A second attempt

[lukitas]

Dear pen makers and lovers,

I am stunned. The quality of the pens you show is extraordinary. Beautiful finishes.

Recently, I published my first go at building a pen : An-attempt-at-building-a-better-pen

It is a sorry thing, wonky threads, half broken parts, but as a proof of concept, it works, and rather well.

I want to make a pen, designed entirely to function. A pen with a large, easy to fill reservoir. One that is comfortable to hold along the length of the barrel. With a cap that closes fast and securely, and posts confidently.

The n° 6 nib and feed, I sourced from FPR. Apart from those, the pen has five parts : the section and the barrel come in one piece, then there is the piston, a ring to retain the piston in the barrel, the back cap and the cap. And an O-ring, and a little tube to push air from the piston through the feed, when filling the pen.

I thought it might amuse you to watch my sorry attempt at building a better pen.



This is when I put in the wrong gear for thread cutting, and ended up with 2,25 mm pitch, instead of the 3 required.



Inside and outside screw threads cut on the barrel. The inside turned out not to be quite deep enough; I had to lap them with 'universal cleaning cream'.



Cutting 0,25 mm, about 200 turns per minute, feeding at 0,01 mm per turn.



This is what happens when the tailstock is not perfectly aligned, and when you drill after shaping the outside.



Do it all over again.



More knurling. Not very even, but I don't have a dividing head.



Fitting parts.

Quite a way to go yet, but I do have fitting parts.

Please do not hesitate to shower me with critique and advice; I am quite the novice at this endeavour.

Cheers!