Fat Albert

[txbob]

My first pen in 8 months! I've been fighting an illness all winter, and just this week the doctor gave me permission to get back in the shop. Fat Albert is the first pen I've finished. It was inspired by Michael's Fat Boy pens, sold by Anthony at http://www.turchetta.com/penworks/michaels.htm

Fat Albert:

Here it is with a cigar pen for size comparison:

Here's a detail of the tip and the o-rings for the grip area:

It's made from 6061 aluminum, and uses Zebra's F refill. As always, your comments are appreciated.
txbob

 

[gerryr]

Bob,
It's good to see you posting again and to know you're finally back in the shop. That's a good looking pen. It looks like a click pen. Whose mechanism did you use?

 

[mdburn_em]

It looks like the top of a zebra click mechanism?
[?]

 

[txbob]

Originally posted by mdburn_em
<br />It looks like the top of a zebra click mechanism?
[?]

Yes it's a Zebra click mechanism. In fact, it's an entire F-301 pen. This thing is so easy to make, and could easily be done in wood. I took an F-301, removed the clip and the lump of plastic where the clip mounts. Cut the blank to length, drill a hole through the blank, sized to clear the click plunger at the top. From the other end, enlarge the hole to clear the body of the pen, leaving a 1/8" shoulder at the top. Mount on a mandrel, turn and finish. Glue the Zebra inside the aluminum body, reshape a Pentel pocket clip and mount it, and put on the O-rings in the grip area. The Zebra tip unscrews for changing the refill. IMHO, the Zebra F refill is one of the best writing ballpoints available.

So easy to make, even a cave man can do it........

txbob

 

[bob393]

I'm glad you feeling better and back in the shop!
I never thought to use the zebra pens as kits, they are great writing pens.
Nice work by the way, o-rings are a nice touch!!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Very strange looking. Can't say it suits my tastes at all. Your work is fine, just not my flavor style. Glad you are feeling better.

 

[doddman70]

Bob Awsome looking pens!! I can't waite to get together and see you make some of these pens. by the way i got some good news on my trip yesterday i might try to give you a call this weekend.

Shane

 

[txbob]

Originally posted by Rifleman1776
<br />Very strange looking. Can't say it suits my tastes at all. Your work is fine, just not my flavor style. Glad you are feeling better.

Thanks Frank. I can't say it's my favorite, but I wanted one like it in my pen collection. And, I wanted to pass along the idea of making a sleeve to cover an existing pen. Maybe someone will take the idea and step it up a notch.
Have a great weekend,
txbob

 

[PenWorks]

Good to see you up and around again and feeling better.
Nice job on the pen as well. Maybe I can put the Texas Bob model, next to the Michael's Fat Boy []