# My first good pen, first post



## Matt8643 (Apr 7, 2011)

Hi everyone, Ive been lurking and reading as much as I can on here the last few weeks. This is probably about my tenth pen or so and the first one that's not a slimline. It is an Apollo Infinity from PSI. I made it with a beautiful blank I got from El Mostro here on the forum. His blanks are gorgeous! Thanks Mostro. Next, I'm going to have to work on taking good photographs. The finish is more glossy in person than comes through in the photos. 

One thing I definitely dont like about this kit is that the large gold centerband moves when the cap is off the pen. When its screwed onto the pen it doesnt move because of the outward pressure exerted on the coupler when its threaded onto the pen. Does anyone know of a way to stop this movement, like a drop of glue behind the gold band? 

Thanks for looking. Love this forum!
~Matt


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## OLDMAN5050 (Apr 7, 2011)

I am impressed, my first ones were nothing as good as that..................your lurking has paid off well..........


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## SkookumPens (Apr 7, 2011)

Great looking pen.
Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA


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## Drstrangefart (Apr 7, 2011)

That's WAAAY  more of a pen than I was willing to try that early on. Beautiful!


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## SDB777 (Apr 7, 2011)

Whew...sure glad I read this is the tenth(or so) pen you've made....was feeling pretty down about my 'first' after seeing your 'first'.


Good choice with the component set and the blank.  Apollo's are pretty nice kits, and you can not go wrong with an ElMostro blank(Eugene makes some nice stuff that turns really well).  Before this turns into a commercial....



*BIG THUMBS UP!!!!*





Scott (well done for you) B


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## Matt8643 (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks guys.


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## Padre (Apr 7, 2011)

Nice pen.  And WELCOME TO THE IAP


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## G1Pens (Apr 7, 2011)

Beautiful pen. Looks fantastic for only the 10th one.


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## bobjackson (Apr 7, 2011)

Matt, that's great. Nice fit and finish. beautiful blank. Congrats.


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## broitblat (Apr 7, 2011)

Nicely done for a 10th or a 1000th...

  -Barry


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## PenMan1 (Apr 7, 2011)

Absolutely stunning! I can't make those Eugene Blanks or the Apollo set look that good after many years of trying.

You paid very close attention and learned well from your lurking! Welcome aboard, and KEEP POSTING!!!!! I'd sing more praises, but I'm back to the lathe to "practice".


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## simomatra (Apr 7, 2011)

Nice pen way too far up the totem pole on my first pens, all cheap wooden slimlines in cheap blanks


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## Lenny (Apr 7, 2011)

broitblat said:


> Nicely done for a 10th or a 1000th...
> 
> -Barry


 

+1
Barry pretty much summed up my thoughts on the subject! 

Well done! and Welcome to the IAP!


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## Matt8643 (Apr 7, 2011)

You're too kind Andy! 

BTW- I tightened the coupler into the cap barrel and that stopped the center band from moving. I just had to be gentle because the coupler is plastic and doesn't feel like it can withstand a lot of pressure.


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## MorganGrafixx (Apr 7, 2011)

Looking good! Nice kit, nice blank, nice finish. 
The only things I can see to point out as constructive criticism are the fit (where the clip end of the cap meets the top of the blank) and the shape of the lower section. 
The clip ring looks to be just proud of the perimeter of the blank. As far as the shape goes, the cap is spot on. The bulge follows the curve of the clip nicely, but the lower section seems a bit fat to me. 
In my personal opinion, the kit is busy enough with the filigree and the blank is busy enough with the burl/acrylic swirling, that adding the curve of the barrel takes away from the look of the pen as a whole. It gives it a chunky or cumbersome look. That pen kit to me has a very elegant almost feminine feel to it. The body of the instrument should have a more feminine shape to pair with the nib holder section. This is not to say you should turn it perfectly flat either. I think that looks worse than a large wasp waist. I try to keep a 1/3 - 2/3 rule with the shape. Mentally cut the barrel into thirds. The widest point of your barrel should fall on the line separating the first and second thirds. And the bulge should be one that naturally follows the line of sight from the metal angle on that end.
Please don't take any of what I'm saying personally. As a matter of fact, the first pens I posted on here a couple years ago were along the same lines. They got the "Wasp Waist" comments. I was told not to exaggerate that shape and instead keep it more streamlined and let the material do the "talking". In some cases I still prefer a larger bulge on the barrel, but for the most part pens just look more elegant/sleek/streamlined when it's not so pronounced.


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## Jgrden (Apr 7, 2011)

Looks like you are on the way to a great future in making pens. This one will fetch a nice price. Good work.


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## Matt8643 (Apr 7, 2011)

Morgan, you have a very good eye! That clip IS slightly more proud then the barrel. In my effort to get as close to the bushung as possible, I actually turned it down slightly more than I needed. I like your 1/3- 2/3 philosophy. I heard Barry Gross talk about it briefly on a YouTube video but I didn't quite understand it until you just explained it. All constructive criticism is welcome.
Thanks


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## PenMan1 (Apr 7, 2011)

Matt8643 said:


> You're too kind Andy!
> 
> BTW- I tightened the coupler into the cap barrel and that stopped the center band from moving. I just had to be gentle because the coupler is plastic and doesn't feel like it can withstand a lot of pressure.


 
Two words, RED LOCTITE!

If you are a scientist or chemist, Loctite shouldn't really work. BUT, I can tell you, first hand, that on more than one ocassion, it has made me look like a better penmaker than I am...

Red Loctite...Don't leave home without it...wait, someother company already said that:biggrin:


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## Matt8643 (Apr 7, 2011)

You know Andy, I was thinking about using Loctite too. I have blue and red in my garage for when I work on my Harley. I guess I have another use for it now!


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## boxxmaker (Apr 7, 2011)

Beautifull work,I love it


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## PenMan1 (Apr 7, 2011)

Matt8643 said:


> You know Andy, I was thinking about using Loctite too. I have blue and red in my garage for when I work on my Harley. I guess I have another use for it now!


 

FWIW:
I sold Harley's for a long time! In the old days, we had to put cardboard under them in the showroom......That was before Loctite was invented!

Without Locitie, HD would be out of business:biggrin::biggrin:


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## bitshird (Apr 7, 2011)

Very nicely done, I haven't made any of the Apollo series, but to me they look very similar to the Churchill line of pens, and I've made dozens of them, but I've never noticed any problem with the trim band rotating, could it be that the coupler isn't quite pressed in far enough by a couple of thousandths??


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## Matt8643 (Apr 7, 2011)

Ken, that's exactly what the problem was. I pressed it in a little more and problem was solved.


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## MartinPens (Apr 8, 2011)

I would say you are well on your way!  I rather like the look of this kit with that blank style. I like the 1/3 - 2/3 advice given. Your photos are fantastic. Be careful what you wish for. When you get that nice reflective glossy shine in the photo it can then start to become a distraction. I can see from some highlights that your finish is spot on and the photos - without glare - really show off the wood and pen!  Great job!

One thing I would like to mention. I have made many Churchill kits and have found the the plastic nib coupler snaps under normal use/pressure. It was the only pen I was getting back due to breakage from customers.  I order my kits from Berea and they always include a metal nib coupler to replace the plastic one. If I can find the link I will post a link to a sight that sells nib couplers. You can also, I think, call Berea Hardwoods and they will sell them in bulk quantities. I will not make a Churchill using a plastic nib holder again. In my opinion it is a defective part.

Fantastic work!!

Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## Matt8643 (Apr 8, 2011)

Than you very much Martin! I'm going to have to take a look at those Churchill kits from Berea. Metal couplers would definitely be much better with these kits.


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## MartinPens (Apr 8, 2011)

I finally found the post and links. See if these help



			
				Russianwolf said:
			
		

> Check out http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/ and http://www.beartoothwoods.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=3f67398d2dcae1664015e55c4db68664
> 
> They are both Berea resellers and have great deals and faster shipping, plus they have more materials (blanks, etc.) from other suppliers also.




Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## Matt8643 (Apr 9, 2011)

Nice! Thanks.


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