# I am an expert now!



## Laurenr (Mar 30, 2014)

After much study, and many mistakes, I was able to make a kitless pen. Yes folks, the "short-bus" kid succeded. So, ...that makes me an expert!

I now have a nice, ok maybe not so nice, 6mm fountain pen, made from cocobolo, with a black Alumilite section.

Now I can do it, on to doing it better.

Have any of you used black Delrin for sections?


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## eranox (Mar 30, 2014)

I'm jealous!  Did you use a wood lathe or a metal lathe?  Kitless pens are on a very long list of "someday" endeavors, but they're close to the top.


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## ironman123 (Mar 30, 2014)

OK expert, show us pictures of the pen.  You know the saying,"no picture--it didn't happen".  Thanks Laurenr.

Ray


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## plantman (Mar 30, 2014)

It only took me seventy years to make my first one. Isn't it a great feeling to look at something and know you made it from scratch yourself. Almost like having a child born. Well, maybe not exactly the same feeling, but a good one at the least. Congrats on the conquest !!! Now, if you can sell it for $1000 you will be a "Master".  Need some photos.    Jim  S


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## OLDMAN5050 (Mar 30, 2014)

It didn't happen.


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## Laurenr (Mar 30, 2014)

*I am an expert now*

I think I have attached pics.


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## Laurenr (Mar 30, 2014)

I thought I sent one with the cap. Oh well, you all get the idea.


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## Laurenr (Mar 30, 2014)

*I am now an expert!*

Here is the one with the cap.


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## Laurenr (Mar 30, 2014)

To answer the question re: using a metal lathe or a wood lathe; the answer is yes. ;-)


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## plantman (Mar 30, 2014)

Using a tap and die is hard enough on resin, putting it on wood is realy one step up. Good photos and pen.   Jim  S


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## Dalecamino (Mar 31, 2014)

Congratulations Mr. Expert! :biggrin: Really, you HAVE gone a step above by, making a kitless pen from wood. Now, go one step further. Take a little more threads off and, line up the grain pattern from cap to barrel. Nice work!


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## duncsuss (Mar 31, 2014)

Congratulations! It's not so long ago that I made my first kitless, I remember the feeling of victory when I finished it :biggrin:

Chuck (Dalecamino) suggested one way you could improve it -- but my recommendation is to not try anything on that pen. Keep it as is, but look at it with a critical eye to see in how many little ways you could do things differently in the next one. 

I wouldn't take the chance of destroying my first kitless pen by trying to make it better, done that kind of thing far too many times 

Oh, and re: delrin ... no, I haven't used it for sections. IMO it doesn't hold a candle to black acrylic acetate or (even better) good quality black ebonite.


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## sbwertz (Mar 31, 2014)

When someone calls me an "expert" I always remind them what expert really means.  An EX is a has been, and a SPURT is a drip...under pressure. LOL!

Congratulations on the achievement.


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## Displaced Canadian (Apr 1, 2014)

Well done. Wood isn't the easiest to go the custom route. Now take the lessons learned from this one and try improve with the second one.


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## Laurenr (Apr 2, 2014)

Thank you all for the input. I have finished a second pen, with may improvements, (pictures to follow when I get a minute).

Chuck, I haven't a clue how to line up the grain. I can do it easily with kit pens, but the whole threading process has been daunting enough without the added detail. If you could give me some idea of where to start, I'll give it a whirl.


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## Displaced Canadian (Apr 2, 2014)

It's not that hard to line up the grain. What you do is after you thread the pen and cap thread the cap on and see how it lines up. If it doesn't remove a little more materiel above the threads on the pen so the cap threads on farther. Keep going just a little at a time until the grain lines up.


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## Darkshier (Apr 2, 2014)

WOW! that pen looks great.


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## duncsuss (Apr 2, 2014)

Displaced Canadian said:


> Keep going just a little at a time until the grain lines up.



You can compute how much "little" really means by dividing the thread pitch by the additional fraction of a circle you want the cap to turn.

For example, if the cap needs to screw on a quarter turn to get the grain lined up, and you used a 12mm x 0.75 thread, you have to shave off under 0.2mm.

I do this exercise not so much as a guide, but to remind myself we're dealing in really thin shavings here ... it's very easy to go beyond the target -- DAMHIKT


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## Laurenr (Apr 2, 2014)

*2nd try pics*

Ok, just so you know I did a second pen, here are some pics.


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## Laurenr (Apr 2, 2014)

And another view


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## chrisk (Apr 3, 2014)

Congrats.
IMHO the second looks much better.
Lauren, which set of tap/die did you use for these 2 kitless pens? The threads on the 2d one look different.
Thanks for sharing.


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## Laurenr (Apr 3, 2014)

12 X 1.0


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## chrisk (Apr 3, 2014)

Thank you.


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## Jim Burr (Apr 3, 2014)

I have an old and dear friend in your line of work, a detailed mind and steady hand will always prevail!! Your pen is an outstanding effort and from wood no less!!


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## travis21 (Apr 5, 2014)

I plan on making my own kit, and after hours of research, still cannot find how to make your own "section". I am very new to fountain pens (haven't used one, don't own one, yet I make them) and am taking on the task of making my own metal parts. My difficulty is how to make the "section" (not sure if there is a better term for it, that is what I found) that you fit the "feed" into? I will buy a nib, feed, and ink cartridge, but how does one assemble that to the rest of the pen? 

Thank you for your time


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## Bruce markwardt (Apr 5, 2014)

Re. making the section.  Here is a youtube video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9AfZK9Hy8E

I don't think all of us make the section in the same progression in the video, but it's a great place to start.  He is using a metal lathe, but it's exactly the same on a wood lathe.


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## Laurenr (Apr 17, 2014)

For the record, I have made several kitless pens now, and thrown away so many blown out nib sections, that, ... I am not an expert anymore. ;-)


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 18, 2014)

Laurenr said:


> For the record, I have made several kitless pens now, and thrown away so many blown out nib sections, that, ... I am not an expert anymore. ;-)


 
haha, I'm still in the same boat Lauren. But still having fun doing it.


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