# Kitless Pen Beginnings



## firewhatfire (Jan 2, 2012)

Here are the first 2 portions of the a kitless pens I stated working on for the new year.  I see lots room for improvements.  Got a few questions as this will basically go into my box of (it didn't work) I have some marring on the outside from the collet chuck also.  looking for ideas for fixing these minor issues.


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## grz5 (Jan 2, 2012)

Is that a home cast blank? If so what colors did you use?


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## firewhatfire (Jan 2, 2012)

It is a home cast blank. I used Australian Amber and Blackstar Red(coastal scents) and pure gold that I got from Michaels(PearlX)



grz5 said:


> Is that a home cast blank? If so what colors did you use?


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## watch_art (Jan 2, 2012)

I've been told one layer of blue painters tape around a pen before going into the collet chuck keeps scratches and marring down.


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## drgoretex (Jan 2, 2012)

Looks like a pretty good start.  Not sure what the questions are, but looks like you're getting the hang of it.

I often wrap a single layer of paper napkin followed by however many layers of thick paper around my finished pen _if_ I need to put it back in the collet.  But as mentioned above, tape should work too.  Mostly I try to avoid it.

Beautiful blank!!  So would that be a polyresin blank, or acrylester, or what?

Ken


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## studioso (Jan 2, 2012)

since I'm starting doing similar pens myself, I totally apreciate the effort here. very well done.
my comments would be that it seems there are too many threads , even if this is triple start die/tap, I count some 12 revolutions, which I think would indicate that you wpuld need to twist the cap 3 full revolutions to get it closed, which might be too much. 


for the white on the threads, I don't know what resin you used, but in my case, where I used acrylic or lucite, I founds that making sure that the die and blank are really well lubricated helps. also hitting the threads with plastic polish while it's on the lathe (using a soft tissue so it will reach the bottom of the threads) will take care of them.

did you thread the inside yet?


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## studioso (Jan 2, 2012)

also, I think that you should consider removing some of the threading on the inside of cap: right now it seems that the threads start right at the very beginning of the cap, so when you close the cap all the way you can still see some of the threading "sticking out". perhaps taper the threading at the beginning of the cap (the way you have done on the male threads on the body) so that the cap will cover more the threads.

I'm not an expert at all, but these are the things I learned while doing my first kitless just this past week!


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## firewhatfire (Jan 2, 2012)

That would be a pr blank I poured. Silmar 41 resin like brooks803 pours with.  I think the discoloring is more residue than anything.  Didn't really worry about cleaning as it has a few issues.  Thanks for the tips and keep em coming.


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## firewhatfire (Jan 2, 2012)

It is a triple start set.  I do have some work to improve upon it.  I already have to start over as I tap'd the inside of the body of the pen with 9x.75 and seem to have stripped them.  Unless I can redrill for a 10 x .75 threads and sucessfully do that without destroying it is a start over anyway.    

The white is just dust from sanding and not cleaning it off, already new it would end up in the recycle bin.    

Still learning about taps and dies never used them before this.



studioso said:


> since I'm starting doing similar pens myself, I totally apreciate the effort here. very well done.
> my comments would be that it seems there are too many threads , even if this is triple start die/tap, I count some 12 revolutions, which I think would indicate that you wpuld need to twist the cap 3 full revolutions to get it closed, which might be too much.
> 
> 
> ...


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## SDB777 (Jan 2, 2012)

Nice swirly blank...


Are you finishing everything on the outside of the blank, and then moving on to the inside(tap-n-die stuff)?  


Are you using a pin chuck for the closed-ends?


Might consider some sort of 'collar' to keep the threads back inside...I'll be watching, still trying to sort out what size triple start set I need to get.




Scott (kitless = awesomeness) B


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## firewhatfire (Jan 2, 2012)

I drilled and tap'd the inside before I turned it.  the die on the outside was after turning to size.  Dont know if that is the right way but how I did it.  I used my new collet set(that was fun trying to figure out)  turned 3 pieces before Igot it right.:befuddled:  I bought the 12 mm triple start set, because that is what seemed right at the time, not sure you can choose wrong.

This is my favorite blank to turn after it is poured, all of them I have tried had looked good.  I think it may be my favorite colors.



SDB777 said:


> Nice swirly blank...
> 
> 
> Are you finishing everything on the outside of the blank, and then moving on to the inside(tap-n-die stuff)?
> ...


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