Historical Aircraft carrier decking Pricing

[Nick Valenza]

Someone reached out inquiring with us to transform the decking of an now historical Aircraft carrier decking into Pens for survivors and survivors family's. They want them engraved (we have a laser engraver) and they want to save every scrap of saw dust as well. If they go with us, what do we charge here? As a WWII buff, and a person who can appreciate what went on the deck of this Aircraft carrier, and the people who may have died on this wood, I have a spot that wants to so this at a low price, but then i remember the importance of the wood and how delicate it is, and the pre-cautions we will need to go through pre-turning and during turning, and the filters in our air systems we will need to replace and maintain separately from the rest of business in order to preserve these shavings and the dust. and be the time it will take to change out all the filters between historical dust/shavings and regualar dust sharviings. Do we charge per pen, or just charge an hourly rate? Will there be contracts, or approvals needed? This is a potential big step in our business and just want to make sure we are fair to the historical group associated with this aircraft carrier and their families and to our selves. We have the decking in our possession, but we are not permitted to make any cuts untll they get back to us. The bottom of the decking is pine and the top is teak. 2-3 1/2 inch of total thickness (first 5/8'-3/4" is teak) The pine is probably very hard by now so i figured i would turn that, and save the teak for them as they has previously made other projects with it. Has anyone gotten involved with anything like this before?

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Nick, this sounds noble and nostalgic, but if you operate a business to feed your family, there is no need to threaten your livelyhood because some other organization is asking you to make pens and you feel an emotional draw to do it at a lower than normal price. How many pens? Hundreds? Thousands? I say this respectfully, but something just seems a bit odd with this request. But, I'm sure you've validated the claim and the documented source of the wood. I think you should charge your normal per pen wholesale fee, period. If these special wood pens are meaningful enough to this group's buyers, people will pay the retail price. If their plan is to give them away, don't let them take food off your table to their benefit. They should be fully funding this project before approaching you and asking you to carry their financial burden. I wouldn't do that out of some emotional manipulation. I say this as a reality check, not to disparage.

Secondly, sure, blood spilled. Along with umpteen gallons of fuel, oil, and other aircraft chemicals. Mold and mildew. 1930s and 40s chemical treatment of the lumber (oh yes!). Etc. All kinds of stuff has soaked into that wood over the past 80-90 years. And they want all the dust and shavings back? Why, for what purpose?

Contract, absolutely. And absolutely full payment, in your bank account, before the first saw cut is made. Do not carry their financial burden here, or you will get burned, count on it.

Things just don't sound rational, I'm sorry. I'll stop here, but... be careful.

 

[Nick Valenza]

Nick, this sounds noble and nostalgic, but if you operate a business to feed your family, there is no need to threaten your livelyhood because some other organization is asking you to make pens and you feel an emotional draw to do it at a lower than normal price. How many pens? Hundreds? Thousands? I say this respectfully, but something just seems a bit odd with this request. But, I'm sure you've validated the claim and the documented source of the wood. I think you should charge your normal per pen wholesale fee, period. If these special wood pens are meaningful enough to this group's buyers, people will pay the retail price. If their plan is to give them away, don't let them take food off your table to their benefit. They should be fully funding this project before approaching you and asking you to carry their financial burden. I wouldn't do that out of some emotional manipulation. I say this as a reality check, not to disparage.

Secondly, sure, blood spilled. Along with umpteen gallons of fuel, oil, and other aircraft chemicals. Mold and mildew. 1930s and 40s chemical treatment of the lumber (oh yes!). Etc. All kinds of stuff has soaked into that wood over the past 80-90 years. And they want all the dust and shavings back? Why, for what purpose?

Contract, absolutely. And absolutely full payment, in your bank account, before the first saw cut is made. Do not carry their financial burden here, or you will get burned, count on it.

Things just don't sound rational, I'm sorry. I'll stop here, but... be careful.

Thanks for your input Steve! They want the dust and shaving back for gifts, weddings, engagements of the living heirs etc. Someone suggested buying a new dust collector and just giving them the bags. I would say we could get 50-100 pens out of the pieces depending on the pen components.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

All the best for this project, Nick!

 

[Richard Coers]

I would thank all that served and the family of those lost, and not charge a penny. They aren't called the greatest generation for nothing!

 

[BobCoates]

Like Steve was saying, with all the scams that are happening, I would be very careful about this project. If any possible chance that it is not a scam you should charge at least you costs.

 

[Wally Crawford]

I am with Richard Coers on this one. We wouldn't be here and enjoy the freedoms that we do without the sacrifices of these me and women.

 

[JeffSmith]

Doing it for free sounds noble, but as a veteran that was aboard an aircraft carrier that is now retired and a museum in San Diego, be very careful of what you’re signing up for. Carrier crews are typically 5k+. The carrier I was on was in service from the 1950’s through the 1990’s - with an average service time aboard of two years, that’s a lot of people that could want a souvenir. My former duty station has an online presence that has been joined by tens of thousands of former crew members
Also, I doubt that any aircraft carrier that was in service from the 50’s on would have had a wooden flight deck (or any other deck for that matter. If it’s older than that it was turned into razor blades long ago.
And they want the dust returned as well? This whole thing is really gathering an aroma. Be very careful and know exactly what you’re getting into.

 

[Mike Drake]

Do they plan to give these pens and memorabilia away or sell them? Don’t see where that has been clarified.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Also, I doubt that any aircraft carrier that was in service from the 50’s on would have had a wooden flight deck (or any other deck for that matter. If it’s older than that it was turned into razor blades long ago.
And they want the dust returned as well? This whole thing is really gathering an aroma. Be very careful and know exactly what you’re getting into.

I agree with Jeff Smith. Some things about this request would give me heartburn. I was an engineer for a Naval aircraft manufacturer and have a bit of understanding of carrier suitability and fire safety requirements. I don't know if there ever was a carrier with a wooden deck, but I can't imagine one being able to survive the "controlled crash" forces involved in aircraft landings with sink rates up to 24 feet per second.

What is the name of the ship and where is it located? "Return the dust" sounds like "hide all of the evidence."

 

[Mike Amphlett]

Bill
I believe WW2 American carriers had wooden decks over a steel structure, whereas British carriers had armoured decks. Allowing them to take more punishment. Don't know when the US adopted armoured decks.

 

[Daniel Henry]

The project is certainly a 'noble' one. However, be wary, on Ebay someone is offering decking from the Japanese Aircraft Carrier, Akagi. The Akagi sunk as a result of the Battle of Midway in 1942.

 

[JeffSmith]

Bill
I believe WW2 American carriers had wooden decks over a steel structure, whereas British carriers had armoured decks. Allowing them to take more punishment. Don't know when the US adopted armoured decks.

They did, but anything built after WWIi had steel decks. I also doubt that they would have used a teak overlay on a sacrificial deck. That may have been used on battleships like the New Jersey, but wooden carrier decks were meant to be replaced when damaged. Some one may have hoarded away some salvaged wood from an old ship (warship or ocean liner) being decommissioned I suppose, but I’d be very careful getting involved with this unless they had documentation. By the way, the Midway (CVA 41 - my old duty station) was the oldest active and longest serving air craft carrier in the US Navy. It’s now a museum in San Diego - worth a visit if you’re in town. I don’t believe there was anything older that was still afloat at the time (early seventies)

 

[Bill Boehme]

I don’t believe there was anything older that was still afloat at the time (early seventies)

How about the Lexington (CV-16) decommissioning in 1991 and is now a museum in Corpus Christi, TX?

 

[Richard Coers]

We had a member buy literally a ton of 3 or 4" thick plywood that was surplus from some Naval vessel deck.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Any exterior surface wouldn't be bare wood. It would need a rough textured high-friction layer.