Closed End Mistery Wood Navigator and Acrylic Navigator

[toddlajoie]

My first attempt at a closed end pen was a complete failure. It looked great, until you tried to put the refill in. Looks like I hadn't properly measured for drilling the hole deep enough. So a quick chat with Steve (pensbydesign) and a new set of measurements, and I gave it a shot at making 3 closed end pens to thank a small group of co-workers for a recent kindness... Chrome Navigators, Woodcraft Grab Bag Mystery Wood (from the smell, I'd guess Tamboti) I really like the closed end idea, and I'm looking forward to trying some new designs, but for now I kept it simple and ripped off one Steve had shown me...

And a standard chrome Navigator in some Woodcraft Blue & White Swirl Acrylic (forget the name) for a friend of my son's (he picked out the style and blank...)

 

[Robert Sherlock]

Very nice. What additional lathe accessories / tools did you need to complete the closed end pens?

 

[Pen_Turner_297]

Good job on the pens they look really nice

 

[ThomJ]

Nice job

 

[turbowagon]

Great pens and I love the background for the photos too.

Also, the forms of the closed-end pens are excellent in my opinion.

 

[toddlajoie]

Very nice. What additional lathe accessories / tools did you need to complete the closed end pens?

They sell closed end Mandrels (I bought mine at Woodcraft, but they don't list them on the web site..., AZ Silhouette has them here http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/Closed_End_Pen_Mandrel.htm and an excellent little tutorial at the bottom of the page. ) The mandrels are only good for a single tube diameter, so you need a different one for each tube size. As of now I only have the one for the Barron/Navigator body tube, so I can't do a closed end cap, but I rather like the standard cap. The Cigar is the one I would like to get next, but WC doesn't have that, just the Barron and 7mm, so maybe I'll try doing slims...

I use a drill chuck mounted on an MT2 taper to hold the mandrel on the lathe like in AZ's explanation, but you could also use a collet chuck if you already had one...

 

[jskeen]

Just so you'll know, the body of baron/navigator is the same as the cigar tubes, the mandrel you have should work.

Check it out and let us know if I remember correctly

James

 

[sefali]

Also, the forms of the closed-end pens are excellent in my opinion.

My thoughts exactly. Great work on the closed ends.

 

[fernhills]

Hi, or you can just make one from a bolt, i made one to fit a 10mm tube. I followed (skiprats) tutorial, it was not hard. If you can use a file and follow directions it will turn out real good.
Great pens, i like them a lot. Carl

 

[aggromere]

If the pens are too short to hold a rollerball refill you can use a fountain pen nib with just an ink cartridge, like the toro pen kit.

 

[maxman400]

They all look Great. Well Done.

 

[toddlajoie]

Just so you'll know, the body of baron/navigator is the same as the cigar tubes, the mandrel you have should work.

Check it out and let us know if I remember correctly

James

Hehehe... never bothered to check them... I knew the Baron/Navigator body took the same drill bit as the Wall St II/Siera, (25/64) but your statement had me wondering how close that was to the 10mm tube for the Cigar pens. Quick caliper reading: 25/64 drill bits measure 0.388, 10mm drill bits measure 0.388... Good to know, I almost bought another closed end I didn't need. AZ must sell the 2 different ones just because the bushing would be different... I'll have to try a closed end Cigar now... THANKS!!

If the pens are too short to hold a rollerball refill you can use a fountain pen nib with just an ink cartridge, like the toro pen kit.

That was the plan, only problem is it was originally put together with a Stainless Steel Rollerball kit before I knew it was too short, and the local WC store doesn't stock a stainless steel fountain pen Nav. Only sterling silver, which is different enough to stand out as wrong... The closed end has made all of my attempts to remove the threads unsuccessful, but I'm still trying, as the pen did come out quite well, and while short, it is rather cute...

 

[wizard]

Very nice pens !! Great photos !

 

[witz1976]

... AZ must sell the 2 different ones just because the bushing would be different...

If I am not mistaken you can purchase separate bushings...

 

[ThomJ]

Great looking pens, I especially like the closed ends

 

[joeatact]

Well Done!

 

[phillywood]

Todd, nice looking pens and I like your design.
"to thank a small group of co-workers for a recent kindness...
for a friend of my son's (he picked out the style and blank...)
You seems to be such a giving guy and generous I thought maybe you'd like to make me one of those too. :wink:

 

[Mrs Rojo22]

Very nice!

Robin

 

[ToddMR]

Very nicely done! I think they all look great. I like the shape and form of the 3 closed ended pens too.

 

[Toni]

Very Classy!!

 

[ldb2000]

Great looking pens .

Just a word of warning before someone gets seriously hurt , NEVER use an MT type of drill chuck , or any other MT accessory , in the head stock without some kind of support to keep it in place . ALL MT type accessories MUST use either the tail stock or a draw bar to hold it in place . If you are using it any other way , it could come loose and be thrown from the head stock at a very high rate of speed .

 

[Tanner]

Very nice! I like that design of closed end.

 

[toddlajoie]

Great looking pens .

Just a word of warning before someone gets seriously hurt , NEVER use an MT type of drill chuck , or any other MT accessory , in the head stock without some kind of support to keep it in place . ALL MT type accessories MUST use either the tail stock or a draw bar to hold it in place . If you are using it any other way , it could come loose and be thrown from the head stock at a very high rate of speed .

Good point. I should have mentioned that (on the advice of Steve) I bought an 8 inch piece of 1/4-20 threaded rod that threaded right onto the inside of the taper of the drill chuck, so when you put it in the lathe, about an inch of threads sticks out the side of the lathe. 2 big fender washers and a 1/4-20 knob (from the gadget drawers at Lowes, HD did not seem to have any) later and the drill chuck is an integral part of the lathe. When it's time to take it off, remove the knob and give the threaded rod a couple good solid taps with a hammer... I got lucky the first time I tried a bottle stopper and did not have this setup. I noticed it starting to get loose and got the lathe off before it had a chance to go ballistic...