# Spectra



## btboone (Nov 12, 2005)

Here's an updated version of my mokume pen.  This one can work either with a base or with a cap.  The main things that needed changing from my first version was that the cap lines didn't flow with the body when it was on, and the taper fit of the cap without threads wasn't bulletproof.  It could get knocked loose in a pocket.  This one has some threads (although not much!) that hold the cap.  I experimented with lots of different threads including some with 30 leads!  I settled on a 4 lead thread.  The dimensions of the threads were dictated by the fact that I always have a 1/2" carbide drill in the lathe for my rings, so I wanted to use that.  I made the inside of the cap (or base) threads to that dimension and made them to a height that "looked right."  Because I'm making both parts, they didn't have to match anything else.  They have an OD of .541" and a lead of .104".  You won't find that at the hardware store.    I used the same drills and threads that Spyra has to connect the barrel to the back body.  The nib is the small gold one from Anthony with the same brass nut setup as Spyra has.  I made a lathe program and a milling fixture to make those today.

My intension was to get a pen that was much simpler to make than Spyra so the cost could come down.  The mokume is an upgrade to the base pen, which has grooves with a fade of anodized colors.  It will be less than half the cost of Spyra.  I'm finishing that one up this weekend.  A certain magazine has asked to take pictures of my penS, so I figured I better get it in high gear to have some penS to show them.  The twisting fountain pen needs more development, so that was out of the running for now.


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## btboone (Nov 12, 2005)

Here's a picture of it closed.  I made the threads so that they only need a quarter turn to release it.  This pen will take two hands to open it, so I didn't bother weighting the base.  I'll probably make a laser engraved wood veneer plate to stick on the base, so it both has the name and won't scratch a desk top.


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## wdcav1952 (Nov 12, 2005)

Earth to Bruce Boone, mere mortals to Bruce Boone!

Damn!

BTW, that means awesome!


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## btboone (Nov 12, 2005)

It does kinda look like a space ship doesn't it?  []  The base with grooves on it reminds me of a rocket engine.


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## Ron Mc (Nov 12, 2005)

Absolutely perfect! How would one go about acquiring one of the masterpieces?


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## btboone (Nov 12, 2005)

One would just let me know and it could certainly be arranged. []  I'll probably offer an option of white gold/ silver mokume or the yellow gold/ silver shown.  I blackened the silver in this case but would leave it natural in the case of the white gold mokume.  The whole thing will be offered in polished or brushed finish.  Polished looks nice for pictures once you remove all the fingerprints, but brushed might be a more practical finish for every day use.


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## btboone (Nov 12, 2005)

<br />

Here's a picture of the main parts.  The clip on this one is similar to the one I used before, except that this one is longer and more narrow, so should flex more than the last one.  The clip is titanium and will have an anodized fade.  The grooves will have a fade of a light blue through a dark blue in them.  They are spaced in a mathematical function.  The shape of the pen itself is derived from an airfoil shape, which has a 5th order polynomial.  I used to build bikes with airfoil shaped bodies, so I made some programs that draw them in CAD.  Just the usual stuff.


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## woodscavenger (Nov 12, 2005)

Does it also have a standard cap?  I think a pen like that would be great with the desk top mount and a cap so you could take it out and show it off.  If I had that pen I would show it off to everyone!!


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## btboone (Nov 12, 2005)

Hi Shane, yes, the cap and base are interchangeable.  That's the cap in the picture above with the bar that it was machined from still attached.  It can be made with or without the grooves.  I'm not yet sure whether to sell it with one or the other, or to offer the option of both.  I'll be finishing up on the capped version tomorrow, so I'll take pics of that.


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## wdcav1952 (Nov 12, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Ron Mc_
> <br />Absolutely perfect! How would one go about acquiring one of the masterpieces?



Buy gun, rob bank, call Bruce. []


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## alamocdc (Nov 13, 2005)

> _Originally posted by wdcav1952_
> <br />Damn!
> 
> BTW, that means awesome!


Took the words right outta my mouth!


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## driften (Nov 13, 2005)

Yet again you did the work of a master. Good luck on the magazine!


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## YoYoSpin (Nov 13, 2005)

Bruce, that is just about as good as it gets...I see a CNC metal lathe in my future []


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## rabbit (Nov 13, 2005)




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## rtjw (Nov 13, 2005)

Still amazing me everytime you post something Bruce. Great Job.


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## GregD (Nov 13, 2005)

Awsome looking pen Bruce, It's kinda hard to see from your pictures, what did you use for the inlays???


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## btboone (Nov 13, 2005)

Thanks guys.  Greg, the inlay is mokume gane, which is a mixture of 22K gold and sterling silver.  In Japanese, it means wood grain metal.  It is formed by stacking thin layers of the alternating metals and squeezing them together and cooking them in a kiln at just under the melting temterature.  This causes the metals to flow together into a solid sandwich of alternating layers.  When cool, the artist cuts through the layers in random lines with an abrasive tool.  This exposes the different layers just as the different layers of rock are exposed at the grand canyon.  The metal is then rolled flat so those layers become concentric designs of the different metals.  Fortunately, I am able to buy the material ready made by a mokume gane artist.  I get it in sheet form and slit it to width.  It gets hammered into an undercut groove.  This is pretty tricky on a pen because there isn't the same support that a mandrel in a ring has.  It all gets ground to flush and finished like usual.  I blacken the silver with Liver of Sulphur.  The material is pretty expensive though.  A square of it 3 x 3" costs around $1700.  Right now, I'm thinking the mokume option will add around $200 over the base pen price of $795.  It's a lot of extra work, so I need to be careful because I imagine most pens would be sold through dealers at less than that.

Without seeing the final anodized version yet, I'd like to get people's opinion on the pricing.  Is $795 fair, and should that include both the cap and the base?  It's a bit below the simpler ones from Tighe and is pretty consistant with the amount of work and material it takes.  I need a price point that will definitely get them into the hands of collectors.  This will open the door to selling the more high end Spyra.  I also need to consider if the $20 jewelry box I was thinking of using for Spyra would be the same one I use with this one.  It might be good to be consistant there.


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## Darley (Nov 13, 2005)

Amazing Bruce, very nice pen, do you need an apprentice ?[] I will wipe off those fingers print from your pen[]


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## lkorn (Nov 13, 2005)

Bruce, you've done it again.  One day I'll learn to write with a fountain pen (southpaw) and ave my milk-money for one of your creations.  
Absolutely beautiful!!


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## btboone (Nov 13, 2005)

Serge, Yes! I could certainly use an apprentice.  Sounds like the commute might be a bit harsh though. [8D]


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## btboone (Nov 13, 2005)

Here's a picture of the capped and anodized Spectra.  This would be the normal version of the pen.  I think I will take Shane's cue and offer the pen with both the cap and the desk base as standard equipment.  It has a fairly clean look.  The grooves help the grip on the barrel section.  

I moved all the grooves from the prototype to a point where the joint between the cap and back are located in a groove.  It looks a lot better that way.  I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out.


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## Darley (Nov 13, 2005)

> _Originally posted by btboone_
> <br />Serge, Yes! I could certainly use an apprentice.  Sounds like the commute might be a bit harsh though. [8D]




Thank you very much Bruce for the offer, I take it ! but before I buy the plane ticket for the States could you send me the pen like that I can polished it for you ? []


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## btboone (Nov 13, 2005)

Here's a pic with the cap open.  The anodize fade continues on the barrel.


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## btboone (Nov 13, 2005)

<br />

Here's a picture of it in the base.  Now that the grooves line up, the look is so much cleaner.

Please let me know your thoughts on the mokume versus the anodized versions.


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## Darley (Nov 13, 2005)

Bruce both pens are stunning but I would prefer the mokume first only the cap doesn't apeal to me ( to big for the design of the pen IMHO )would say that the cap of the 2nd pen will go to it if you add 2 rings of mokume, 1 at the junction of meeting point and 1 just after the clip


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## btboone (Nov 13, 2005)

Hi Serge, I looked at shortening the cap, but it would take shortening the barrel or retracting the nib more into the body.  Either way, the grip seemed to be compromised.  It just feels too short, and your hand needs to hold the larger diameter back barrel that way.  The cap is as short as the shape allows.  You need 3 dimensional clearance around the nib because it's offset from center and flares out wide.  I looked at rounding the end more, but it just didn't seem to flow as much for me.  With the way the mokume inlay works, although it would look better, I wouldn't be able to have just one end of it supported to have it at the junction.  I also don't have the thickness needed to put some on the lower end of the cap.  I agree that they look a bit low down on the body.  I have the option of putting one stripe about 3/8" or so above the intersection line on the cap, but getting closer runs into the internal threads.  I was also worried about hammering on such a thin section.  It might get bent out of shape.  I'll look at the drawings again and see if anything is possible there. Good observations.  I appreciate the feedback.


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## csb333 (Nov 15, 2005)

It's just great the way it is. Those guys that want to buy a gun, rob a bank, and buy a pen should call you. I bet you could make them a gun that is better than any you could buy! Your pens are awesome.


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## btboone (Nov 15, 2005)

Thanks Chris, I appreciate your feedback.

Please, others who haven't commented, let me know what you think, good, bad, or indifferent.


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## PenWorks (Nov 15, 2005)

Looks good, I like it in both configerations. Better looking with the cap.
Reminds me a a Cross Verve.


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## btboone (Nov 15, 2005)

I like the Verve.  I wish I could do a nib like they do.  Their clip retracts into the body too.  That's a dialed in design.


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## TimElliot (Nov 15, 2005)

Awesome Bruce.  I wish I had your expensive "toys" 

How do you join the ends of the inlay?  Solder?  I assume the pattern has a mis-match at the joint but is not too visible due to the random pattern.


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## Paul in OKC (Nov 15, 2005)

All I can say is WOW. I do like the version with the cap better. Did you do a cap for the mokume pen?


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## btboone (Nov 15, 2005)

Hi Guys. I did do a cap for the mokume version, but just left it all polished.  The cap portion is very thin, so I don't know if I can get by with inlaying there.  I'd need to try it.  The inlay is done cold, and without solder.  There will be a seam at the start point, but if I've done it right, there will be no gap in the metal.  It all flows together and is invisible when finished out.


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## alamocdc (Nov 15, 2005)

I like both versions, Bruce, but I may be partial to the mokume. Even if it was not polished.

EDIT: Removed duplicative post. I hate clicking the wrong icon! [B)]


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## btboone (Nov 15, 2005)

The polished certainly looks nice for the pictures, but gets fingerprinted up very quickly.  It sure is a lot of work to get to that kind of polish too.  I use micromesh to get machining marks out and go up to around 8000 grit before ever touching a polishing wheel.  This keeps the fine pits caused from the polishing wheel away.


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## Jim in Oakville (Nov 16, 2005)

Speechless!!


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## woodscavenger (Nov 16, 2005)

Bruce, I am still not sure about which one would be best.  For a more detailed opinion please send both pens to Shane Maxwell, 3529 Cedar Post Road, Winston-Salem, NC  27127[]

In reality I like the mokume better.  There are a few too many ring for me on the other one.   The mokume version is a little more understated.  I like it.


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## pastorbill1952 (Nov 16, 2005)

I am totally amazed at the craftsmanship of your pen.


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## btboone (Nov 16, 2005)

Thanks guys.  [] Shane, in your opinion, does the anodizing or the rings make the standard version look busy to you?  I can do it without the anodizing, where it all is just brushed. Is that different or better?


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## Old Griz (Nov 16, 2005)

Actually Bruce have you considered, no rings, brushed finish and a faded anodizing.


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## btboone (Nov 16, 2005)

Hi Tom, The anodizing is something that can scratch, so it's normally done down in grooves.  It starts out as all anodized like that, then I have to sand it all off, leaving it in the grooves only.


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## Old Griz (Nov 16, 2005)

OH WELL... so much for my brilliant idea... [][]


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## btboone (Nov 16, 2005)

For what it's worth, it does look pretty cool like that Tom. []


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## driften (Nov 16, 2005)

I enjoy seeing both versions. I like the polished mokume better of the two.


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## Doghouse (Nov 16, 2005)

No question about it, you have blown away my expectations of what could be done with metal!


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## btboone (Nov 16, 2005)

Thanks for your input guys.  Doghouse, if I could find some acrylic in a 1 1/4" diameter, I'd be able to do it in acrylic.  Polyester would be a bit brittle, but acrylic would do nicely.


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## chigdon (Nov 17, 2005)

Bruce, as always I am amazed.  To me the mokume version looks much more expensive than the anodized.  I think the anadized is amazing but the mokume is more classy.  I also prefer the cap to the base but I am used to carrying around a pen (which rules out a fountain pen anyway).  On the serious high end pens you might want to consider selling them with both the base and a cap -- of course pricing accordingly.


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## woodscavenger (Nov 17, 2005)

Bruce, I think as a separate pen the anodized is really cool and like to get a lot of attention but as a side by side comparision I like the mokume.  I think the anodized is better than the non-anodized version.


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