# Working on designing pens with K&S Tubes



## mredburn (Dec 1, 2010)

I have been working on designing 4 pen sizes. Here's what I have come up with; 
Pen 1
Upper tube 7/16-K/S supply
Lower tube 10mm-cigar tubes

This pen would be the equivelant of the Baron/Navigator size. It would use a Heritance® #5 nib/feed. 
Lower body finish o/d would be .452 (11.5mm)
upper body finish o/d would be .512 (13mm)
both of the bodies could taper at the finial.


Pen 2  this is the Jr 2 series size
Upper tube 1/2    .500   K/S
Lower tube13/32  .406   K/S
Meister Nib® #6  nib/feed
Upper body finsihed o/d  .567 (14.3mm)
Lower body finished o/d  .512 (13mm)

Pen 3  this  is the Maestic Emporer etc sizes.
Upper tube 17/32  .531
lower tube  1/2     .500
Heritance® #6 nib/feed
upper body finished o.d  .620 (15.7mm)
lower body finished o/d  .580 (14.8mm)

Pen 4
Pen 4 uses the 10mm lower tube from pen 1  but has a Meister Nib #6 nib/feed assy.
upper tube can be either pen 2 or pen 3 sizes This nib housing is only 16mm long rather than 20mm,  .630/.788
This allows for a slender lower body with a larger upper cap. I have built an upper set that matched the Nouveau Scepter dimensions.

I am still working on designing parts for a 9/16 tube for the upper cap. 

 All thoughts and comments are welcome.

MIke


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## jttheclockman (Dec 2, 2010)

Mike

Sounds like a nice project and wish you well with it. But I am from the school of I need pictures to help my feeble mind. Hopefully you have some prototypes made up so you can share some photos. thanks.


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## aggromere (Dec 2, 2010)

I think that is a very cool idea.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Dec 2, 2010)

Mike, count me standing in line, what a great one of a kind special order. Here I sit in my hotel room and wish I had a couple for this weekends show....


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## BRobbins629 (Dec 2, 2010)

Mike - good luck with this venture. I think its a great idea.  My only comment relates to the wall thickness of the K&S tubes.  If my measurements are correct, they are about 2x the thickness of most of the current kit tubes.  I would have loved to use them on a current project, but found them too thick for my purposes and wound up making my own from expensive ebonite.  I know there are some long thin wall slim line type tubes and maybe even some 10mm, but sure would be nice to have a source for the larger sizes for custom designs.  I rarely use tubes now, but I still have a few designs where they help.


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## PenMan1 (Dec 2, 2010)

I'm in, too, Mike.


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## johnm (Dec 2, 2010)

Me too mike


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## snyiper (Dec 2, 2010)

Very Clever idea I am very curious to see the end results. My hats off to you!


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## mredburn (Dec 2, 2010)

The K&S tubes are generally .014 thick. Thats .04 to .07 thicker than the tubes in most kits. (.007-.010) there is one or two that come in .010 thickness but they dont seem to be available on the open market more of a special order. I wanted to be able to use stuff that was easily accessable to the public. Iim finishing up the Master Finials for the molds and should have wax pieces to show this evening. The nib holders and nib couplers and center bands are made. I have also made a set for the standard Statesman pen kit. 

Mike


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## workinforwood (Dec 6, 2010)

Sounds interesting.  too bad there's no pics.  The #6 size Bach nibs sell really well..the number 5's are tougher to push.


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## mredburn (Dec 6, 2010)

I have some of the pieces cast I just need to finish them to show the different sizes. I have 5 pieces to make for each style/size of pen. Plus I working on making an alternative finial for the lower tube that would allow the pen to be built either postable or non posting. I will post pictures of what I have so far a little later tonight.


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