# Rollerball nib/section question...



## Hendu3270 (Mar 16, 2014)

Just easing into kitless (more accurately custom) pen making. I'm not into fountain pens and don't know a single person who uses them. I'm thinking rollerball / ballpoint and I have a couple in progress using a rollerball from a Vertex and even from a slim, (just testing the waters). The cartridge rollerball system at the link below from exoticblanks...

Exotic Blanks :: Refills, Inks & Nibs! :: Fountain Pen Nibs & Accessories :: Cartridge Rollerball System

the clear plastic piece in the pic, that holds the ink, screws on to the threaded area it looks like. So you would turn a section that this nib would just slide in to, correct? Don't have any in hand, so is it sized for a typical sized drill bit? And also, I foresee a huge mess trying to fill this with an ink bottle used for fountain pens. What's the method for filling something like this without ending up with ink all over yourself?


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## lorbay (Mar 16, 2014)

The clear plastic cap in the picture is a snap cap that fits over the roller ball for protection and can also be installed in the cap of your pen to make it a snap cap fitting instead of a screw cap.
The roller ball nib in the picture will accept an ink cartridge or a piston filler.
Lin.


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## mredburn (Mar 16, 2014)

6.5 x.5 tap for the threads.


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## Hendu3270 (Mar 16, 2014)

Ahhh, I gotcha. Thanks for the info guys.


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## Penultimate (Mar 17, 2014)

Chris
I just finished a pen with this nib except I didn't use the snap cap. I drilled the ID of the threaded portion of the section with a #1 drill and the drilled out the rest with a letter I drill. I cheaped out and bought a 1/4 - 50 WF (Whitworth Fine) tap (about $8 on eBay) for the threaded section because 6.4 mm is .252 inches and .5 pitch is 50.8TPI. The molded threads have a lot of clearance in the root and the flanks are thin. If you lay the tap threads on the nib threads they match perfectly. I had no trouble threading the nib in securely.

I use cartridges and the ink flows from the medium point easily. It writes smoothly like the nib is floating on a ribbon of ink. I don't get that feeling with my fountain pen. 

Good luck and have fun.

P.S. For my first custom fountain pen I used a feed from a Vertex fountain pen.


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## Hendu3270 (Mar 18, 2014)

Penultimate said:


> Chris
> I just finished a pen with this nib except I didn't use the snap cap. I drilled the ID of the threaded portion of the section with a #1 drill and the drilled out the rest with a letter I drill. I cheaped out and bought a 1/4 - 50 WF (Whitworth Fine) tap (about $8 on eBay) for the threaded section because 6.4 mm is .252 inches and .5 pitch is 50.8TPI. The molded threads have a lot of clearance in the root and the flanks are thin. If you lay the tap threads on the nib threads they match perfectly. I had no trouble threading the nib in securely.
> 
> I use cartridges and the ink flows from the medium point easily. It writes smoothly like the nib is floating on a ribbon of ink. I don't get that feeling with my fountain pen.
> ...


 
Thanks for the info and pics Mike. Pen looks great! Nice to see this exact nib used in an example. Did a little searching yesterday and didn't find the right size tap for it so it's good to know of an alternative. :good:


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## mredburn (Mar 18, 2014)

http://content.penturners.org/library/general_reference/taps_dies_kitless.pdf   I sell the tap, Richard Greenwald sells a 6.4 x.5 tap which will also work as well as the roller writer.


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## Hendu3270 (Mar 18, 2014)

mredburn said:


> http://content.penturners.org/library/general_reference/taps_dies_kitless.pdf I sell the tap, Richard Greenwald sells a 6.4 x.5 tap which will also work as well as the roller writer.


 

Thanks Mike. Didn't snap that you had them for some reason. That tutorial was very helpful when I was getting my head wrapped around this by the way. Thank you.


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## yaroslaw (Mar 19, 2014)

This thing is really neat as they can swap with Schmidt nib-feed-holder assembly easily (do not know of others, Bock and JoWo?).
That makes me have "rollerball" option of custom FP that I make with Schmidt nibs, and already led to one sale.


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## Hendu3270 (Mar 26, 2014)

Does anyone know which one of the converters (KL-5 or K-6) fit this this nib?


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## mredburn (Mar 26, 2014)

THe k-5  fits it


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## Hendu3270 (Mar 26, 2014)

Thanks Mike.


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## Hendu3270 (Mar 26, 2014)

Just purchased the tap from you Mike. Thanks for the info in this thread.


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## mredburn (Mar 26, 2014)

I will have it in the mail tomorrow!
Thanks 

Mike


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## tangoman (Mar 27, 2014)

*Polishing the threads ?*

Fellas,

Strange question ?

What is the best way of polishing the thread on the pen body that the cap screws onto ?

I feel this has let down the few kitless attempts I've tried, apart from the poor design and execution,LOL !

Regards,
Cam


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## mredburn (Mar 27, 2014)

here is a thread on it. http://www.penturners.org/forum/f56/shiny-google-page-ranking-threads-how-u-do-dat-98206/


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 3, 2014)

yaroslaw said:


> This thing is really neat as they can swap with Schmidt nib-feed-holder assembly easily (do not know of others, Bock and JoWo?).
> That makes me have "rollerball" option of custom FP that I make with Schmidt nibs, and already led to one sale.


 
Where can you find the Schmidt nib-feed-holder assembly? I was searching last night for nibs, feeds and the housing that screws into the section, but only find the bock, and it doesn't match the tap I have for these rollerball. Was hoping to find a housing and feed that will work with a decent nib and NOT have to buy another tap.


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## mredburn (Apr 3, 2014)

#5 jowo nibs From Meister Nib at Meisternibs - Steel Nibs


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 3, 2014)

mredburn said:


> #5 jowo nibs From Meister Nib at Meisternibs - Steel Nibs


 
Man! you have all the answers. Thanks Mike!

Are these nibs interchangable with bock or heritance? Or are these on par with those already and no need to change?


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 3, 2014)

Nevermind, just snapped these are jowo. :wink:


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## mredburn (Apr 3, 2014)

They are compatible or better than Bock. THey are considered to be an upgraded nib. No need to change them.


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 3, 2014)

mredburn said:


> They are compatible or better than Bock. THey are considered to be an upgraded nib. No need to change them.


 
Thank you Sir!


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 5, 2014)

mredburn said:


> 6.5 x.5 tap for the threads.


 
Mike, two questions for you. I know you posted this info recently because I saw it, but can't find it and didn't write it down. What is preferred size bit for the above size tap I bought for you?

And second, do you, or anyone else, know the size of tap I would need for the Vertex feed housing?


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## Penultimate (Apr 5, 2014)

Chris
I used a Vertex section on for my first custom FP. I used a compatible whit worth tap cause it was cheaper so the 6.4-.5 tap will work.


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 5, 2014)

Hendu3270 said:


> mredburn said:
> 
> 
> > 6.5 x.5 tap for the threads.
> ...


 

FROM you...not for you. lol


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## mredburn (Apr 5, 2014)

THe 6.5 a B or C drill bit will work I use C. For the the 7.4 use a 7mm or J drill bit.


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## avbill (Apr 27, 2014)

*Converter  I'm lost  why a converter and what is it used for?*

Does anyone know which one of the converters (KL-5 or K-6) fit this this nib?


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## Hendu3270 (Apr 27, 2014)

avbill said:


> Does anyone know which one of the converters (KL-5 or K-6) fit this this nib?


 

I bought the 5 for mine and they work fine. I've not tried the 6, but was told they also work just fine with this nib.


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## Tclem76 (Jan 8, 2015)

lorbay said:


> The clear plastic cap in the picture is a snap cap that fits over the roller ball for protection and can also be installed in the cap of your pen to make it a snap cap fitting instead of a screw cap.
> The roller ball nib in the picture will accept an ink cartridge or a piston filler.
> Lin.



So you just insert the plastic cap into the cap of your pen and don't have to thread the cap to the body?


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