burn, then apply your finish.
 

Bob Ellis

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Dec 28, 2014
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Wensleydale, North Yorkshire
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Bob
Thanks for the suggestions so far. The one that attracts me most is Peter's suggestion of having named clips. Do you have any information about which kits this applies to and how many one would need to order?
 

Phil Dart

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After-market engraving of clips by any method will take you straight through the plating and back to the base metal, be it steel if it's a formed and pressed clip, or brass if it's a moulded one. Unless Peter knows something I don't, engraving before the plating process is the only approach if you want to maintain any kind of professionalism about the end result - which means factory production - which means order quantities of hundreds, not tens.
 

silver

General dogsbody
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Jun 29, 2013
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Somewhere in Staffordshire,
First Name
Eamonn.
You need someone that has a laser engraver with a rotary attachment. Supply him with the artwork and few offcuts of the wood, so he can get the power settings right, without having to jeopardise your hard work. When I've had this dome in the past, I've found it beneficial to get them engraved after final sanding, but before finishing. Return them to the lathe after engraving to get rid of any "bleed" on the burn, then apply your finish.

While I agree with a rotary attachment being required, but it isn't always needed.

It all depends on how big the engraving is and if its "just name" in a line then it can be done without it.

I agree that laser engraving a clip will take off the coating and can be very expensive.

The question I would ask Bob is how much do they want to pay for a starter as laser engraving will entail a second person so increasing your costs. sadly it also means by getting them involved you have no control of the finished article.

Depending on what they need the engraving costs could be from a few pence to several £'s per pen, that's they are all the same style pens.

The second question is what do they want engraving on the pen? how many letters, what font or typeface?

The 3rd question would be is "do I really want to take this job on and is it within my capability?"
 

silver

General dogsbody
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Somewhere in Staffordshire,
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Eamonn.
Just another I have remembered..

What I have done is turned a piece of wood to the finished diameter of the pen in the same wood as what you are planning to do the pens in.

Sent it for engraving then got the customer to agree if it's what they are expecting, and get them to agree.

I have also had them done on a piece of dowel just to get the idea of font and looks. But can look different on the final selection of materials.



Then get them to pay a deposit of at least 50% (or the cost of the materials) then get them to settle the account before delivery.
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
Named pen clip for Slims and Streamline pens available from Timberbits other names can be ordered check with Timberbits. Incidentally the pic is difficult with reflections the clips are flawless. It is Sunday here but send an E Mail tomorrow To David.

Peter.
 

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Pierre

Graduate Member
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Sep 2, 2015
Posts
996
Location
Southern Central France
First Name
Pierre
Didn't a member of this forum buy a laser engraver a while back?:thinks:


Yes me or rather my wife bought it for me for Christmas, works a treat, I run it off a portable computer and can engrave a person's pen on site at a market within 10 minutes once the initial set up is done. BUT its only good on light coloured pens since it writes in black. KKmoon DK-8-KZ 1000mW Mini USB Laser Engraver Carver Automatic DIY Print Engraving Carving Machine Off-line Operation with Protective Glasses: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools .

Just back from the woodturning conference at the Escoulen school in S of France.

PG

PS I forgot if you choose to buy this particular machine, they have a software glitch, part of which they explain and the other part needs bit of fixing pm me if you need help with that, once installed it works perfectly and you can use loads of different fonts and or pictures. Also you need to think about whether you want to burn onto the round or onto the flat I haven't notice a problem on the round but my pens are all matt if you do really shiny then Phil's suggestion of after final sanding before final polish is sound mainly because lasers and reflections don't go together.
 
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Pierre

Graduate Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Posts
996
Location
Southern Central France
First Name
Pierre
Named pen clip for Slims and Streamline pens available from Timberbits other names can be ordered check with Timberbits. Incidentally the pic is difficult with reflections the clips are flawless. It is Sunday here but send an E Mail tomorrow To David.

Peter.


That's not much good to him the company isn't called 'Australia' :winking::winking::winking::bwink:
 

Les ELm

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Oct 19, 2014
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5,493
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Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
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Les
I use Testors Waterslide Decal paper for names, logos, etc.

Les
 

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Pierre

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996
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Southern Central France
First Name
Pierre
Well you sort of can ie if you put it on google, it comes up with an amazon UK response but when you read the comments they are all USA based and moreover it can't be shipped to France so it leads me to believe that it is US based product.

The other thing is, if you have made a nice pen, do you want a plastic/paper decal stuck on it?

Yes I can see that Les' pens look good without a join but I suspect he spends more time on them blending the edges than the output warrants.

PG
 

Les ELm

Executive Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2014
Posts
5,493
Location
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
First Name
Les
Well you sort of can ie if you put it on google, it comes up with an amazon UK response but when you read the comments they are all USA based and moreover it can't be shipped to France so it leads me to believe that it is US based product.

The other thing is, if you have made a nice pen, do you want a plastic/paper decal stuck on it?

Yes I can see that Les' pens look good without a join but I suspect he spends more time on them blending the edges than the output warrants.

PG

PG,
With using Testors Clear Waterslide Decal Paper the seams and or edges are invisible so there is no need to spend any amount trying to hide them like there is with labels.

Les
 

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