# Making a Fountain pen Section - A Tutorial



## Texatdurango

This is a tutorial showing how a fountain pen grip section can be made on any lathe, in this case a Jet mini lathe using ordinary wood turning tools. Making a roller ball section is very similar and once you finish this tutorial you should be able to figure out which steps to omit and which steps to add for making the roller ball section.

It should be noted that this is not the only way of making a fountain section, it’s just a way that works for me. Take from this tutorial what you will, add or modify to suit your particular needs, I just hope it will help clarify some things that possibly you are unsure of or not familiar with now.

Exact measurements are not given as I believe it takes some of the mystery and fun out of making your own. Some measurements however do hinge on others so a few sizes will be discussed.

A pen body and cap is nothing but two pieces of material and a nib is useless without something to attach it to and the ink source has to attach to something so the *section* is the most important part of a pen that marries all these other parts together so it is truly at the heart of any custom pen. That said, there are a few design factors that we must consider since there are many variables to work through so let’s do a little planning which will make our job a LOT easier.

1. First, determine the size pen you want to make, do you want a small pen or a large pen? There are two popular sizes of multi-start tap and die sets for making pens, which have 12mm or 14mm threads, the pitch isn’t important for this discussion and you can use any threads you like.

2. Once you determine the cap to body mating thread size, you need to choose a nib size, generally a #5 (small) or a #6 (large). It’s personal preference, there are no rules as which to use.

3. A nib needs a matching feed and the feed needs a matching housing and not all housings are the same so it’s time to choose a brand. I like Heritance and Bock nibs and each require their own tap to cut their feed threads into the inside of the section. 

4. *The sections require different size holes for the different feed housings so knowing the brand you want to use up front is important*. Buy the nib/feed/housing you want then measure the housing diameter to determine the hole size in the section.

Here is some helpful reference material on nib/feed/housing threads:

For the #5 (small) Heritance feed housing you will need a *6.4mm x .5mm tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/

For the #5 (small) Bock feed housing you will need a *6.4mm x .6mm tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html

Please do not look at the .5mm and .6mm thread pitches and think one tap will do both, I've tried and ruined a few feed housings in the process. The threads are just close enough to cause a nasty cross thread mess!

For the #6 (large) Heritance feed housing you will need a *8.4mm x .75mm* *tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/
For the #6 (large) Bock feed housing you will need a *7.9mm x .6mm* *tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html

Other nibs/feeds/housings are available but I choose to stick with the quality nibs above.

For the exterior section threads where the section actually screws into the pen body I use a 9mm x .75mm tap for all my pens. (available at http://www.victornet.com/subdepartme...Taps/1310.html) This size thread *WILL NOT* fit the kit sections which use a 10mm x 1mm thread but I feel that using the smaller threads allows me more material between the inner and outer threads of the pen body thus eliminating a weak link.

So, now you know your pen size, the cap to body thread size and the size and brand of nib you will use you can start drilling and tapping and having fun! So off we go………….

I start out with a ¾” blank made of Alumilite resin dyed black. It’s ¾” because that’s the diameter of the ice cube tube trays I buy at Walmart. I also find that Ebonite is a great material to use as it has a nice feel to it and it thurns and threads well. I only use acrylic if I am making a section to match the pen body. 

I insert the blank into a collet chuck a little farther than the final length the section will be so I do all the turning without moving the blank. I face off the end to square up the blank then I drill a 60 degree hole using a center drill. Never drill a center hole without squaring up the blank or the blank will try to wobble when turning. If you don't have a center drill, consider getting a few, with these small parts a crooked hole is something you don't want.








Here the blank has been turned down to the approximate finished size and a tenon for the rear threads has been turned. Look closely at the tool rest, I applied a bit of ski wax because I want my tools to slide freely on the rest while making delicate cuts. Any "non sticky" wax will work.







I spray a bit of cooking spray such as PAM to lubricate the blank and proceed to thread the section. Why cooking spray… why not! I like it because I can spray a tiny quick shot on the blank then a quick shot into the die then it cleans off easily after use.







Here I am actually cutting the threads using a die holder which spins freely on a rod that is chucked into the tailstock.







After threading, take a narrow parting tool and clean up the threads at the end closest to the section body so it will thread flush to the pen body (Look closely to the left of the threads to see the area cleaned up). Now I drill the first hole as deep as I want the section to be, in this case 1.1” long. *This is the drill size used for whatever tap you select so choose it carefully*. The second drill I use is to allow the fountain converter to fit inside the section as shown a few photos down.







Since I have no drill bit the right size to provide a snug fit for the converter I follow the drilling with a .252” reamer which only goes in enough to allow the converter to seat itself.







*Seating the converter snugly but NOT too tight is important.* Too loose and the converter will fall off into the pen and would probably make a mess, too tight and you’ll likely crack the section since this a fairly delicate part of the pen. Don't go any further unless this fits like a glove!







So far so good, now I part off the section to it’s finished length







I change collets for the first time switching to one that fits the finished diameter of the section then insert the section in threads first.







Now I drill a hole in only far enough to allow the smooth portion of the feed housing to easily slide in but not so far as to to destroy the section I am going to thread next. 

Tip: Measure your feed housing to see how much smooth side you have and how much thread area you have, this will tell you how deep to drill a clearance hole for the smooth surface.







Now I use the appropriate tap size for the threads on the feed I am using. A bit of thought should be given before deciding on buying one of these specialized taps since they are specific to certain feed housings. For a few years I have been using Heritance feed housings so use the taps sized for those feeds BUT… am in the process of switching over to the Bock nibs and feed housings which use a different thread and of course a different tap.

Don’t think typical “metal threading” here, because these taps cut through the Alumilite, acrylic and ebonite like butter so very little force is necessary. These are very fine threads so easy does it else you will ruin the threads







Up to this point steps 1 thru 11 have been done to make a section that will now hold a converter and allow a feed housing to screw in and for those not familiar with the terms, here is a photo of a converter, section and feed housing which has the feed inserted.







Here is the section with the converter inserted, the feed housing screwed in and the feed itself inserted into the housing. Well there’s my pen, all you need now is a little ink in the converter, a nib on the feed and you’re in business! But most folks want something a little nicer looking so let’s doll it up a bit………







Here is the part that gets me the most PM’s asking how I hold the section to work on it! I make a holder from Delrin which is threaded to match the lower section threads. The angle and diameter is also sized to the finished section size so I know when to stop cutting and shaping. Two things make working on these tiny sections possible, a very short tool rest and a modified “cut back” live center. The short tool rest allows me to get up very close to the section for fine turning and shaping without the tools chattering and ruining 30 minutes of work! You will see that I also cut back some of the live center while still leaving the 60 degree point. This allows me to maneuver the skew wherever I want without hitting the live center.







Here the section shaping is finished. While being held between the delrin holding tool and the live center I shaped it to one of the shapes I like. This is one of the few times I don't use Abranet, instead I wet sand starting with 600, then 800, 1000 and 2000 grit then polish using Novus #2 then #3, all while held in the delrin holder. Now I take it off, give it a shot of Novus #1 polish to clean it up and on the pen it goes. (I finally found some more Novus #1 polish and think http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Novus-...and-Shine.html is about the only place that carries it anymore!)







Making these small sections doesn’t require a lot of special tools but a few modified tools and holders certainly make the job easier. In the photo below is everything I used in making the section in this tutorial.

1. Beall collet chuck, there are already 1000 reasons to have one, this is reason 1001! While not required, it certainly adds a magnitude of accuracy, remember this is tiny work and any slop will be magnified. Available at http://www.bealltool.com/products/turning/colletchuck.php

2. A good live center that will keep the wide part of the center away from your work. I forgot where I got this one but it has interchangeable tips and I modified it so I could get in close on these sections without hitting the live center. 

3. A short tool rest so you can get up very close to the work, in-between the collet and the live center. For small very fine work I want to be right on top of the piece! My 2 3/4" rest was just TOO LONG so I called on a friend, Rick Herrell, (Rherrell on the IAP forum) who came through and made this one for me to my exact length which is 2” long. If interested, contact him and tell him you want a shortie rest like George has. 

4. I made the white tool that holds the section while working and it is made from Delrin and has internal 9mm x .75mm threads and the exterior is the same diameter as the 12mm multi-start threads. Available as “Acetal” from http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRAR?PMSECT=0000001935 

5. The other white tool is a die holder I made which rotates on a shaft chucked in the tailstock, it is made from Delrin as well and the Delrin is available at Enco.

Lastly are the cutting tools I use making these sections, a ½” wide Sorby flat skew and what I believe is called a “spindle Master” also by Sorby which allows me to make nice curved shapes without digging in too aggressively thus requiring little sanding afterwards. The parting tool and mini skew also come in handy.







Well there you have it, I hope this explained a few things you didn’t already know and gives you some ideas on how to make your own sections to fit into those "made from scratch" creations. And speaking of “made from scratch” (previously called kitless) pens, here is the nib from this tutorial in a little bulb filler I made which has an ink window and is sporting a Bock nib and rhodium plated rollerball clip I just acquired.






__________________


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## dennisg

Thanks George, I understand now. That is a great tutorial.


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## Curly

Nice and thanks George. Pretty much the way I do it. 

I see you use the cooking spray on the die cut threads but the tap looks dry. I lubricate the tap and hole when I do mine, you don't? I also reverse the die and run it back down the tenon after I have cut the thread on it. That cuts the thread full depth pretty much right to the shoulder of the tenon. Maybe not too noticeable with a very fine thread but can be needed with a coarser thread.


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## IPD_Mr

George what you have done is awesome.  It take someone special to share their secrets and have that level of confidence in their work.  You have gone that extra mile and it is most appreciated.

Now for the important question:
What kind of hand cleaner do you use?  My hands are never that clean when making sections.


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## glycerine

George, what would we do without you?!?!  I appreciate the extra time and effort you take to put this type of stuff together for us.  You're a swell guy!


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## Snowbeast

Thanx George.

I've just gotten started doing 'pens from scratch' and have been having problems getting the external threads to cut straight. Your jig looks to be exactly what I need to try.

Have you tried these techniques with wood? Just wondering if the section would be so thin as to lose any structural strength it may have. I have done rollerball type front sections but not a fountain yet.

You need to make sure this gets into the library for everybody to reference. It's already in my personal 'how to' file.:biggrin:


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## glycerine

By the way, is the ink window threaded into the body or glued???


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## 76winger

Thanks for sharing this great info George, I've been wondering for some time how this was done and it looks less complicated than I had envisioned.


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## Texatdurango

My comments in blue


Curly said:


> Nice and thanks George. Pretty much the way I do it.
> 
> I see you use the cooking spray on the die cut threads but the tap looks dry. I lubricate the tap and hole when I do mine, you don't?
> 
> You have a keen eye!   I frequently use the cooking oil on larger taps but have never used any lubricant when tapping the inside of the feed housings.  I might give it a try one day.
> 
> I also reverse the die and run it back down the tenon after I have cut the thread on it. That cuts the thread full depth pretty much right to the shoulder of the tenon.
> Maybe not too noticeable with a very fine thread but can be needed with a coarser thread.
> 
> I prefer to make a flat cut at the end rather than reversing the die.  On the inside of the pen body I also cut a very shallow chamfer so the section fits snugly in the body with no gaps.  I think it's just a matter of preference.


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## Texatdurango

IPD_Mr said:


> George what you have done is awesome. It take someone special to share their secrets and have that level of confidence in their work. You have gone that extra mile and it is most appreciated.
> 
> Now for the important question:
> What kind of hand cleaner do you use? My hands are never that clean when making sections.


Hand cleaner......... we don't need no stinking hand cleaner!  But as far as having confidence, I was shaking like a leaf! :biggrin:


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## Texatdurango

glycerine said:


> By the way, is the ink window threaded into the body or glued???


Threaded and glued, I don't take any chances on it coming apart in the customers hands!


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## OKLAHOMAN

This is what the IAP was designed to do........teach, exchange ideas, bring pen making to the next level, thank you sir very well done.


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## Dalecamino

This also came right on time George. Thanks again !


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## GoodTurns

useful, that!  ManyThanks for sharing!


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## MarkD

George, Thank you for the excellent tutorial. It's very much appreciated.


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## Lenny

Thanks George! I always enjoy your tutorials and this is a timely one! 
Next best thing to being there!


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## johncrane

Always a pleasure George!


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## bitshird

George Thank you SO MUCH, now to find some black Alumilite!! I wish I could afford to practice with Ebonite.


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## ericd

Thank you for another excellent tutorial, George.

Eric


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## chriselle

Thank you George.  Very timely too, as I was just discussing this topic with DaleCamino.  Between this and the other article you have in the Library I should be set to go.


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## rherrell

Great job on the tutorial George! Alot of good info. and some swell pics.
I especially like the "shortie" tool rest!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::wink:


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## Jim15

Thank you George.


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## bluwolf

Another very nice job George. I'm sure this will help a lot of folks.


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## cnirenberg

George,
Ya did it again.  Nice job on the how-to.  Great pictures too.


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## wood-of-1kind

Thank you George for taking the time to "de-mistify" this very fine aspect of advanced pen making. Good stuff all around. Certainly belongs in the IAP library.


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## lorbay

George from your friend north of the boarder. NICE.

Lin.


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## nsfr1206

Thanks George!!!


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## Gilrock

Nice tutorial George...definitely something I want to try in the future.

I'm a relatively new member and I recently followed you're turning between centers tutorial and I'm loving the Beall collet chuck and other items I purchased after that tutorial.


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## firewhatfire

Yup now I need the rest of my equipment


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## Justturnin

Fantastic.  I am a ways of for trying this but I will get there and this was great info.  Thanks


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## IPD_Mr

George - Is there a specific reason that you use alumilite? There are several options aside from alumilite, such as ebonite, acrylic, lucite and silmar. Does the alumilite work better for threading than the others, or is there a certain property that makes this a better choice than the others? The reason I ask, is I like to use ebonite as it is more of a vintage material and I like the grip you get with ebonite. Am I missing out on something that would give me a reason to order a can of alumilite?  :biggrin:


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## ragz

Ebonite is exspensive, it smells bad, and is very dirty to work with. 

Alumilite, silmar, poly resin you can pour your self as George mentioned in the beginning of his tutorial, doesn't smell any where near as bad and is a lot less dirty. I think though he's using alumilite because it is cheaper to pour your own then use Ebonite. 


Great tutorial George!


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## Texatdurango

IPD_Mr said:


> George - Is there a specific reason that you use alumilite? There are several options aside from alumilite, such as ebonite, acrylic, lucite and silmar. Does the alumilite work better for threading than the others, or is there a certain property that makes this a better choice than the others? The reason I ask, is I like to use ebonite as it is more of a vintage material and I like the grip you get with ebonite. Am I missing out on something that would give me a reason to order a can of alumilite? :biggrin:


 
Actually black ebonite is my hands down favorite material to use for my sections and finials both but I have only 5 or 6 rods left and will eventually run out so I try different materials.  I like the feel of ebonite, dislike the cold feel of acrylic and polyester and despise the cold slippery feel of metal.  Alumalite falls somewhere between ebonite and acrylic in my opinion si I think it's a good material for sections and finials.

If push came to shove and I had 50 pens to make I would select alumalite and reserve the ebonite for my special pens.

Just for grins, I just dumped out  a few sections and finials and took a photo.  All but one of the sections are ebonite and the finials are about half and half so there you have it..... I too am an ebonite fan but for tutorials, I use alumalite! :wink:


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## Brooks803

Thanks so much for the tutorial George! I have been doing all of those steps but 1 and that's the area that has caused me the most trouble. I hope to be able to show some of what I recently learned from Bruce and now with these helpful tips I hope to produce some really nice pens. 

Mike, with my limited experience I've found PR to be one of the more difficult to make a front section with. Yes it can be done, but they break easily. One of my main reasons for buying some alumilite was to make solid black blanks for sections. Ebonite is my 1st choice, but I'm saving what I have until I'm confident enough to not worry about having to scrap it.


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## Texatdurango

To the eagle eyed folks out there, they want to turn this into a PDF file and put it in the library so if you see something that just really stands out like a sore thumb please drop me a PM or mention it here so I won't look like a boob for years to come!

Also this isn't for me, it's for everyone who reads it both now and in the future so if you see something that I am doing bass ackwards or you have a better suggestion, let me know and we'll make this worthy of folks reading next year!


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## ragz

Just to clarify a bit...
I too am a fan of ebonite but based on what George and Jonathan and my own experience. I'll stand by the first part of my earlier observation of ebonite being exspensive and/or hard to come by. 

I was going to do a price comparsion but it seems the Alumilite site is being pounded by users. So I'm swagging some of this

On average a 5" blank is $15 while a basic alumilite kit is around $30 
2 ebonite blanks will give you about 8 sections and a fair amount of waste
An alumilite kit from Amazon is 28 ounces. If you make your own round molds that are 1.5" long with a diameter at 1" you'd use a little more then .5 ounce per section blank and get 51 section blanks out of that can. 

That's all based on having the least amount of waste or unused portions. You'd also have to have a pretty good process to get those sections to reduce waste and possible failures.
So for the price point Alumilite is the way to go and save the ebonite for higher end stuff.


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## Curly

George your not a boob!!! We'd have told you by now if you were. :biggrin:

Your tutorial is great. It provides all with a starting point and as skills develop  each of us will adapt to suit our tools and preferences. 

If this were up earlier it wouldn't have taken me 3 tries to make my first section. First 2 attempts I was drilling and cutting the feed threads first and when cutting the section thread the tenon broke off. :frown: You will save many from similar errors.


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## Texatdurango

Curly said:


> George your not a boob!!! We'd have told you by now if you were. :biggrin:
> 
> Your tutorial is great. It provides all with a starting point and as skills develop each of us will adapt to suit our tools and preferences.
> 
> If this were up earlier it wouldn't have taken me 3 tries to make my first section. First 2 attempts I was drilling and cutting the feed threads first and when cutting the section thread the tenon broke off. :frown: You will save many from similar errors.


 Accurate measuring is key to making these things.  You can make a pen cap and be .200" under what you really wanted to make but can work around it.  Drill .080" too deep on a section and it goes in the trash!

The best I can suggest is to write down a sequence of steps then think ahead two or three steps before drilling and tapping.  I've got my little cheat sheet that I stick on the cabinet in front of me when turning.


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## glycerine

Texatdurango said:


> Actually black ebonite is my hands down favorite material to use for my sections and finials both but I have only 5 or 6 rods left and will eventually run out so I try different materials. I like the feel of ebonite, dislike the cold feel of acrylic and polyester and despise the cold slippery feel of metal. Alumalite falls somewhere between ebonite and acrylic in my opinion si I think it's a good material for sections and finials.
> 
> If push came to shove and I had 50 pens to make I would select alumalite and reserve the ebonite for my special pens.
> 
> Just for grins, I just dumped out a few sections and finials and took a photo. All but one of the sections are ebonite and the finials are about half and half so there you have it..... I too am an ebonite fan but for tutorials, I use alumalite! :wink:


 
So let's buy some more!!  I've been looking into a few sources and thinking about getting a few rods, but the more the merrier... and cheaper!  Maybe we can get a group buy going some time on some ebonite.  What size rods do you use for the sections?  Would 10 or 12 mm do it?


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## firewhatfire

I would like to get in on the buy if its gonna happen. 




glycerine said:


> Texatdurango said:
> 
> 
> 
> Actually black ebonite is my hands down favorite material to use for my sections and finials both but I have only 5 or 6 rods left and will eventually run out so I try different materials. I like the feel of ebonite, dislike the cold feel of acrylic and polyester and despise the cold slippery feel of metal. Alumalite falls somewhere between ebonite and acrylic in my opinion si I think it's a good material for sections and finials.
> 
> If push came to shove and I had 50 pens to make I would select alumalite and reserve the ebonite for my special pens.
> 
> Just for grins, I just dumped out a few sections and finials and took a photo. All but one of the sections are ebonite and the finials are about half and half so there you have it..... I too am an ebonite fan but for tutorials, I use alumalite! :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So let's buy some more!! I've been looking into a few sources and thinking about getting a few rods, but the more the merrier... and cheaper! Maybe we can get a group buy going some time on some ebonite. What size rods do you use for the sections? Would 10 or 12 mm do it?
Click to expand...


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## titan2

Great tutorial George!!!

I made a PowerPoint Presentation out of it for anyone that interested.

I was able to attach .ppt files before......don't seem to work any more.:befuddled:

I can send a file to anyone that's interested.

I've attached a .pdf of the slide show.....it failed also....what's going on?:befuddled:
I can send it also if anyone's interested......

*For those interested in any of the above.....I'll need your e-mail address as it doesn't look like I can send them via our system here....*


Barney


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## Jim15

Barney, I would appreciate a copy. Thank you.


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## kruzzer

great tutorial George... I always wanted to see how that was done...


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## joefyffe

Barney:  I would very much appreciate a copy.  If personal email would be easier, that is joefyffe@comcast.net  Thank You!!


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## Texatdurango

titan2 said:


> Great tutorial George!!!
> 
> I made a PowerPoint Presentation out of it for anyone that interested.
> 
> I was able to attach .ppt files before......don't seem to work any more.
> 
> I can send a file to anyone that's interested.
> 
> 
> Barney


 
Thanks Barney, the first of the week the librarian, TomW is also converting it over to a PDF file and it will be in library and I'm sure a link will e posted in this thread so for those without Powerpoint, it will be viewable on the forum as well.


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## titan2

Texatdurango said:


> titan2 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Great tutorial George!!!
> 
> I made a PowerPoint Presentation out of it for anyone that interested.
> 
> I was able to attach .ppt files before......don't seem to work any more.
> 
> I can send a file to anyone that's interested.
> 
> 
> Barney
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks Barney, the first of the week the librarian, TomW is also converting it over to a PDF file and it will be in library and I'm sure a link will e posted in this thread so for those without Powerpoint, it will be viewable on the forum as well.
Click to expand...

 

George,

I can send you a copy of the PowerPoint Presentation as well as the .pdf I made from the presentation.....

If you want them, just need your e-mail and I'll send them out when I get home tonight.


Later,


Barney


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## joefyffe

Barney:  What you sent to my email worked, slicker than snot on a Louisianna Swamp!


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## ericw95

George - Thank you for your contribution and bringing the site back to what it was when I joined.  Now if I can only get the shop time to complete my PITH, Christmas presents, oh and knock off ALL those pen ideas that we had when I started with the IAP.


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## Texatdurango

titan2 said:


> George,
> 
> I can send you a copy of the PowerPoint Presentation as well as the .pdf I made from the presentation.....


 Thanks Barney but I sorta have the routine down pat!


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## watchman7

George - Thanks for the tutorial. Your ability to show and explain things you do helps all of us trying to catch up.


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## TomW

I will be putting this tutorial into the library as soon as I can get done with "real work"...

Now, let's get George to do the Pen Cap Tutorial!

Tom


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## Texatdurango

TomW said:


> I will be putting this tutorial into the library as soon as I can get done with "real work"...
> 
> Now, let's get George to do the Pen Cap Tutorial!
> 
> Tom


 
Tom I'm not sure that a tutorial on making a pen cap is really needed anymore and am not really sure that this little tutorial was really necessary.  Seemed that most already knew how to make the sections.

Two years ago when I did the tutorial "Another way of making a pen" kitless pen making was pretty new to most members so it was beneficial to a lot of folks.  Since then more and more people have started their journey into the kitless world and have been picking up tidbits all along and are now making some nice pens.  I think by now those who are truely interested in making their own pens have already started or at least have a good knowledge of what's involved and are pretty well up to speed on making a cap with a threaded finial and the different ways of attaching clips.


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## wood-of-1kind

George, you are too humble (I mean it). It does belong in the library. There is no one here at IAP that goes through the "process" of writing and photographing the "steps" to do the work as well as you. Your write up makes it "clear" and inspires some of us to go ahead and try something that would otherwise remain undone.

Once again, I offer sincere thanks for posting this.


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## cnirenberg

Definitely Library material.  Actually I just printed it out to keep by my lathe.  Well done (again) George.  Thanks for taking your time to do all this.


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## ashaw

George

Great job on the Tutorial.  Easy to follow.  No I just need to get the tap for the feed housing.

Alan


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## Texatdurango

The entire contents of this post has now been included in the tutorial so no sense in having duplicate data taking up space.


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## joefyffe

*+ 10 on this comment!  You're the best, George!!!*


wood-of-1kind said:


> George, you are too humble (I mean it). It does belong in the library. There is no one here at IAP that goes through the "process" of writing and photographing the "steps" to do the work as well as you. Your write up makes it "clear" and inspires some of us to go ahead and try something that would otherwise remain undone.
> 
> Once again, I offer sincere thanks for posting this.


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## Texatdurango

Yeah Yeah Yeah, you're just saying that 'cause it's true! :biggrin: But thanks anyway, it's appreciated!


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## Dalecamino

You can count my THANKS too George. I will now have to make my first section.:biggrin:


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## Pete275

Texatdurango said:


> I've received quite a few PM's asking about the taps involved so decided to go ahead and make this a little more in-depth.
> 
> Don't just jump in and start turning a blank to size, there are several steps you need to take before starting on a section because certain things rely on other things so....
> 
> 1. Decide whether you want a large or small pen. This generally dictates the use of a small #5 nib or a large #6 nib.
> 
> 2. Once the size pen is decided and the right size nib, you need to select the nib you want to use. I use Heritance and Bock nibs and each require their own tap to cut threads in the inside of the section.
> 
> 3. The sections require different size holes for the different feed housings so knowing the brand you want to use up front is important.
> 
> 4. So, now you know the size pen, the size nib, and the brand of nib you want so now you can start drilling and tapping and having fun!
> 
> 
> A few examples: If I am making a medium to small size pen where I use the 12mm multi-start threads, I like to use a #5 nib so liking the Heritance and Bock nibs that are available I have two choices of taps to use.
> 
> 1. For the Heritance feed housing I will need a *6.4mm x .5mm tap* to thread the inside of the section so the housing will screw in allowing me to slip the Heritance feed and nib on.
> 
> 2. For the Bock feed housing I will need a *6.4mm x .6mm tap* to thread the inside of the section so the housing will screw in allowing me to slip the Bock feed and nib on.
> 
> Please do not look at the .5mm and .6mm thread pitches and think one tap will do both, I've tried and ruined a few feed housings in the process. The threads are just close enough to cause a nasty cross thread mess!
> 
> There are four taps that I use for all of my sections depending on whether I am making a small pen or a large pen:
> 
> Heritance #5 - *6.4mm x .5mm* - available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/
> Heritance #6 - *8.4mm x .75mm* - available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/
> 
> Bock #5 - *6.4mm x .6mm* - available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html
> Bock #6 - *7.9mm x .6mm* - available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html
> 
> For cutting the exterior section threads where the section actually screws onto the pen body I use a 9mm x .75mm tap (available at http://www.victornet.com/subdepartments/Metric-Taps/1310.html) for all the pens simply because I don't want to be switching around all the time. This size thread *WILL NOT* fit the kit sections which use a 10mm x 1mm thread but I feel that using the smaller threads allows me more material between the inner and outer threads of the pen body thus eliminating a weak link.
> 
> I hope this makes sense and helps answer some questions.


 

I'm hoping this part makes it into the library also.

Wayne


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## Pete275

By the way Thank you George for the fantastic tutorial.

Wayne


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## Texatdurango

First, I appreciate all the kind comments and the PM's. For those who PM'd asking for more information and details, I updated the original file with some details about taps and their sources but more importantly, some of the thinking that has to happen before you chuck a piece of material up and start turning. Be sure and read the first few paragraphs, it might save some material hitting the trash can! :biggrin:


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## KBs Pensnmore

Is it at all possible to be put into the library?? I'm not ready yet for this but for future reference it would be great!!!!
Thanks George, it take out a lot of guess work.:biggrin:
Kryn


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## Texatdurango

KBs Pensnmore said:


> Is it at all possible to be put into the library?? I'm not ready yet for this but for future reference it would be great!!!!
> Thanks George, it take out a lot of guess work.:biggrin:
> Kryn


It will be placed in the library this weekend.  I guess some members still have jobs and can't just sit around here all day!  Go figure!


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## TerryDowning

Damn day jobs getting in the way of life again....


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## Texatdurango

For those interested, the tutorial is now in the library as a PDF, I scaled down the photos and added a few changes which will hopefully make things more understandable and some more details about taps and things to note before just diving in and drilling.  I think the PDF conversion makes the text easier to read, at least to those using bifocals!


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## Harley2001

George Thanks for tutorial This helped me out alot iam now working on a kitless pen Thanks to you.


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## turnero

Great - Thanks


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## SDB777

> For the #5 (small) Heritance feed housing you will need a *6.4mm x .5mm tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/
> 
> For the #5 (small) Bock feed housing you will need a *6.4mm x .6mm tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html
> 
> Please do not look at the .5mm and .6mm thread pitches and think one tap will do both, I've tried and ruined a few feed housings in the process. The threads are just close enough to cause a nasty cross thread mess!
> 
> For the #6 (large) Heritance feed housing you will need a *8.4mm x .75mm* *tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/
> For the #6 (large) Bock feed housing you will need a *7.9mm x .6mm* *tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html


 

I have been looking at everything I can find in the last few days about making sections. And I keep coming back to this topic(very cool-insert a big thumbs up smilie thing here)!

Was wondering....it is not mentioned anywhere in here about what size drill bits you are using for these nib holders(in the quoted area above) or the diameter that you turn the outsides down to before threading, *is there a 'set in stone' diameter that should be used to get the best 'fit' in the threading?*





Scott (got plenty of blanks to ruin, but would rather not) B


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## Twissy

SDB777 said:


> For the #5 (small) Heritance feed housing you will need a *6.4mm x .5mm tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/
> 
> For the #5 (small) Bock feed housing you will need a *6.4mm x .6mm tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html
> 
> Please do not look at the .5mm and .6mm thread pitches and think one tap will do both, I've tried and ruined a few feed housings in the process. The threads are just close enough to cause a nasty cross thread mess!
> 
> For the #6 (large) Heritance feed housing you will need a *8.4mm x .75mm* *tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Nibs/
> For the #6 (large) Bock feed housing you will need a *7.9mm x .6mm* *tap* to thread the inside of the section. Available at http://www.classicnib.com/feeds.html
> 
> 
> 
> I have been looking at everything I can find in the last few days about making sections. And I keep coming back to this topic(very cool-insert a big thumbs up smilie thing here)!
> 
> Was wondering....it is not mentioned anywhere in here about what size drill bits you are using for these nib holders(in the quoted area above) or the diameter that you turn the outsides down to before threading, *is there a 'set in stone' diameter that should be used to get the best 'fit' in the threading?*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Scott (got plenty of blanks to ruin, but would rather not) B
Click to expand...


This info is available here somewhere because that's where I gleaned it from
Another excellent source of thread sizes is jjudge's tap die chart.

For the male threads cut with a die I turn a tenon to the thread diameter minus 0.2mm so for an M9x0.75 I turn a tenon of 8.8mm.

For the female thread cut with a tap I take the thread diameter and subtract the pitch. So again for the M9x0.75 I use an 8.2mm drill bit (closest to 8.25 I have).
Regards
John


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## Kenessl

George,
 Great tutorial! By the way, how did you make the die holder? My email is Kenessl@cox.net 

Ken


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## Texatdurango

Kenessl said:


> George,
> Great tutorial! By the way, how did you make the die holder? My email is Kenessl@cox.net
> 
> Ken



Sorry Ken, you're on your own!  I posted earlier today thinking that by directing folks to the proper existing thread about these tools that I would save me the time of answering individual emails over and over but that thread got deleted.

Five months away from the forum and my first post gets deleted, I should have figured as much, I guess some things will never change!

Mods, what would it take to just delete this whole thread?  Since I started it, it would be fine with me.  That way everyone wins, people won't know to email me about anything seen here and you won't have to worry about me posting on the forum anymore!


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## wood-of-1kind

George, I miss your posts and wondered where the heck you have been. Hope that you stick around since we have already lost some 'key' contributors to this forum.


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## jeff

Texatdurango said:


> Kenessl said:
> 
> 
> 
> George,
> Great tutorial! By the way, how did you make the die holder? My email is Kenessl@cox.net
> 
> Ken
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry Ken, you're on your own!  I posted earlier today thinking that by directing folks to the proper existing thread about these tools that I would save me the time of answering individual emails over and over but that thread got deleted.
> 
> Five months away from the forum and my first post gets deleted, I should have figured as much, I guess some things will never change!
> 
> Mods, what would it take to just delete this whole thread?  Since I started it, it would be fine with me.  That way everyone wins, people won't know to email me about anything seen here and you won't have to worry about me posting on the forum anymore!
Click to expand...


Hello, George. Nice to see you visiting us again.

Sorry your thread had to be deleted, but it violated the marketing rules we put in place back in 2011. At that time, many members, including you, complained that there was too much marketing and thinly disguised selling going on in the forums. So we put rules in place, and one of those is that you can't advertise things for sale outside the Marketplace. 

In the post you made, you posted a link to an expired classified ad where you were selling the die holders. I think you can understand why reposting that classifieds link in the open forums would go against the policy that you and others said was needed. I know your intentions were good, but we try to enforce the rules evenly.

Folks, so we're not "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" by enforcing the rules, I'll mention that in the deleted post, George also provided the link to his excellent YouTube video on using the die holder. If you do any kind of threading, you should check that out. 

*George*, since you are just trying to help folks out, and I see that you have reactivated PMs in your account, perhaps you'd like to place a classified again and help a few members who want the die holders. As a little nice-to-see-you-again gift, I've put two thread credits for the Classifieds Forum in your account so you can create a thread there at no cost.

Hope that helps clear up any mystery about disappearing threads!


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## yaroslaw

Am I missing something, from this thread I have supposed to find it with other part in article in Library, but I cannot find it there. Actually, no articles by George in Library. Does it exist in reality or am I missing something? 
This part is very informative, I would love to see whole article if it exists


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## Texatdurango

yaroslaw said:


> Am I missing something, from this thread I have supposed to find it with other part in article in Library, but I cannot find it there. Actually, no articles by George in Library. Does it exist in reality or am I missing something?
> This part is very informative, I would love to see whole article if it exists



You are not missing anything, the entire tutorial is in the first post of this thread and there is no "other part" to the tutorial.

It was in the library but I asked that it be removed for several reasons, none of which I want to get into here.


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## evan bahr

Thanks for the great tutorial!


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## rhall_8

This is a very helpful tutorial. Thank you so much.


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## Wayne

Great tutorial on kitless pen making. This needs to be put back in the library!


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## lorbay

Yes I agree. 
Lin


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## mark james

If it can't be put back in, is it possible to have a listing in the library for:

Threads  with "Valuable Topics/Tutorials/etc..."

I suspect there are many "semi-tutorials" that could be slowly added.

Although this may duplicate the Search Function...

But I also agree, this is a great tutorial.


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## longbeard

I would like to get one of those die holders. 



Harry


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## Charlie69

I read this post by Texatdurango countless times before I attempted to go kitless.  In fact, while I was doing research on how to make kitless pens I found a lot of his threads to be very informative.


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## Wayne

wracinowski said:


> Great tutorial on kitless pen making. This needs to be put back in the library!



Its back in the Library, Here.


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## Pen&FishingCT

Incredible


----------



## hornet406

Thank you for sharing.


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## dhoshield

This was a wonderful post! I'm a newbie, and am looking at assembling all the bits needed for some kitless pens.  This has been very informative!

Thanks!
Dennis


----------



## Cmiles1985

George,

Thanks for sharing your information on making a section. Please know that over five years after your initial post, it is still helping people. I used your tutorial to make my first successful section over the past few evenings in the shop.

Thanks again for your generosity!


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## Jgrden

This is important. In the far suture as I progress in Steampunk designs, I will want to make a brass nib, grip section and channel for the ink pump. This is exciting news for me. I would print it out but my poor little Epson would run out of ink. 
Thank you, 
John


----------



## RobS

Thank you for this post, and the video that is out there.  It made the difference.


----------



## OZturner

Thanks George for a Fantastic Tutorial.
Beautifully Complied, and Concise.
Gives a Mug like me a Fighting Chance to Achieve.
Brian.


----------



## Joel

This is fantastic, George.  What a wonderful post.  Thank you for taking the time to put this together. I love when you pros reveal how the sausage is made!  


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app


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## Jarod888

Anyone have new sources for the taps? They don't seem to be available anymore.


----------



## More4dan

Jarod888 said:


> Anyone have new sources for the taps? They don't seem to be available anymore.





There are usually one or two group buys a year for section taps and triple thread taps and dies for cap threads.  They have them made special. 

Danny


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app


----------



## darrin1200

SilverPenParts

FPNibs Allthough he seems to be currently sold out of most.

Beaufort Ink. Bock nibs


----------



## Wayne

titan2 said:


> Great tutorial George!!!
> 
> I made a PowerPoint Presentation out of it for anyone that interested.
> 
> I was able to attach .ppt files before......don't seem to work any more.:befuddled:
> 
> I can send a file to anyone that's interested.
> 
> I've attached a .pdf of the slide show.....it failed also....what's going on?:befuddled:
> I can send it also if anyone's interested......
> 
> *For those interested in any of the above.....I'll need your e-mail address as it doesn't look like I can send them via our system here....*
> 
> 
> Barney


I may have asked for this before, but if offer is still on, I'd like one.


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## Darley

Wayne said:


> I may have asked for this before, but if offer is still on, I'd like one.


I would be interested too , Thank you


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## dogcatcher

See if this works


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## Wayne

dogcatcher said:


> See if this works


Thanks,


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## lorbay

Works for me.
Lin


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