Thread: Exoticblanks group buy

Thanks Russell! There are some beaut purple blanks on there so getting the stamp of approval from SWMBO should be easy!

When the info says that they will fit a Sierra... is a Sierra a Sierra a Sierra? I use Berea Sierra kits, are they the same dimensions and use the same bushings as everyone else's Sierra?

Thanks Russell, and anyone else who can answer.

Nathan.

Originally Posted by I_wanna_Shed

When the info says that they will fit a Sierra... is a Sierra a Sierra a Sierra? I use Berea Sierra kits, are they the same dimensions and use the same bushings as everyone else's Sierra?

Heh, I know what you mean, and I used to know the answer once, but, not so sure now. I think Dayacom & Berea are the same size, but the Elegant beauties are different between them. Don't ask me about the Sierra Vista, Elegant Sierra or any of the other 500 variations of a Sierra though.

I'm sure Dawn will be happy to answer any questions we have though.

Russell.

Originally Posted by Rum Pig

Nearly every thing I think I could have some of that is out of stock

Must look harder

I wouldn't let that worry you too much just now. I hope this buy will be a little less frantic than my usual process, so there's time to look and just because it's listed as out of stock now, doesn't mean they won't be able to provide it by the time we're ready. I think we all need time for another pay packet to arrive as well

So just make your total wish list, and then we can prune it down closer to order date.

Russell.

Well, since we're on the second page of this thread already, and no one has said anything concrete, it's obviously going to be a long, rambling discourse.

So I've decided, go for it, and when it comes to final order time, I'll start a new thread.

So post away any & all thoughts. For example, I'm keen on some of those completely unaffordable but unique blanks. I'd kill for the Andrea Doria blank, but I'm not sure a second mortgage is worth it.

More practically, I'm interested in some of the figured Ancient Kauri blanks. Probably 5 is about my limit though, so anyone want to go halves in a 10-pack?

Russell.

surely ancient kauri is available from over NZ way - they should be nice to us as we let them beat us in the rugger recently. Seriously, seems strange to me to import something from the US when it is originally on our doorstep. (but then SN2 chucks are $135 in the states at the moment and about $200 here, )

TL
what is happening. you seem to be hanging around the pen turning area a lot recently. I recall you suggesting we were all a tad strange or is a christmas pressie thing

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

surely ancient kauri is available from over NZ way - they should be nice to us as we let them beat us in the rugger recently. Seriously, seems strange to me to import something from the US when it is originally on our doorstep.

You'd think so, wouldn't you? Are you volunteering to find a supplier closer to home for us?

I've found several cases where the cheapest (delivered, in your hand average unit price) supplier is not necessarily the one you'd think, due to factors such as

1. Postage (which varies widely and wildly every place in the world)
2. Minimum order sizes (you want it cheap? Sure, you just have to order 5000 units)
3. Currency conversion (1 unit of Smurfland coinage = AUS$50,000)
4. Taxes (GST = 45% thanks)
5. Reseller markup and other random factors

Happy to get them elsewhere, after all the BOW was a great buy straight from Israel. I just haven't seen it elsewhere as yet.

Russell

I'm never going to save money at this rate
(just had a decent look at the blanks available arrrggggjhhh!)

Is anyone considering their private reserve inks? either in the cartridges or bottles, or are we able to get them or equivalent or better quality inks here in Australia?

I'm interested in some of the dipping pens, and should probably consider some inks, but does anyone more knowledgeable than myself know how does the price and quality compare?

-Gavin

Originally Posted by scorpio_oz

Is anyone considering their private reserve inks? either in the cartridges or bottles, or are we able to get them or equivalent or better quality inks here in Australia?

I'm interested in some of the dipping pens, and should probably consider some inks, but does anyone more knowledgeable than myself know how does the price and quality compare?

-Gavin

Trying to be as objective here as I can. When I looked at adding inks to my web site sales, after much research, I decided Private Reserve and Noodlers were the best quality, variety and value available. The "pro" FP users can not agree on which is the best, with many sticking with traditional watermans, parker etc, but they are usually more expensive and only available in a small range of colours. Private Reserve has 31 colours, and Noodlers over 60.

In the end, Private Reserver don't have an Aus distributor, so you had to buy direct from the US, and they had a large minimum order size, so I passed for now. Noodlers have a local distributor, so I started stocking those. Problem is, Noodlers don't supply cartridges, only bottles. Noodlers have the most secure ink with their bulletproof line of inks as well. PR have some fast-dry inks. I'm not sure if there's a price premium for those, or if they affect your pen in any adverse way. Sailors is another brand the US guys like, but I have not seen much info about them.

Now, a 100ml bottle of Noodlers costs roughly $20. A 1ml (rough approximation) cartridge costs about 40c (low estimate, can be 20c for no name, up to $1 for brand name). So a bottle of ink will yield the same as 100 cartridges, but only costs 50x as much, so effectively bottles ink is half the price of cartridges. Plus, it's more environmentally friend as you're not using up all that plastic.

Having said that, new people to fountain pens prefer carts, for whatever reason, and so having them on hand is useful.

Hence, the end result, as I've said in another thread, is that I will be getting some of the packs of PR carts, as I can get some at a decent price from this, without having to meet the large order requirements from PR themselves. Happy to split packs I get and divvy them out to people on an individual basis, but I can't afford to get all 31 colours.

That the answer you wanted?

Russell.

Reagrding the Kauri blanks, if you can figure out this site Pen Blanks, it's a NZ source, but I'm having a hard time comparing apples & apples.

I think they have 12 blanks for about $32+pp, which would be a bit cheaper, but when you consider the hassle of a separate order, and averaging postage, I'm not sure how it ends up.

Russell.

Thanks for that,

The bottle inks shown I'm figuring are 50ml bottles, and allowing conversion and freight, maybe around $10.00AUD a bottle so a similar price as noodlers.

Probably worth considering the cartridges and maybe a couple of bottles of different colours, depending on the price.

-Gavin

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

surely ancient kauri is available from over NZ way - they should be nice to us as we let them beat us in the rugger recently. Seriously, seems strange to me to import something from the US when it is originally on our doorstep. (but then SN2 chucks are $135 in the states at the moment and about $200 here, ) They had ancient Kauri at the WWS last year and some people did get some. I scored a few off cuts from Rsssr. Haven't don't anything with 'em yet. Didn't they have a whole lot left over? Where is it now?

TL
what is happening. you seem to be hanging around the pen turning area a lot recently. I recall you suggesting we were all a tad strange or is a christmas pressie thing

Well, I've got this weird project that involves making beads about 25mm diam, out of something or other to put a magnetic clasp in for knitted fishing line necklaces. Was thinking Alternate ivory, or Coral wood or cast backsia. Getting closer to solving the design probs. The rest of my projects get in the way. And then there is real life.

Originally Posted by scorpio_oz

Thanks for that,

The bottle inks shown I'm figuring are 50ml bottles, and allowing conversion and freight, maybe around $10.00AUD a bottle so a similar price as noodlers.

Probably worth considering the cartridges and maybe a couple of bottles of different colours, depending on the price.

-Gavin

Just be careful with bottles. The hidden gotcha is freight. They weigh a fair bit comparatively, so their freight cost can be disproportionate to other things. E.g. where you may fit 20 blanks, you may only fit 5 bottles (example only) so freight is 4x as much on the bottles, on average, than it is on blanks.

Does that make sense?

Russell.

Russell,
Thanks for the group buy.
2 pack(10 kits) of calligraphy pen kits please.

Regards
Terry