# (my first) fully kitless



## duncsuss (Jan 21, 2013)

Thanks to the George (Texatdurango) for posting his guide to making a section in the library.

It took me two attempts to make one that allowed the nib feed housing to screw in correctly -- it seems I had a concentricity problem, drilling the holes from opposite ends allowed a tiny error which was just enough to prevent the feed housing from mating.

For the second one I adjusted the order of the steps -- drilling all the holes for the nib/feed unit from the same end and tapping the threads, then turning it around the cut the threads to mate with the barrel and drilling out to receive the cartridge converter.

Success! The barrel and cap were easy in comparison.

In retrospect, putting the cap screwthreads so far back from the end of the barrel wasn't a wise decision, as it forced the cap to be unnaturally long. (It posts, but is unwieldy.) On the positive side -- the pen is very comfortable and well balanced without the cap posted, and the Bock #5 nib writes smoothly (I loaded it with Noodler's Polar Blue.)


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## ironman123 (Jan 21, 2013)

Congratulations on your first.  Looks nice, I like it.

Ray


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## lorbay (Jan 21, 2013)

Congrats. looks very nice.

Lin.


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## thewishman (Jan 21, 2013)

The first one sure teaches you a lot. Congrats on getting it done!

It feels so nice to know that you can do it, doesn't it?


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## BSea (Jan 21, 2013)

I think getting the cap length right is a problem many of us had issues with when we did our 1st couple of kitless pens.  And one advantage to putting the cap threads over the section threads is that it hides them so they don't show through.  Although some people like seeing the threads on these pens.  And with some material, it's going to show no matter what you do.

The 1st few are such a learning experience, and really make you think.  Good work!!


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## duncsuss (Jan 21, 2013)

ironman123 said:


> Congratulations on your first.  Looks nice, I like it.
> 
> Ray





lorbay said:


> Congrats. looks very nice.
> 
> Lin.





thewishman said:


> The first one sure teaches you a lot. Congrats on getting it done!
> 
> It feels so nice to know that you can do it, doesn't it?





BSea said:


> I think getting the cap length right is a problem many of us had issues with when we did our 1st couple of kitless pens.  And one advantage to putting the cap threads over the section threads is that it hides them so they don't show through.  Although some people like seeing the threads on these pens.  And with some material, it's going to show no matter what you do.
> 
> The 1st few are such a learning experience, and really make you think.  Good work!!



Thanks everyone 

I moved the threads back from the section because I didn't want to feel them when I'm holding the pen, I thought it would be irritating.

That was based on my prior experience with x 1 threads, the difference in feel using x 0.75 threads is significant -- and I don't think these would bother me at all (especially after they've been polished with micromesh).


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## BSea (Jan 21, 2013)

duncsuss said:


> I moved the threads back from the section because I didn't want to feel them when I'm holding the pen, I thought it would be irritating.
> 
> That was based on my prior experience with x 1 threads, the difference in feel using x 0.75 threads is significant -- and I don't think these would bother me at all (especially after they've been polished with micromesh).


I did the same thing on an xacto knife I made.  I thought the threads would bother me. But they really don't, and I ended up with a really long cap.


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## duncsuss (Jan 21, 2013)

BSea said:


> duncsuss said:
> 
> 
> > I moved the threads back from the section because I didn't want to feel them when I'm holding the pen, I thought it would be irritating.
> ...



that's a great knife -- thanks for the idea, I have a friend who's a graphic artist and now I know what I can do next time I want to give him a present


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