3 for $1.94 at Wal-Mart

[txbob]

Here's a good beginner's project:

The pens come from Wal-Mart, 2 black and 1 blue for $1.94. Simply unscrew the grip area and a tube slides off. Use it like a brass tube in a normal kit. Drill a 3/8" hole and glue in the tube. Mount it on a mandrel with cigar pen bushings. Turn the wood down just below the bushings. Round off the ends a little. See the notch at the top of the tube, under the clip? Trim off the plastic nib that it fits over. Finish the wood and screw it all back together. BTW, it uses a Parker refill so it can be either a ball point or a capless rollerball. The refills that come in the pens aren't all that good. The click mechanism is nice and crisp, works well.

Here's the pen I made, one from the package, and the tube. Sorry about the maple, it was the only wood I had handy. Lot's of woods would look better. I'm not sure what will work with the blue grip, maybe an acrylic or something. Or call it 2 for $1.94 and save the tube from the blue pen as a spare. Here's what the package looks like in the store:

As always, I look forward to your comments.....

txbob

 

[Penmonkey]

That's a great idea! I'm going to try it.

 

[Ron Mc]

Bob,
I would love to give comments but my truck is already running!
Thanks for showing these I have an idea that just may work.[]

 

[ctEaglesc]

Thanks for discovery.IU am constantly taking pens apart to see how I can use "their" stuff for MY benifit>
Actually it's almost worth buying it for the clip[]

 

[Mudder]

Now here's an idea that is worth a tip of the hat.

That is one first class idea txbob, thanks for sharing.
Think I need to take a trip to the old mart soon.

 

[challagan]

Neat idea! I wonder if anything can be done with the lower grip area. I take it is glued on or something?

Corey

 

[ctEaglesc]

Originally posted by cteaglesc
<br />Thanks for discovery.IU am constantly taking pens apart to see how I can use "their" stuff for MY benifit&gt;
Actually it's almost worth buying it for the clip[]

58 mins later...
Not all Wal-MArts carry them[]

 

[txbob]

Hi Corey,

The soft rubber grip slides off, revealing a plastic tube with a shoulder on each end. The tip unscrews, so the tube could be put on a mandrel. The i.d. of the tube lets my standard 1/4 inch mandrel slide about 2/3 of the way through the plastic tube. It's tight on the tip end. Looks like it could be opened up to 1/4" without a problem. Then one could turn down the upper shoulder and use the plastic piece as a "tube" to be glued into a piece of wood.

Hmmmm. I'll have to try that tomorrow.

Corey, thanks for the idea,

txbob

Originally posted by challagan
<br />Neat idea! I wonder if anything can be done with the lower grip area. I take it is glued on or something?

Corey

 

[alamocdc]

Originally posted by cteaglesc
<br />

Originally posted by cteaglesc
<br />Thanks for discovery.IU am constantly taking pens apart to see how I can use "their" stuff for MY benifit&gt;
Actually it's almost worth buying it for the clip[]

58 mins later...
Not all Wal-MArts carry them[]

Eagle (and others), I've seen these as promo give-aways at several conferences I've attended. I've even picked up and few over the last few years (unfortuanately, just a few... I think I have two of them). A little over a year ago I toyed with the idea of custominzing one, but I didn't like how abrupt it would look compared to the clip and lower barrel. However, now that I have more experience, there may well be other ways to use these to our advantage... using the existing platic threads and nib and using a 3/8" tube in place of the plastic, etc.

 

[challagan]

Originally posted by txbob
<br />Hi Corey,

The soft rubber grip slides off, revealing a plastic tube with a shoulder on each end. The tip unscrews, so the tube could be put on a mandrel. The i.d. of the tube lets my standard 1/4 inch mandrel slide about 2/3 of the way through the plastic tube. It's tight on the tip end. Looks like it could be opened up to 1/4" without a problem. Then one could turn down the upper shoulder and use the plastic piece as a "tube" to be glued into a piece of wood.

Hmmmm. I'll have to try that tomorrow.

Corey, thanks for the idea,

txbob

Thanks Bob! Will have to see if I can find some of these.

Corey

 

[OSCAR15]

Great idea! Thanks for the info!
PS nowhere on earth can one buy kits at this price!

 

[johncrane]

Good one txbob []

 

[OSCAR15]

I got some..gona give it a try...Looks like a low cost project! Lotsa folks don't want to spend a lot on a pen. CAn do this cheap and looks great! Thanks again for info!