from the basement bench... my 1st kitless fp.

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Charlie69

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Dalecamino

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I think you did a fine job on your first fountain pen. The chips in the threads are something to reckon with. Did you use any lubricant while cutting them? I don't recall you mentioning that in your other thread. Just wondering. Your finish is super. :wink:
 
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Charlie69

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Thanks!

Yes, a little chippy at the front of the threads and at the back where the chamfer is doing all the work. I use 3-1 oil to cut the threads and sanded the tenon down to 2000 grit 1st. Good threads are my holy grail....I drool over the tap/die or machine cut threads posted online by some pen guys/gals and shake my head in wonder. Here is a shot of the threads with all the lint and dust washed off.


 
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Cutting a tenon at the base helps. I've found that 3 in 1 oil isn't the greatest for cutting threads. If they chip too bad you can use CA to coat the threads and run the die over them again.

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JeffreyG

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A really nice fountain pen. It gives a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to create a fountain pen that will last for years. Your pen looks awesome!

I suspect that the pen looks even better when you see it and hold it. Cumberland Acrylic is one of those materials that is really quite difficult to show the true beauty in a photo.

With regard to the threading lube, I have been using a vegetable cooking oil with decent results. I know some other makers use a Olive Oil cooking spray and even the standard lathe thread cutting fluid used on metal lathes. Some materials do seem to cut better than others. I even found that some blanks can vary in material consistency/density within the length of the same blank, which does not help.

I tried a few experiments when turning the blank down to prepare for thread cutting. Getting the correct finished barrel diameter prior to thread cutting seemed to be critical. I found a way of adding some 'wiggle room' by leaving the barrel material a little longer, giving me the opportunity to recut the thread if it doesn't happen to work as planned on the first cut is a useful trick.

Do you reverse the die in the holder after the first cut and run it up the thread again?

Looking forward to seeing the next pen! ... which material is next I wonder?
 
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Charlie69

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Thanks everyone.


I was hoping to skip the tenon at the base and cut one in the cap instead. I haven't found a tool in my box of stuff that will cut one too my satisfaction. I mean a small parting tool works ok but I'd really like to keep the tenon as thin as possible. If I could find a 1/32 tool I'd be all over it.:)

Cut threads then cut again with die flipped is how I'm doing it. Definitely helps when the threads are too tight.

I use crisco/Pam for drilling but due to it's tendency to gum stuff up I've been wanting to keep it away from the high end tap/dies.

That acrylic cumberland is beautiful but so hard to photo!:) I see some Ebonite in my future.
 

david44

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Very nice to see the completed pen. I try to cut a small relief at the end of the thread using a thin parting tool. I find that a vegetable oil acts quite well as cutting lubricant but I agree with you about taps and dies becoming a bit "gummy". In life there is always a down side! I like the blank by the way.
 
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