New Scrollers

[Rockytime]

Just curious. I count 14 new scrollers so far in November. At the same time there are so many more new pen turners. I am wondering why. Turning is infinitely more costly than scrolling. I think one attraction to pen turning is the shiny, and colorful pens displayed on the internet and catalogs. In addition it seems so easy to do. I admit that is what got me into turning. While I enjoy it, I also really enjoy scrolling.

[tonylumps]

I just started turning pens.Really enjoy it But still use my saw a lot .I have a show coming up next week.Signed up for the show to make some room in the house Running out of table space But i am curious to see how well the pens sell at the show.I have been turning about 2 Months and and about 90  pens later.It really surprised me how many pens I sold just by word of mouth.It must be the Holiday for pens and fast Gifts.

[Dan]

I do both also. Pens are quick and easy. You can take a $10 pen kit and a nice piece of wood and an hour or two later have a pen you could sell. It's attractive and functional for almost everyone. Not all scroll saw pieces are functional,a lot are decorative pieces at art. As for selling, both will sell at the right venue but I seem to be able to get more $$ per hour for the pens. I do make and sell a ton of bookmarks. The cost is low with very little time invested and my price is affordable. These are also functional. Maybe that is what attract certain buyers.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I will ditto exactly what Dan just said. 

[Lucky2]

Les, your wondering why? Maybe it's because some people like to have more than one hobby. Or,  maybe it's because some people get tired of  scrolling, who knows? Not only who knows, but, what difference does it make? I enjoy doing both, I own two scroll saws and three lathes. I like going from one piece of equipment to the other, and it's nice to be able too. A lathe can be every bit relaxing, as a scroll saw can. Actually, I'll go to the lathe when I'm in the middle of a difficult cutting on the lathe. Doing so, changes your train of thought, and it helps with the frustration from the difficult cutting. The downside to turning is like you mentioned, it's quite expensive to get into. I enjoy doing both hobbies, and I know a lot of others who do also. For me, I like to have choices, and owning both machines gives me choices. Olus, I can make more money off of my lathe work, then I can scroll work. The thing I find with scroll work, is that it is a seasonal thing. Christmas is the best time of the year to sell, I find the rest of the year is slow for selling scroll work. I can sell turning items most any time of the year, people are always looking for turned items to use as gifts, more so then scroll work. Mostly though, I think people get into turning, because of what they see other people make. That was my reason for getting into both hobbies, and now I'd hate to be not able to do either. 

Len

[amazingkevin]

Just curious. I count 14 new scrollers so far in November. At the same time there are so many more new pen turners. I am wondering why. Turning is infinitely more costly than scrolling. I think one attraction to pen turning is the shiny, and colorful pens displayed on the internet and catalogs. In addition it seems so easy to do. I admit that is what got me into turning. While I enjoy it, I also really enjoy scrolling.

i'm looking foe a lathe

 

I just started turning pens.Really enjoy it But still use my saw a lot .I have a show coming up next week.Signed up for the show to make some room in the house Running out of table space But i am curious to see how well the pens sell at the show.I have been turning about 2 Months and and about 90  pens later.It really surprised me how many pens I sold just by word of mouth.It must be the Holiday for pens and fast Gifts.

 

that would be my problem to to many pens an pencil sets

I do both also. Pens are quick and easy. You can take a $10 pen kit and a nice piece of wood and an hour or two later have a pen you could sell. It's attractive and functional for almost everyone. Not all scroll saw pieces are functional,a lot are decorative pieces at art. As for selling, both will sell at the right venue but I seem to be able to get more $$ per hour for the pens. I do make and sell a ton of bookmarks. The cost is low with very little time invested and my price is affordable. These are also functional. Maybe that is what attract certain buyers.

 

i liked your book marks.Seems like scrolling and intarsia pay the same per hour,Pens might be quicker and easyier/

I will ditto exactly what Dan just said. 

 

 

Les, your wondering why? Maybe it's because some people like to have more than one hobby. Or,  maybe it's because some people get tired of  scrolling, who knows? Not only who knows, but, what difference does it make? I enjoy doing both, I own two scroll saws and three lathes. I like going from one piece of equipment to the other, and it's nice to be able too. A lathe can be every bit relaxing, as a scroll saw can. Actually, I'll go to the lathe when I'm in the middle of a difficult cutting on the lathe. Doing so, changes your train of thought, and it helps with the frustration from the difficult cutting. The downside to turning is like you mentioned, it's quite expensive to get into. I enjoy doing both hobbies, and I know a lot of others who do also. For me, I like to have choices, and owning both machines gives me choices. Olus, I can make more money off of my lathe work, then I can scroll work. The thing I find with scroll work, is that it is a seasonal thing. Christmas is the best time of the year to sell, I find the rest of the year is slow for selling scroll work. I can sell turning items most any time of the year, people are always looking for turned items to use as gifts, more so then scroll work. Mostly though, I think people get into turning, because of what they see other people make. That was my reason for getting into both hobbies, and now I'd hate to be not able to do either. 

Len

[Sparkey]

I also enjoy both. I just picked up a matching pen and pencil set, a seam ripper for my wife and a bolt action rifle pen. Now I just need to get busy and do some turning.

[Phantom Scroller]

Turning and scrolling can be combined so it's a nice skill to have with this time of year turned snowmen & father Christmas's etc. Roly

[tonylumps]

I also combine both. I did a Patriot and a Bolt Action Pen and combined a display stand with there initials and a Breast Cancer Awareness pen with a Scrolled Caduceus stand for a Nurse at a Cancer research center.So this combination does work out.

Edited December 2, 2016 by tonylumps

[hawkeye10]

I have been thinking about turning but I haven't learned to follow a straight line scrolling.   But I am getting better. I also make other things like cutting boards and a rack for ladies to put their necklaces and bracelet's on. The ladies seem to really like it. I give all this stuff away and have fun doing it.

[Jim Finn]

Pens are functional but I see folks trying to sell them with little sucess.  I make few " strictly decrotive" scroll saw items because they do not sell as well as functional items do.  Many things can be made with a scroll saw that are functional.  I do a lot of inlay with my scroll saws on hinged box lids and they sell well.  Wall hung items not so much.  I have a lathe but seldom use it.  I only use it in making fireplace bellows with images or lettering inlayed into the front using my scroll saw.  I turn the handle and nozzle ends of these bellows.  Not much of a market for them but are fun to make.  Quite challanging too.

 

 

[tonylumps]

Pens are functional but I see folks trying to sell them with little sucess.  I make few " strictly decrotive" scroll saw items because they do not sell as well as functional items do.  Many things can be made with a scroll saw that are functional.  I do a lot of inlay with my scroll saws on hinged box lids and they sell well.  Wall hung items not so much.  I have a lathe but seldom use it.  I only use it in making fireplace bellows with images or lettering inlayed into the front using my scroll saw.  I turn the handle and nozzle ends of these bellows.  Not much of a market for them but are fun to make.  Quite challanging too.

 

Bellows fish.jpgBellows T A&M.jpgMason.jpg

I sold 30 pens. No show and just word of mouth.These 30 Pens paid for the others I made.I have a christmas Craft  show coming up and I am curious to see what sells Pens or Scroll work

[Rolf]

Jim you are the master at inlay!! Regarding the scrolling vs turning pens and return for the investment.

My saw cost me $1200 It almost paid for itself the first Christmas fair selling ornaments. I cut and finish six in about an hour, the most detailed sell for $12 ea =$72 -$5 for material and packaging=$67 - blades $.037per stack 

That gives me ~$67 per hr. 

Since 2005 the saw has paid for all of new tools in my shop including a new lathe and accessories. 

I love turning and my Nova DVR xp 1624 but it will be a long time before it will pay for itself and all of the stuff that goes with it, like the sharpening setup, 3 chucks etc.

 

But in the end the important part is the JOY of creating and getting to play with all of the toys and the camaraderie it provide in our local club and in forums like this.

I never expected my hobby to be self supporting, but yet it is.

[tonylumps]

Jim you are the master at inlay!! Regarding the scrolling vs turning pens and return for the investment.

My saw cost me $1200 It almost paid for itself the first Christmas fair selling ornaments. I cut and finish six in about an hour, the most detailed sell for $12 ea =$72 -$5 for material and packaging=$67 - blades $.037per stack 

That gives me ~$67 per hr. 

Since 2005 the saw has paid for all of new tools in my shop including a new lathe and accessories. 

I love turning and my Nova DVR xp 1624 but it will be a long time before it will pay for itself and all of the stuff that goes with it, like the sharpening setup, 3 chucks etc.

 

But in the end the important part is the JOY of creating and getting to play with all of the toys and the camaraderie it provide in our local club and in forums like this.

I never expected my hobby to be self supporting, but yet it is.

Rolf you are doing good. There is somebody on Etsie selling animal puzzles for 8.00 a piece.I enjoy the scroll saw I use nothing but hardwood But if I sold everything I made on the saw it would not pay for the lumber.I am hoping to sell some of it at the show to make room at my house

[MTCowpoke22]

I do a little of both. I enjoy scrolling more than turning, but I haven't been turning long. I haven't done any pens, but have turned some rustic vases and a lot of bottle openers and stoppers. The nice thing about turning is you get a finished project in a fairly short period of time. So far, I've had one show and the vases were my most popular item. I've been trying to sell scroll saw projects over the years, mostly through word of mouth and local donations/displays, with very little success. Seems like a lot people like to look at scroll saw art, but aren't really willing to pay for it. Maybe it's because it's not really functional, but I think it's also because there are so very many things you can put on your walls. A scroll saw picture, no matter how detailed, intricate, and pleasing it may be, either doesn't fit with the décor, or would take the place of pictures that have personal meaning.

[Clayton717]

I do both. I've used my scroll saw to cut designs into a couple of my pens.

[SCROLLSAW703]

I scroll & turn both, & find that it's all in what the customer is lookin' for. A lot of my scroll work is pretty intricate, & Native American pieces, inlays, dream catchers, etc. I've been turning about  a 1 1/2 years, & most of what i turn is functional. Or something i need in the shop. 

[Frank Pellow]

I'm doing this as a hobby, so the economics of what sells don't matter to me. 

 

I have worked with lathes and scroll saws ever since High School (too many years ago).  Upon retirement, when I could, at last, afford the space and expense of a big woodworking shed and many tools I decided to pick either a lathe or scroll saw to start not both and to see how things went.  I chose the scroll saw because I thought that there was a greater variety of both useful and decorative items that I could make on the scroll saw.

 

I did and do have access to lathes owned by friends so could and do occasional work on them. If I wanted to I could buy a lathe having both the space and funds. But, I think that it would mostly sit idle.

[Rockytime]

Lots of interesting replies. Thanks.

[wombatie]

I started off by learning to do turning but then I was introduced to a scroll saw and have never picked up a chisel since.  Guess I should have kept it up but I felt that I had found my true talent.

 

Marg