# Polyester Resin click pencils



## 79spitfire (Nov 16, 2014)

Hi guys! I've been making some Pentel/Foray based click pencils using Polyester resin blanks that I've been making and run into a strange phenomenon and wondered if anyone else has. The clip slips onto the outside of the barrel and is held by spring tension. This tension is slowly squeezing the barrel of the pencil and jamming the pencil mechanism inside! I've 'fixed' one by fitting a brass sleeve inside the barrel where the clip goes. Has anyone else run into this? If you did how did you get around it?

Or do you just not make click pencils from polyresin?


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## its_virgil (Nov 16, 2014)

Seems like you have solved your problem by using a brass tube.  I make the pentel conversion a lot and have used commercial acrylic  leaks but have not had that problem. I've not used homemade polyresin blanks for them. BTW, if you have access to the AAW magazines or online access to them Rich Kleinhenz wrote a very nice article on doing the pentel conversion which is really a nice way to do them. Not sure which month but I could look it up if you are interested.
Do a good turn daily!
Don



79spitfire said:


> Hi guys! I've been making some Pentel/Foray based click pencils using Polyester resin blanks that I've been making and run into a strange phenomenon and wondered if anyone else has. The clip slips onto the outside of the barrel and is held by spring tension. This tension is slowly squeezing the barrel of the pencil and jamming the pencil mechanism inside! I've 'fixed' one by fitting a brass sleeve inside the barrel where the clip goes. Has anyone else run into this? If you did how did you get around it?
> 
> Or do you just not make click pencils from polyresin?


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## wyone (Nov 17, 2014)

I would LOVE to get a copy of the article.  I looked for something posted in the library about doing this conversion but did not find it.  I would also love to see finished pencil pictures.

Thanks


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## its_virgil (Nov 17, 2014)

Are you using the step drill and the special mandrel for the pentel conversion? I'll find the article and get it to you. I have a scanned copy somewhere on my computer.
Don


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## BSea (Nov 17, 2014)

How long does it take to cause the jam?  Also, how old are the blanks you're using?  Blanks will continue to cure for several days (maybe weeks) after they are poured. Even though they feel hard, they're not.  And they may do that over time regardless how old they are.  But you probably already know this.


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## 79spitfire (Nov 17, 2014)

its_virgil said:


> Are you using the step drill and the special mandrel for the pentel conversion? I'll find the article and get it to you. I have a scanned copy somewhere on my computer.
> Don



Yes, it makes it much easier to produce consistent results in wood, acrylic, celluloid, and polyresin. It is not absoulutely needed, as I made several by carefully drilling with a long 1/4", 17/32" 1/8" and 5/32" drills. 

It could be the blank has not fully cured. This is from a batch I poured about a week ago, but I've also had the same phenomenon with another I made about a month ago, with a different brand of resin. This one was Simlar 41, the other was TAP plastics polyester resin. Both used the same pigments. 

The reason for no pictures of the other one? It shattered when I tried to put a sleeve in it.

If I make the pencil thicker in that area it also does not seem to get pinched, I was going for a slimmer look. I made one in some antique celluloid that is a dead ringer for the Pentel, so I was trying to make some polyresin pencils that matched. I also have a client that wants pencils in polyresin. He owns a plastics shop here in town, Wood and weird cotton materials just aren't his thing....


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