# clips on caps for kitless



## watch_art (May 9, 2012)

I had asked a while back about doing finials and clips, and gotten different bits of advice.
Here's what I'm doing now.

Drill out the cap 55mm with a 23/64 to give room for the nib.
Drill 5mm deeper with K bit, give or take, to 60mm for the threads for the finial.  5/16" threading will go there.
Drill out to 17/32 and thread 9/16" - about 14mm really.
Then drill with 19/32" to kill some threads and allow part of the barrel to be hidden by the cap.

Turn the pen to shape, with the finial end about 15.5-16mm diameter so I have room for a lip to hide the edge of the clip.  Or I could turn it to just under 14mm and let the whole clip ring show like on that blue one I did the other day.  If I do that I need a little raised lip on the cap side to hold the clip centered on the cap.  Easy to do.

So get the cap turned and cut it off, turn it around in a collet chuck, and turn off some of the end exposing the hole and thread 5/16", then take off some material around the threads to allow the finial to seat against the cap, and then cut out a little recess with a wall around the edge for the ring to sit in deep enough so the finial will snug down against the cap and not leave a tiny gap.  

I think that covers it all.

Thought I'd share.
Comments or criticisms welcome.  I can use all the help I can get.
Cheers!


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## Robert111 (May 16, 2012)

watch_art said:


> I had asked a while back about doing finials and clips, and gotten different bits of advice.
> Here's what I'm doing now.
> 
> Drill out the cap 55mm with a 23/64 to give room for the nib.
> ...



Question for you on killing threads: I've done that with a drill bit and don't particularly like it. Leaves a scratched surface that's hard to clean up. 

On clip rings: Have you tried to cut a ring on the newly available clips from Classic and IPD and reshape them to make the OD smaller, allowing a smaller diameter for the cap itself?


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## watch_art (May 16, 2012)

Killing threads - I've had some bits do that - I just figured they were kinda dull.  With some of my nicer bits (not from the HF kit) I've had really good luck.  DeWalt bits are pretty sharp.

clip rings - I have NO interest in modifying clip rings except maybe cutting a notch out to make them bigger or smaller.  I've drilled the inside of a clip ring out and I've decided I just won't use those clips at all.  Not worth the time involved.


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## Robert111 (May 16, 2012)

watch_art said:


> Killing threads - I've had some bits do that - I just figured they were kinda dull.  With some of my nicer bits (not from the HF kit) I've had really good luck.  DeWalt bits are pretty sharp.
> 
> clip rings - I have NO interest in modifying clip rings except maybe cutting a notch out to make them bigger or smaller.  I've drilled the inside of a clip ring out and I've decided I just won't use those clips at all.  Not worth the time involved.



Yeah, that's what I meant. Have you tried that?


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## watch_art (May 16, 2012)

Oh - then yeah, I've done it once or twice.  It's pretty easy.  You just cut a small notch out, sort of bend the ring to fit your cap, and adjust as needed.  I just use some wire dikes to cut a piece of the ring away.


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## bluwolf (May 16, 2012)

For drilling out some of the threads and creating a recess that hides the top of the barrel use a router bit in your tailstock. In your example a 9/16" (.5625) would probably work. 

I use endmills because I have them. Actually, endmills might be easier to find in a size like that. I don't think a cheap HSS endmill would be any more expensive than a decent router bit. Buy a 4 flute rather than the 2 flute.

It will cut a smooth, clean hole and leave a nice flat bottom to the recess.

Mike


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## watch_art (May 16, 2012)

Router bits huh?  Never thought of that.


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## Robert111 (May 16, 2012)

bluwolf said:


> For drilling out some of the threads and creating a recess that hides the top of the barrel use a router bit in your tailstock. In your example a 9/16" (.5625) would probably work.
> 
> I use endmills because I have them. Actually, endmills might be easier to find in a size like that. I don't think a cheap HSS endmill would be any more expensive than a decent router bit. Buy a 4 flute rather than the 2 flute.
> 
> ...



Yup, that's what I was thinking. I bought a couple four-flute endmills to try.


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