# Another one of my "good ole days" pens



## Texatdurango (Nov 30, 2009)

Another of my pens made with the good ole days in mind.

It is called a bulb filler because the pen body itself is the ink resovoir and is filled by dipping the pen in ink and pressing the bulb several times to suck the ink into the pen. The cap sports dual sterling silver accent bands and a ball clip. All parts fabricated by me except nib and clip.

I am just having more fun than is allowed in 23 states!  Comments and or suggestions welcome.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Nov 30, 2009)

George, great execution from a strictly component maker, but I need to know how the other 27 states could be any more fun than that:biggrin:.............ummmm now I remember:biggrin::wink:


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## Rollerbob (Nov 30, 2009)

George, that is looking mighty fine down toward my way!! I spect we can get at least enough gas money for that to get us to the next show!!:biggrin:


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## Texatdurango (Nov 30, 2009)

I thought I might add that I put the ink window at the bottom for two reasons.  1. You can hold the pen up to see how much ink is left and 2. you can see how full the pen is getting when filling it.


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## CaptG (Nov 30, 2009)

That is one awesome lookin pen, George.  Keep up the great work, and keep posting the pics.


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## areaman (Nov 30, 2009)

Great looking pen, very clean lines to it.


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## Phunky_2003 (Nov 30, 2009)

Thats impressive!  Very nice.

James


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## mbroberg (Nov 30, 2009)

It's a real jaw dropper!  Great craftsmanship!


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## Jim15 (Dec 1, 2009)

Outstanding work, it's a beauty.


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## mickr (Dec 1, 2009)

very very nice pen..


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## johncrane (Dec 1, 2009)

The design and shape or lines is first class George! makes it a great looking pen.


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## wood-of-1kind (Dec 1, 2009)

that is an awsome "piece" of work.


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## Texatdurango (Dec 1, 2009)

Rollerbob said:


> George, that is looking mighty fine down toward my way!! I spect we can get at least enough gas money for that to get us to the next show!!:biggrin:


 
Bob, I figure I can sell a few of these at $19.95 to get some quick gas money.  I might do some with some solid gold bands and clips, and I figure those might be worth $25 so we'll have plenty of gas money and it's a good thing, I get 10mpg when towing the fifth wheel!  Retirement... it's a GOOD thing! :biggrin:


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## workinforwood (Dec 1, 2009)

It's a real beauty George.  Does a button clicker operate the same way as a bulb filler?


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## cnirenberg (Dec 1, 2009)

George,
Fantastic looking pen.  By the way, we are supposed to be having fun right?


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## Texatdurango (Dec 1, 2009)

workinforwood said:


> It's a real beauty George. Does a button clicker operate the same way as a bulb filler?


 
No, a button filler relys on a button to depress a pressure bar which in turn compresses the rubber ink sac.  Releasing the button allows the pressure bar to return to a relaxed state which in turn allows the sac to return to normal, sucking in ink as it does.  The bulb filler uses a tiny "syphon tube" to suck ink into the pen.  Several squeezes of the bulb will fill the pen with ink.  

Here is a post I made a few months ago showing a button filler.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52615


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## Texatdurango (Dec 1, 2009)

cnirenberg said:


> George,
> Fantastic looking pen. By the way, we are supposed to be having fun right?


 
Thanks, Yes, we are supposed to be having fun, actually it's mandatory in my shop!  If my sweetie or anyone comes into the shop with their gloomy gus face on, they have to leave... or at least stand in a corner until they can comfortably wear a smile! :biggrin:


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## papaturner (Dec 1, 2009)

Beautiful pen.


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## skiprat (Dec 1, 2009)

Too cool:biggrin:

I never understood the way a bulb works till you said.:redface: Is that the little syphon tube you can just see inside the window of the first pic?

Is this how it works?; Hold the nib in the ink and squeeze the bulb, this then forces a 'bulbful' of air down the tube and the bubbles escape in the ink bottle. Release the bulb and it sucks a bulbful of ink back up the tube into the pen and just keep repeating till filled?

I don't know why, but I always imagined that you'd squeeze the bulb, then dip it in the ink, release. Then I thought you would have to turn the pen upwards and squeeze some more air out:redface:


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## Texatdurango (Dec 1, 2009)

skiprat said:


> Too cool:biggrin:
> 
> I never understood the way a bulb works till you said.:redface: Is that the little syphon tube you can just see inside the window of the first pic?
> 
> ...


 
Please go to the head of the class, you have it figured exactly!   While your thinking cap is on think about how and what you would need to modify in order to supply ink to the nib for writing!  Remember, filling is one thing, writing is another!

I have experimented with different lengths and diameters of bulbs and of course the longer the bulb, the larger gulps of air it can displace thus filling the pen quicker but I have selltled on an even shorter bulb than the one shown.  I doubt anyone will be in such a hurry that two extra squeezes will be a problem.


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## skiprat (Dec 1, 2009)

Texatdurango said:


> While your thinking cap is on think about how and what you would need to modify in order to supply ink to the nib for writing! Remember, filling is one thing, writing is another!
> 
> quote]
> 
> ...


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## Rollerbob (Dec 1, 2009)

skiprat said:


> Texatdurango said:
> 
> 
> > While your thinking cap is on think about how and what you would need to modify in order to supply ink to the nib for writing! Remember, filling is one thing, writing is another!
> ...


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## Phunky_2003 (Dec 1, 2009)

skiprat said:


> Texatdurango said:
> 
> 
> > While your thinking cap is on think about how and what you would need to modify in order to supply ink to the nib for writing! Remember, filling is one thing, writing is another!
> ...


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## ldb2000 (Dec 1, 2009)

Great looking pen George . I like the ink window in the back like that , I'm working on a button filler with a small ink window at the front section .   
When you did your button filler , did you use a breather tube or does the compression of the whole sac pull in enough ink to fill it ?

Skippy , Check out this link http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/fillers.htm .
This is just the section on filling systems . Check out the rest of the site , it's awesome


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## Texatdurango (Dec 1, 2009)

ldb2000 said:


> Great looking pen George . I like the ink window in the back like that , I'm working on a button filler with a small ink window at the front section .
> When you did your button filler , did you use a breather tube or does the compression of the whole sac pull in enough ink to fill it ?
> 
> Skippy , Check out this link http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/fillers.htm .
> This is just the section on filling systems . Check out the rest of the site , it's awesome


With the button filler, the sac compressed then regained it's original size thus sucking in a lot of ink, more than a typical converter for sure.

I am a bit confused, if you are using an ink sac what would be the benefit of a window if the ink is in a sac?  Is the sac somehow attached to the main barrel to where the barrel itself is part of the resovoir similar to a vacumatic? 

Looks like I'm not the only having fun!


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## ldb2000 (Dec 1, 2009)

Texatdurango said:


> With the button filler, the sac compressed then regained it's original size thus sucking in a lot of ink, more than a typical converter for sure.
> 
> I am a bit confused, if you are using an ink sac what would be the benefit of a window if the ink is in a sac? Is the sac somehow attached to the main barrel to where the barrel itself is part of the resovoir similar to a vacumatic?
> 
> Looks like I'm not the only having fun!


 
Thanks George , thats what I thought . The ink window really just shows there is still liquid ink in the pen , not how much . Just playing around with different designs . As a side benefit you can see what color ink is in the pen :biggrin:
I took the idea from Parkers 51 style pens . The center coupler connects the nib to the sac and provides threads to attach body and cap in my case . I just made the coupler from clear PR .


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## CSue (Dec 1, 2009)

Thats a real wonder, George!         :worship::worship::worship:


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## artme (Dec 2, 2009)

Love it!!!:star:

Great execution and a real memory jogger.:highfive:


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## thewishman (Dec 2, 2009)

Great looking pen! I'm surprised that you haven't been asked for a tutorial yet.:wink:


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## Texatdurango (Dec 3, 2009)

thewishman said:


> Great looking pen! I'm surprised that you haven't been asked for a tutorial yet.:wink:


 
There really isn't a need for a tutorial since the construction is pretty straight forward and one could probably just look at the photos and figure things out.  

I found a wealth of information by looking at old diagrams and drawings of pens in old advertisements.


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## bitshird (Dec 3, 2009)

George, you are really making some of us less talented turners turn green and purple with envy, other than that minor issue you are doing some great work, actually some fantastic work!!! I love seeing that level of craftsmanship.


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## Texatdurango (Dec 3, 2009)

bitshird said:


> George, you are really making some of us less talented turners turn green and purple with envy, other than that minor issue you are doing some great work, actually some fantastic work!!! I love seeing that level of craftsmanship.


 
 You know Ken, I'm not discounting the fact that I am an absolutely fantastic _and modest_ pen turner :biggrin: but I don't think it's so much talent as it is practice.  You probably have talents with a metal lathe I can only dream of one day obtaining!

I don't see myself any more talented now than I was two years ago but I can see that I do many things a LOT better now because I do these things over and over.  What's that old saying... "Practice makes perfect", I think there is a lot of truth in it.


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## MuddyWater (Dec 3, 2009)

Great looking pen, as well as many other pens that you have recently posted.  I would be curious though to know where you are sourcing your clips from.  I am working on making more and more of my own componets and like the looks of this clip.


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## Texatdurango (Dec 3, 2009)

MuddyWater said:


> Great looking pen, as well as many other pens that you have recently posted. I would be curious though to know where you are sourcing your clips from. I am working on making more and more of my own componets and like the looks of this clip.


 
Elliot Landes sells the clips...... http://penmakers.com/used.html


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