# Highest Quality Kits?



## paulwmichael (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm fairly new at pen turning.  My goal is to make very high quality, durable, and elegant pens for gifts.  Any suggestions for pen kit suppliers?  Thanks!


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## Edgar (Mar 26, 2015)

Welcome aboard
Check out the IAP vendors in these two forums:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f208/
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f172/

You will find the best quality kits available at the best prices with the best customer service from any of these fine folks.


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## gbpens (Mar 26, 2015)

Also try Berea Hardwoods and Craft Supply USA. In silver tone look for rhodium, platinum or chrome plating. For gold tone look for titanium gold. Stay away from "satin" plating. IT nicks easily.


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## Dan Masshardt (Mar 26, 2015)

I like the quality of kits by lazerlinez and dayacom.    Other suppliers are mixed.  Berea does have some good solid options at good prices.


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## TonyL (Mar 26, 2015)

I have not tried all, but IMHO, LaserLinez are very good and reasonanly priced especially for the price.


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## sbrant (Mar 26, 2015)

I have had good luck with the sterling silver sedona from Arizona Silhouette.


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## paulwmichael (Mar 27, 2015)

*Great info*

Thanks for the guidance everyone!  Do you find that suppliers excel at particular kits, or do the ones you mentioned have great kits across the board?  If the former, which kits do you like from which suppliers?  Since I'm so new, any insight helps a bunch.  Thanks.


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## Smitty37 (Mar 27, 2015)

paulwmichael said:


> I'm fairly new at pen turning.  My goal is to make very high quality, durable, and elegant pens for gifts.  Any suggestions for pen kit suppliers?  Thanks!


Are you looking for quality meaning "glitz" or as penturners like to say "bling" = higher price or quality meaning, good looking but not glitzy, well made, and durable?  Both definitions of quality get tossed around here.

In short are you talking about >$20 kits or <$20 kits.


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## MrBassMan (Mar 28, 2015)

IMHO Craft Supply USA kits are very good...and their transmissions are exceptionally smooth.

Woodcraft pen kits are OK if you're just getting started, however I personally wouldn't use a low-end woodcraft kit for a commission piece, but YMMV


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## vtgaryw (Mar 28, 2015)

Quality is in the eye of the beholder.  I've been using a different pen that I made every week for the past year.  I've been discovering some interesting things that are going to make my pens a lot better.  I've look at four different aspects:  1) Plating, 2) Transmissions, 3) Threads and 4) Ink.

As has been mentioned, look for higher quality platings.  The pen I started carrying that I made my first year of turning I really liked, and I used it constantly.  Within a year, the plating on parts started flaking.  I still make that style pen, but only in Platinum or Gold-Titanium plating now. Craft Supplies USA has a nice explanation of platings in their catalog.

I've found huge differences in how smoothly transmissions work, and there's very little control over that other than testing each one yourself.  I've gotten really smooth working transmissions from cheap pen kits, and unsatisfactory working transmissions on expense kits.

I've found that I don't like metal-on-metal threads.  I've been very disappointed in the smoothness of the threads on these.  I've started inspecting them under magnification, and the thread quality varies widely from kit to kit.  

Always upgrade the ink in your pens unless it always comes with a high quality refill.  People like to judge the quality of the pen based on how it writes (who figured?)  You can have the nicest pen you've ever made and if it has a lousy refill it won't impress.

Just my 2 cents (I just discovered that modern keyboards no long have a "cents" key.)

-gary


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## Rick_G (Mar 28, 2015)

vtgaryw said:


> Just my 2 cents (I just discovered that modern keyboards no long have a "cents" key.)
> 
> -gary



Hold down the alt key and type 0162 on your number pad doesn't seem to work with the numbers on the top row.   Make ¢

Chrome is another plating that seems to stand up pretty well.


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## Mack C. (Mar 28, 2015)

vtgaryw said:


> > Just my 2 cents (I just discovered that modern keyboards no long have a "cents" key.)
> 
> 
> alt + 0162  = ¢ on the Character Map!


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## Smitty37 (Mar 28, 2015)

*Quick Lesson On Pen Kits*

1. You can buy pen kits at prices ranging from less than $2.00 to well over $100.00.  So you have to decide where in that range you want to be.

2. Ballpoint pen kits come in a couple of styles but essentially it boils down to single tube or two tube.  Two tube usually are designed to us Cross style refills.  Single tube are usually designed to use Parker style refills. There are exceptions to both.

3. Rollarball and Fountain pen kits are always two barrel kits - the more elaborite and the highest priced kits are these kits.  Also the widest variantion in prices will be in these kits.

4. Given the above the first thing you want to decide is what style pens you want to make.  And the second thing you want to decide is what style is more appealing to your eye.

When buying pen kit the old addage "you get what you pay for" is only true to a certain degree.  In the pen kit business never assume that a kit costing 10 or 15 per cent more than another is a better product.

Ballpoint you can find slimline two tube kits for as low as a little less than $2.00 and up to about the $15.00 range for kits with better finishes and different styling.  In this style there is a lot of competition with a lot of sellers so you might find essentially the same kit at different prices.  Shop around. 

Ballpoint single tube.  This is the most competitive arena in the pen kit world.  It also offers the widest variety of choices.  You can find prices from a little less than $5.00 to around $30.00 (maybe a tad higher).  In this area you can find from plain jane kits to kits with a lot of bling.  The higher priced kits generally will have more bling or the more costly platings.  Rhodium, Golt Titanium and Black Titanium are usually at higher prices. Chrome, Black Chrome and Gun Metal are popular at the lower end.  Here, in my opinion more than anywhere else in the kit arena, price is not necessarily connected to the quality (workmanship, finish, etc.) of the kits and is more connected to the vendor so don't think that by spending $20 rather than $15 you'll be getting a better product.  These will be mostly Parker Style refills.  Some offerings have better refills than others.

Fountain and Rollerball - Here the price range is the widest ranging from below $10 to over $100.  Plain kits with smooth clean lines to very elaborate multi-finish decorated designs. Postable or non Postable.  The plainer designs can be much cheaper than the more elaborate. Price here you almost have to see and feel the finished product to make comparisons to help you decide what you want to make.  Again, similar pens can have VERY different prices depending on where you buy them.


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## paulwmichael (Mar 28, 2015)

*Thanks for the quick lesson*

Thanks to everyone for the detailed info on pen kits.  I had no idea how complex pen making could be when I waded into this.  Since it currently takes me hours to make a pen, I definitely want a kit that's durable.  Plating that flakes is not tolerable to me.  I'm new, but my fit & finish has improved to the point that I'm looking ahead to investing in nicer kits.  I've got to admit, what I think you guys call "bling" (gold/chrome combinations, engraving) appeals to me.

The only style I've ever used is ballpoint.  But it sounds like fountain and rollerball are considered superior so I'm planning to try them.  And apparently Parker is better than Cross? So I'll move that direction.

Platings?  Is gold known for flaking?  Rhodium, Gold Titanium, Black Titanium (which isn't actually black ), and platinum are apparently better?  Thanks to vtgaryw for pointing me to the Craft Supplies explanation of platings in their catalog.

This is drinking from a fire hose but I'm learning lots. Thanks again!


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## Dan Masshardt (Mar 28, 2015)

My suggestion is to get into rollerball / fountain pens by way of the Atrax.  Chrome and gunmetal versions have proven durable and the cost is very reasonable. 

Further, the tubes, drill bits and bushings are all the same as the Jr line of pens - gent2, retro, statesman.    So you could turn a pen maybe intending if for an atrax.  But if it came out just stunning, you could potentially put in on a higher priced kit.


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## magpens (Mar 28, 2015)

I agree with Dan.  In addition to the rollerball and fountain, I am very fond of the Atrax ballpoint (different tube length and bushings though).  It comes with a double twist transmission but you can separately buy the single twist transmission (which I prefer) from Exoticblanks.


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## paulwmichael (Mar 28, 2015)

*Altrax and Jr kits*

Thanks Dan for the great idea. I like the idea of turning a blank & then having the flexibility of using it for a cheaper, or more expensive, kit based on how it turns out.

I'm not sure how you guys keep up with which drill bits & bushings go with various kits.  It appears there are many sizes, so you must create some kind of filing system to keep it all straight.

Thanks All!


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## Dan Masshardt (Mar 28, 2015)

I keep my bushings in small drawers and kits in the bigger ones.


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## Smitty37 (Mar 28, 2015)

I have a sixty drawer cabinet with dividers in the drawers and can store well over 100 sets of bushings in it.


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