Spoon Bits

BDP · Post by **BDP** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:23 pm

Guys,

I'm getting alot of mail asking how to make payment. I believe that shows a mindset that the price is already determined....and that is not the case. I am in the process of getting committed numbers, and threw out $250 as ballpark to eliminate the dreamers and indecisive. Once the poll is finished I will look into prices on individual pieces for those interested in the larger sizes and see if I can leverage costs on the sets by including the larger bits in the overall process and material purchase. Please DO NOT lock $250 into your brain as the final price...I said "Ballpark". Alot depends on quantity...Todd is correct in saying that one of these could cost $250- my original estimate was $185 apiece. I am doing my best to make these reasonably priced without losing my shirt, so please keep this all in mind..

Brad

Brad

staffwalker · Post by **staffwalker** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:02 am

OK, I will make a firm commitment for a set.

bob gilbert

StephenDownie · Post by **StephenDownie** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:18 pm

I'm in too.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:30 pm

Hey Brad,

This is an incredible service that you're offering to this group. Count me in for a set for sure. BTW, I'm glad that $250 was an "estimate" because at that price you are giving them away. Do your calculations and give me a shout when you need the cash.

Jeff

JSPipes · Post by **JSPipes** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 10:37 pm

Out of curiosity, since I can't find the specifics listed, in the set, what will the bit sizes be?

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 10:59 pm

11/16, 3/4, and 13/16 (at least as it look so far)

brooklynpipes · Post by **brooklynpipes** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:38 am

count me in please for the oiginal set of three with a 1/2 half inch shank if i want to use it in the drill chuck......thanks

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:17 am

I see that people are committing without knowing the final price.
Would it still pe possible to get in once the price has been established?

BDP · Post by **BDP** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:31 am

Tano wrote:I see that people are committing without knowing the final price.
Would it still pe possible to get in once the price has been established?

Tano,

Here's what you wrote several days ago:

Brad,
I guess I'd be foolish not to listen to those who know more than me. Thats what this forum is about, right?
Count me in.
How do we get a hold of each other to iron out the details?

Now you want to know if you can still get in once the price is established- Which is it- in or not in? I've already said I'm trying to keep the cost as low as possible for everyone, but I need to know what the actual count is before I arrive at the final price- that's why I asked for COMMITTED buyers. This is going to cut into my pipe-making time considerably, so what you need to do is decide whether it is important to you to explore the SF/DS approach, or stay comfortable with however you are currently making pipes. Either way you decide is fine with me, really- and I bear you no ill-will- but please don't tell me you're in and then, after I have a set price based on your inclusion, tell me it's too much and you're not in. Then I WILL be pissed off. Make a decision now, and then stick by it- please.

Thanks,
Brad

Tano · Post by **Tano** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:22 pm

Brad,
I want to make it very clear that I understand that you are providing a service to help fellow pipe makers.
The way I understood it was, you would see how many would be interested, figure out the price, post it, and then take orders.
Now it seems we are buying without knowing price. What happened to " I'm interested if the price is right"?
Beign a newbie, I don't know you as well as some of the other members, but if they are willing to committ and sign a blank cheque, then yes please count me in too, and I appologise for any inconvenience.

marks · Post by **marks** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:33 pm

BDP wrote:Guys,

Let's say I make an 11/16, 3/4, and 13/16 set, and it comes in at a price of $250. How many of you will purchase the set? I need COMMITTED answers here to get definitive prices, but consider $250 in the neighborhood. I will need money in advance, and shipping will be actual cost.

Brad

It was pretty clear to me that the order of events is 1) Brad needs the number of committed buyers, then 2)based on that number, he can establish a firm price. He most likely has variable costs to contend with, such as shop and equipment rental.

His estimate puts you in the ballpark to help you decide if you want to spend that much money on a set of bits. Having met Brad a few times, I would not hesitate fronting him the $$ on this project. (Actually, I am putting my money where my mouth is and doing just that on this project).

As much as anything, paying up front is protection for Brad to not have to commit several thousand dollars of his time and materials (plus lost revenue from pipemaking) and then get stiffed on a few sets after all the work is done. Yes, that does happen -- it's a fact of life. I'm sure Brad could sell the leftovers, but that's just more hastle and time away from pipemaking, which is how he makes his living.

JSPipes · Post by **JSPipes** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:58 pm

Thanks Kurt.

I don't know yet if I can commit to purchase or not. When will the final cutoff be? That will give me some time to see if I can work out the $$. As it stands right now, probably not. A couple weeks from now? I don't really know.

Brad, even if I don't participate, I want to thank you for going through this effort. It's very much appreciated.

Joel

achduliebe · Post by **achduliebe** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:34 am

Brad,

Thanks for the opportunity but I will have to pass at this time. It is hard to turn this down but I do appreciate your offer.

Thanks,

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:03 pm

Brooklyn,

Just for clarification, it would seem that you are planning to use these bits on a drill press setup. If so, I'm not sure that these bits are for you. If you interested in experimenting, far be it from me to dissuade you, but these bits are designed to be used for hand drilling on a lathe. If a drill press is all you have and plan to have in the future, spade or silver & demings bits might be the best bet for you.

Best,

Jeff

ArtGuy · Post by **ArtGuy** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 5:01 pm

BDP wrote:
Tano wrote:I see that people are committing without knowing the final price.
Would it still pe possible to get in once the price has been established?
Tano,

Here's what you wrote several days ago:

Brad,
I guess I'd be foolish not to listen to those who know more than me. Thats what this forum is about, right?
Count me in.
How do we get a hold of each other to iron out the details?

Now you want to know if you can still get in once the price is established- Which is it- in or not in? I've already said I'm trying to keep the cost as low as possible for everyone, but I need to know what the actual count is before I arrive at the final price- that's why I asked for COMMITTED buyers. This is going to cut into my pipe-making time considerably, so what you need to do is decide whether it is important to you to explore the SF/DS approach, or stay comfortable with however you are currently making pipes. Either way you decide is fine with me, really- and I bear you no ill-will- but please don't tell me you're in and then, after I have a set price based on your inclusion, tell me it's too much and you're not in. Then I WILL be pissed off. Make a decision now, and then stick by it- please.

Thanks,
Brad

I appreciate what you are trying to do Brad and am very interested, however, I am having a hard time committing to a 250 dollar set of drill bits knowing that later on I may find that I have instead committed to a 350 dollar or 750 dollar set of drill bits. Personally I don't have the cash on hand to committ to something that open ended. So, when you are suggesting the price may change... to what degree would that be?

brooklynpipes · Post by **brooklynpipes** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:39 pm

jeff,

thanks for your concern. i don't have a drill press. when i stated that i wanted a 1/2 inch shank to use in the drill chuck, i meant the drill chuck in the lathe tailstock. it seems to me that i could use it manually or chucked in the tailstock with the briar spinning.
in one of brad's first posts he said it might be available in a 1/2 inch shank for this purpose.

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:05 am

brooklynpipes wrote:jeff,

thanks for your concern. i don't have a drill press. when i stated that i wanted a 1/2 inch shank to use in the drill chuck, i meant the drill chuck in the lathe tailstock. it seems to me that i could use it manually or chucked in the tailstock with the briar spinning.
in one of brad's first posts he said it might be available in a 1/2 inch shank for this purpose.

I really can't imagine using it this way, though it may be possible. This is an awfully expensive and inefficient way to achieve the exact same set of results as you can get with an $8 set of spade bits, though.

Todd

BDP · Post by **BDP** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:40 pm

John (Crosby),

Does $750 sound like it's in the ballpark with $250? To me it doesn't; Does $350? I might imagine that as a worst-case scenario into the top range of price, but it is not my target, for sure. I have approximately 18 interested persons right now, with maybe 4 more custom sizes possibly requested. I have a notion that 50 pieces could easily be a price reduction point that will bring me into the ballpark figure of $250. Currently, your name is not on my list, so that is where we are at. I said I would wait a week, and that is tomorrow, so I will be coming up with a final price very soon. I will put out a last-call, and then start arranging info and money exchanges. Paypal will be great if most of you guys are set up with it, otherwise I guess it is snail mail (or in my neighborhood we still have pony express!).

Brad

BDP · Post by **BDP** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:48 pm

I forgot-

Anyone interested in a larger size bit or bits, please reply now with your size(s) that will be included with the other three bits, NOT IN PLACE OF the 11/16ths or any of the other set sizes. I will do my very best on the prices of these, and let you know beforehand. If you decide the price is too high I won't make them, but at 50+ pieces already, I think I can bring them in at a reasonable price.

Brad

ArtGuy · Post by **ArtGuy** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:00 pm

Indeed 750 does not sound anywhere near 250. A page or so ago you were saying that Todd might be right, that these may end up costing 185 - 250 for each bit. That's all well and good, I was just going to wait until you found out if that was the case before swearing to you that I would be able to purchase.

I simply need to know the price before I can buy. You did not seem to be very receptive to that strategy so I was trying to get a feel for how much you expected the price to change.

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