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View Full Version : How do I get started making kitless fountain pens.



Ignacio
November 1st, 2014, 01:00 AM
Hello, I've been using fountain pens for two years but now I want to make my own fountain pens but can't really find anything solid. What do you guys use or recommend? I think the best way start is to buy a metal lathe but the question is which one will do the job for the money. I also know nothing about making threads or which tools I should buy with the metal lathe?

Quantum Sailor
November 1st, 2014, 09:02 AM
I worked as a machinist many years ago, and I'm sure that the actual pen makers can chime in better than I can but I've been looking at the things I'd need to do the same. For the lathe I have been looking at reasonably priced small lathes with adjustable speeds and mechanized bit feeds. So you have a mount that moves that holds the bit. Some of the really cheap lathes just have a bar to steady a hand held chisel. You want to make sure that the chuck is well made also as if its not it will come loose. They sell bit kits but I would go somewhere like www.exoticpenblanks.com, there may be a better place but you can see what kind of materials they sell and look at bits made for that kind of material. I would take the approach of picking up what I need when i need it that way you don't wind up buying a bunch of tools you really don't need. There's also a forum I found www.penturners.org that should have some good information.

Like I said the people who are making pens should be able to give a better answer, this is just what I've found looking to get into it myself.

Wile E Coyote
November 1st, 2014, 10:25 AM
Asking what lathe to buy is like asking what car to buy...

Check out the International Association of Penturners (http://www.penturners.org/) website. Too much info to go over in just one post.

Ignacio
November 1st, 2014, 12:51 PM
Thank you, quantum sailor and Wile E Coyote! But it's also not just for me it's for other people who want to make fountain pens. I would gladly help anyone asking how to make a fountain pen but I can't, I'm in the same boat as them. What I would like to do is start a thread that helps anyone who wants to make a fountain pen. I've seen custome pens here. They are beautiful! makes me get up and want to make one. That's what I'm going to do because I can't find anything solid in the web like making threads inside the section to fit a Jowo unit. I think it would be a great spark to anyone if they are able to make a bulb filler pen with there own choice of materials.

MikeL
November 1st, 2014, 05:33 PM
I started by making regular pens for two years and then began to challenge myself with kitless or custom. I have to agree with previous post, there is a lot of information on IAP. I read and read and took notes and watched you tube and slowly bought taps and dies for the threads and then went for it. It is difficult to find one source or article that will cover everything. But IAP is a great place to start studying and taking notes.

Ignacio
November 1st, 2014, 09:44 PM
Awesome thank you MikeL! This will help me greatly.

Wile E Coyote
November 2nd, 2014, 09:13 AM
For the threads to match Jowo nib units you can use a metric tap or a lathe.

Jowo #5 6.5x0.5
Jowo #6 7.5x0.5

It's the cap threads that are a bit trickier since they use multiple start threads. They are used so you don't have to twist the cap 4 rotations or more to remove or put on the cap.

I hate to sound like a broken record but this is all discussed in detail on the IAP (http://www.penturners.org/) site.

Ignacio
November 2nd, 2014, 12:46 PM
I'm checking the site like you suggested earlier Wile E Coyote. I'm waiting for the administrator to give me permission to use the site. Great info this will really help.