Woodcraft now sells worthless wood blanks

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cnccutter said:
I guess its an option, but I'll support the IAP members first who make them.

Erik
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I agree, I would love to know who is making and selling these to woodcraft? I was just at the woodcraft in fort worth and they didnt have a clue where they come from. So I proceeded to brag about the blanks that Curtis makes and i think they thought no one was capable of doing this. Whatever, I thought.:rolleyes: those guys(woodcraft) always think there S@%t dont stink.:tongue:
 
Don't be surprised to see more stuff that was shown here first start showing up on the shelves of the retailers . Like it or not , there are people watching these forums for innovations that they can knock off .
 
I'll stick with Turn-Tex blanks. I did buy some from another source once (Not an IAP regular) and I'll never make that mistake again.

(Disclaimer: I have received nothing of value or had any promises made to me in return for my endorsement of www.turntex.com. I just happen to really like the products!!!:biggrin:)
 
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I was in Woodcraft the other day to pick up some pen tubes and saw these. Now, I've never seen one of our fine IAP blanks (worthless wood, burls and swirls, etc.), so I have nothing to compare it to, but Woodcraft's blanks don't look like very good quality at all. They even had one in their pen case, and it really didn't look very good.

I've decided that I will never buy any blanks (coffee, WW, pasta, etc.) from retail sources. I can find better quality, and lower priced ones right here on IAP.
 
mbroberg said:
I'll stick with Turn-Tex blanks. I did buy some from another source once (Not an IAP regular) and I'll never make that mistake again.

(Disclaimer: I have received nothing of value or had any promises made to me in return for my endorsement of www.turntex.com. I just happen to really like the products!!!:biggrin:)
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Mike, Curtis told me that he sent yo some free Cactus balnk. If you endorse him.:tongue::tongue::biggrin::biggrin: not his blanks. :rolleyes::biggrin::biggrin:

He does make nice stuff. Although he never returns a PM:frown:, but still does a nice job. :good:
 
They are being made by some folks in Florida, I believe. They actually called me for advice on using Alumilite, not even aware that I was the one that came up with the idea. They were telling me all about this process that were doing with wood and resin. I asked them where they "came up with" this process and they said from a tutorial on the internet!! I then told them I was the one who wrote the tutorial and came up with the idea. The fellow kinda got caught with his foot in his mouth for a minute!

I still helped him but they decided to use something other than alumilite i believe. From the ones I saw a Woodcraft, they are using PR or something similar. The ones I saw were pathetic at best and way overpriced. They were selling theirs for more than I sell my very best ones that take tons of labor cleaning out all the rocks and dirt and ruining bandsaw blades by hitting the rocks.

All they did was like a most of the copies here on IAP and that is to take a piece of burl cut off and throw it in resin. There is very little work involved in making these. $19.99 for a blank that takes very little labor and can be cranked out is ludicrous.
 
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Texatdurango said:
hunter-27 said:
I also will throw out a shout for products from one more of our own ElMostro . I've never had a disappointment from him.
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What makes you think these blanks aren't made by Eugene? They sure look like his style!

Anyone can contact a retail chain such as Woodcraft and work a deal to sell items to them wholesale.
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They are not made by Eugene, at least the ones that I saw in person were not. The ones I saw were not made with Alumilite and Eugene only uses Alumilite (I know, I taught him!)
 
Texatdurango said:
hunter-27 said:
I also will throw out a shout for products from one more of our own ElMostro . I've never had a disappointment from him.
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What makes you think these blanks aren't made by Eugene? They sure look like his style!

Anyone can contact a retail chain such as Woodcraft and work a deal to sell items to them wholesale.
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I never said or implied he was making them or not. I only said I used his blanks and loved them and would continue to buy from him not Woodcraft.
 
As far as the WW blanks from Woodcraft, they are being sold to Woodcraft by someone called Amazon Exotics. I got the pleasure of turning a couple of these for the local Woodcraft to go into display for them. The two I did were alumilite, or something very similar to alumilite.
Both Steve and I agreed that these particular blanks were less than stellar.
However, comparing them to Eugenes blanks, they are done in a extremely similar manner, and if it was not for the large amount of air bubbles near the wood/acrylic joint, we might have thought they were Eugenes.

As far as the people who work at Woodcrafts around the country, not all of them are "high and mighty" and not all of them think their ""stuff" doesn't stink"
The people at the West Springfield store are extremely friendly and helpful, without being obnoxious. However, that being said, the other two "local" Woodcrafts are typically staffed with people like that.
 
ldb2000 said:
Don't be surprised to see more stuff that was shown here first start showing up on the shelves of the retailers . Like it or not , there are people watching these forums for innovations that they can knock off .
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Knock off usually implies that the product is the same(or better), and usually at a much cheaper price.

Guess they failed the whole 'knock off' thing?!?!?



I'll continue to support the members that know how to make them right...right here!!


Scott (spies are everywhere) B
 
SDB777 said:
Knock off usually implies that the product is the same(or better), and usually at a much cheaper price.
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Not sure I agree with that! Look at a HF knock off of any major tool and see if you agree that they are "the same or better"!
 
"Knock off" = "Cheap imitation". Knock off is a term routinely applied to counterfeit goods such as Rolex Watches and Coach bags.
 
ldb2000 said:
Don't be surprised to see more stuff that was shown here first start showing up on the shelves of the retailers . Like it or not , there are people watching these forums for innovations that they can knock off .
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Boy don't I know this. You can bet your BUT they are watching this thread closely fishing for ideas.

Oh and I hear they mite be made here in Florida. Trust me It's not me and as other have pointed out you are better off buying here. We in this community tend to know each other trust each other and quality is there or you wouldn't last long. I know my bar is set high I look at my work as me an artist selling to other artist.

The big guys aren't as quality minded then someone who sells to there friends.

.
 
Years ago I worked as a sales rep for a "knock off house"....made cheap copies of better dresses. So my defination is cheap copies.....
 
JerrySambrook said:
As far as the WW blanks from Woodcraft, they are being sold to Woodcraft by someone called Amazon Exotics. I got the pleasure of turning a couple of these for the local Woodcraft to go into display for them. The two I did were alumilite, or something very similar to alumilite.
Both Steve and I agreed that these particular blanks were less than stellar.
However, comparing them to Eugenes blanks, they are done in a extremely similar manner, and if it was not for the large amount of air bubbles near the wood/acrylic joint, we might have thought they were Eugenes.
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Yea, I saw one of those pens, knowing what the blanks look like in person originally, the pen looked about as I would have expected. Having made pens from Eugene's blanks, and knowing Jerry's abilities to be well above my own, I would say the blank gave Jerry a significant handicap... Plus it was PINK!!???!!?:confused:
 
Then why do so many IAP members trash the HF knock offs? I've never thought that knock offs were better quality but may be cheaper. I do like a couple of my HF tools but would not purchase them for use day in and day out.

I've seen the blanks Woodcraft sells and they are not even close to the quality of the ones Curtis makes...or the ones Eugene makes. They look really cheap and not well made.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

SDB777 said:
Knock off usually implies that the product is the same(or better), and usually at a much cheaper price.
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People will come here to our home and try and mine ideas weather we like it or not.

we as member/sellers will always come out ahead because we have the ability to think for our selves and shift quickly as needed.

the only way mass merchandising works is just that MASS production of a very limited scope with sometimes sketchy quality. Without an exception the people that sell here on IAP have great products and go out of our way to help give our friends get what they want.

next time you buy from the mass merchandiser and have a problem... try calling them and see how they help out.

Erik
 
With a $20 blank price how long do you think they"ll be able to sell them. Even if they were cheaper you can't beat IAP members service.
 
I think some of you forget that Woodcraft has to sell them. It looks like the people that made these knock offs have already sold them to Woodcraft. I doubt if they have much of an in stock inventory. So unless they think they are going to set the world on fire they probably won't make too many in advance.
 
Deja vu.... I remember when I was into case modding, and all computers were beige. You spent the time and effort to get a mirror finish on your case, and had something truly unique. Then cases came with factory paint jobs, then lights, then all of the bells and whistles it used to take time, knowledge and skill to have in your computer... It ruined the hobby, uless you decided to go to the incredible extreme. And I'll admit- I never had the interest, the time, or the imagination to create something uber unique.

I kinda feel that the same thing is happening now. I've learned a lot, and have expended my skill set to make better and more unique pens. Personally, I try to make ass much as I can myself. So for instance, I've made a few worthless wood blanks and have more in the works. I think it does take time and still to make a really great blank, and it's frustrating when any yo yo can walk into a WC or Rockler and get something similar. And to the casual consumer, it's the same.

I still don't agree that once you do something, no one else can do that- or something similar (I myself make my own worthless wood blanks, though I'll admit they're not on par with Tex's blanks). But I understand the frustration. When things like this get mass produced, regardless of the comparative quality, it makes the original item/ technique seem more common and less valuable. A bummer, really.
 
Before I started making my own hybrid blanks, I bought some blanks on ebay that just have to be made by the same people making the "Fiji" blanks for Woodcraft. I made some decent pens with them, but I think by taking time and working at the craft of casting, I can turn out a better product on my own. I say, let em' have at it, and if they steal ideas from us, so be it.

"There are two things you can give away and never deplete your supply, ...love and knowledge."
 
ldb2000 said:
These are the people who are selling them http://www.amazonexotichardwoods.com/index.html
Their prices in general seem a bit high to me on some of their products and cheap on some things . They are in Casselberry Florida , I've never heard of the owner , James E Lie .
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I believe that this man has the correct last name if he can not think for himself and steals ideas from others.

The IAP is like a large family not everybody is as honest as we would like, there are always the cheats, liars, and thieves in every family. On a side note how many times has a person on this website came out with a unique idea, which takes alot of time, energy and effort to do. start a ripple affect across the entire sight.

For example I know that I was most likely the first (or first in a long time) to use grapevine on this sight not long after many began to use it as another wood source, no harm no foul. There is also the PC craze thanks to toni (and others), the WW blanks, bullet pens, 360 herringbone, Etc. The list goes on sometimes it is a good/great idea and the big companies will jump on the idea fast. The best thing is to always be improving your skills and staying ahead of them which will not be hard if you are creating NEW ideas.
 
MesquiteMan said:
Laurenr said:
I say, let em' have at it, and if they steal ideas from us, so be it.
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Easy for you to say when you do not make part of your living from the ideas that are stolen!
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I agree with your concept and mentality, I have been on both sides of the "fence" I know how it feels, HOWEVER..., I believe if someone with a good inventive and out of the box brain, is able to create something unique/different/never made before, there is no better/stronger and more challenging "incentive" to raise the bar a step higher than, being copied by others...!:wink:

Like it or not, "stagnation" (look that one up...! :biggrin:) is quite a common problem and negative factor to those with a good creative brain and ability, unless challenged...! A bit tiring I admit but worth it in the end...!:wink:

Cheers
George
 
"Raising the bar" is fine if you are doing it to keep improving your product but not when someone makes a cheap "Knock off" of your product and a customer buys it and is disappointed in the quality , (people usually look for the cheapest price without always thinking about quality) then they will be less likely to buy your higher priced , quality product (I bought the $15 one and it stunk so why am I going to take a chance on a $30 "look a like" even when the "Look a like" is the Original high quality product) . "Knock offs" damage the reputation of the product , not just the maker , there are enough other products out there that potential customers might not give a certain product from a higher priced , quality vendor a second chance , they will just go buy something else .
 
ldb2000 said:
"Raising the bar" is fine if you are doing it to keep improving your product but not when someone makes a cheap "Knock off" of your product and a customer buys it and is disappointed in the quality , (people usually look for the cheapest price without always thinking about quality) then they will be less likely to buy your higher priced , quality product (I bought the $15 one and it stunk so why am I going to take a chance on a $30 "look a like" even when the "Look a like" is the Original high quality product) . "Knock offs" damage the reputation of the product , not just the maker , there are enough other products out there that potential customers might not give a certain product from a higher priced , quality vendor a second chance , they will just go buy something else .
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Yes, I agree with you Butch, and is the old saying "damn you if do, damn if you don't"...! is not an easier answer nor is the solution.

Normally, if the imitations are pretty bad (not so much in the looks but in everything else), people will try to save money and buy the cheap one, off-course, this will result in most cases of a sales reduction of the authentic product but, when someone feels that they have been ripped-off with the imitation, even tough a lot cheaper, people will then forget the price issue and will return to the original product, hoping that they haven't have had the "experience".

Makes it a lot more difficult to deal with, if the imitations are quite good, in all aspects then people will consider more their pockets than the origin, this as much as can be frustrating, is the reality...!

I wish that I could give you a better answer but, this is what did come out...!:biggrin:

Cheers
George
 
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Could someone please change the title of this topic to anything other then the words, "Worthless Wood".....??
I don't think the "FIJI" blanks need to have a well known title.



Side note:
Luckily I haven't had the brain power to make anything truly outstanding that needs to be copied by someone. But if it ever happens, I'd probably be 'ticked off' for not putting a copyright(or whatever) to protect the name that had taken so long to become well known.


Scott (my brains too small) B
 
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needing to be carfull in what i say i will say, i coun't be more dissaponted in these blanks, price to high and quality low. the buyer at woodcraft can't be a penmaker.
 
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