Which Pen Suppliers do you Purchase Pen Kits from? (Revised 10-9-2024)

[McKenzie Penworks]

Wayne... LaserLinez no longer sells pen kits. We purchased their designs and they're being brought back at McKenzie Penworks. (McKenziePenworks.com)

 

[Wayne]

Wayne... LaserLinez no longer sells pen kits. We purchased their designs and they're being brought back at McKenzie Penworks. (McKenziePenworks.com)

Yes,

I know this. The poll was developed to show where members have bought kits in the past or currently.

I'll mention that in poll, somehow.

Thanks,

 

[Wayne]

Added:

• Case Woodworking Supply (USA)
• Drechselshop-Kramer (Austria)
• Woodpecker (Discontinued)
• Smitty's Kits now at Exotic Blanks (USA)

 

[Wavelover757]

Current Suppliers Chart Here.

NOTICE: IF YOU ADD OR CHANGE A VOTE YOU MUST RE-ENTER ALL PREVIOUS VOTES!

Many members ask the simple question, Which Pen Suppliers do you Purchase from?

Added points 5-7-2022

Here are some things you should consider, when choosing a kit supplier.

• Where are your friends and IAP members getting their kits?​

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• Does the supplier have a web site?​

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• Is the web site well organized, user friendly.​

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• How easy is it to locate items and accessories?​

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• Do they sell through Amazon, Facebook, Etsy or Ebay?​

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• Are the kits, bushings, and replacement tubes in stock?​

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• How promptly will you receive your order?​

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• How Can you contact the supplier, Phone, Email, text, web form email or web chat?​

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• How prompt are they in responding to your questions?​

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• Missing parts or kits, how will the supplier correct this?​

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• What particular style of pen kit are you looking for?​

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• Who has the kit style/plating that you want?​

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• Suppliers often sell the identical kits as others but rename them and identify parts with different numbers.​

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• Be careful mixing similar/different named kits from more than one supplier as parts may be different.​

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• It''s best to buy the kit, with bushings and extra tubes from one supplier.​

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• Some manufactured kits have had quality issues, most do not.​

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• Some suppliers have few offerings of kits.​

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• Some suppliers have large offerings of kits.​

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• Some suppliers only offer the lower priced kits.​

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• Other suppliers only offer the higher priced kits.​

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• Many suppliers offer kits from both low to high priced kits.​

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• Pricing for kits does not suggest quality.​

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• Pricing does often increase based on the intricacy of a kit.​

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• Many suppliers sell other suppliers/manufacturers kits priced differently.​

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• Some suppliers offer different plating's.​

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• Are the instructions included with the kit, downloaded from the supplier's site or do you have to request them.​

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• Many of the suppliers also offer blanks, artisan, wood and cast, which is beneficial.​

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• Remember, there are suppliers that specialize in blanks only.​

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• Some suppliers include extra goodies with your order.​

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• Where in the world do you live, US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, etc.?​

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• Can you drive to the supplier? Big benefit!​

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• Shipping, taxes, etc. are other items that you need to be concerned with.​

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• Most pen kits are manufactured in China, Taiwan, UK, also USA, among other locations.​

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• Does someone know something that you don't?​

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• Some suppliers buy directly from a manufacturer and often require large orders of a single kit/plating.​

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• Often suppliers get their kits from other suppliers because of minimum ordering requirements/quantities that they don't meet.​

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• Not all kits with the same name are identical in quality/dimensions.​

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• Purchase your kit with the bushings and extra tubes from one supplier.​

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• Mixing parts from different suppliers, even if the kit has the same name, does not guarantee compatibility.​

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• Ask around for opinions and the satisfaction of dealing with suppliers.​

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• Find a supplier that meets your needs and stick with them if possible.​

I once met a gentleman that was in the states from France at a pen suppliers store.
He buys a suitcase full of kits and accessories and takes it back as luggage. Claims he saves a large amount of money doing this.

So, what have I missed here?

Above is a Poll initially created from the data of the Chart in the library.

The chart below is continually updated to include World Wide Suppliers from this poll.

It also has live links to all of the suppliers.

Current Suppliers Chart Here.

I am sure there are many others.
Please add those missing from the chart/poll, that you may use in your post below.

Take a look and vote in the kits members prefer to turn Poll. ->

Here

Hi Wayne. Newbie here and have only turned a few pens. I checked off the ones that I've used so far and am astonished that there are so many others.
I was looking for Chestnut, one of my favorite woods from childhood. Most are reclaimed due to a disease that wiped out the species in 1905 (I'm not that old). Cook Woods came through with some nice blanks for me. Haven't turned them yet and they seem a bit porous. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Wayne]

Added:

• Woodturning Tech (Germany)

 

[Wayne]

Added:

• Traedrejerbutikken (Denmark)

 

[Wayne]

Added:

• Auslet (Australia)

 

[Wayne]

Added:

• Joe McKenna's (Ireland)
• Planet Plus (UK)

 

[Wayne]

Added:

• Bear Hollow Supply (USA)
• Dictum (Germany)
• PTownSubbie (USA)
• Why-Aye Wood (Scotland)
• Woodchux Woodturning (USA)

 

[SabertoothBunny]

I noticed Drop Anchor Creations is not on this list, nor it Bullseye Turning Supplly. Can they be added? They are 2 I have used.

 

[Wayne]

Removed:
Some suppliers by striking them out.

Added:
Drop Anchor Creations (USA)
Pen-Kits Co UK (UK)
Wooden Quill (USA)
Woodturning Tech (Germany)