my 4th kitless pen

[duncsuss]

A while back, Shawn (watch_art) organized a group-buy of taps for the Esterbrook renew-point nib units. It took me a couple of attempts, but I finally managed to make a section that works -- meaning it holds the nib unit at one end and a cartridge-converter at the other, and hasn't let go of either in a couple of days testing.

I decided to try making the clip-ring hidden, but experimenting on some scrap acrylic pieces taught me that none of my existing tools were fine enough to cut the groove that the ring seats in. I have a couple of old files that I'd tempered and use as scrapers, I ground down the tang of one of these into a fine square-end scraper -- it did the job nicely.

Cap-barrel threads are 12mm x 0.75, barrel-section threads 9mm x 0.75. The cap posts (but I forgot to take a photo of it posted). Thanks for looking.

 

[reddwil]

Very nice pen, I really like the color.

 

[duncsuss]

Very nice pen, I really like the color.

Thanks -- me too, I saw a pen made in this material and was lucky to get the last couple of pieces that ExoticBlanks had in stock, haven't seen it since

 

[Fatdawg]

Well done! I collect Esties and somehow missed the group buy on taps, bummer!
Curious how you made the section to use a converter with those nibs.

 

[Brooks803]

I like it! I wish I had jumped in on the tap as well.

One trick you can do for hiding the clip ring is measure the outside diameter of the ring and see what drill bit is closest. Drill out the top of the cap to the right thickness. Then use your files for cutting the notch (or a dremel!). Try a couple of scrap pieces to get a feel for it.

 

[mikespenturningz]

Very nice. I like that blank.

 

[duncsuss]

Thanks folks

Well done! I collect Esties and somehow missed the group buy on taps, bummer!
Curious how you made the section to use a converter with those nibs.

Fair question ... from the front end, I drilled with an H bit for the length of the nib housing, then tapped it (pretty much to full depth, I couldn't think of any bad side effects). Then I drilled with a much narrower bit to make a "pipe" that would carry the ink through from the back of the section.

Narrowed down the tenon to take the 9x.75 threads, and parted off.

Reversed it, threaded the tenon, then drilled with two different sized bits, one about the diameter of the nipple of the cartridge/converter (think that was a #18 bit), the other a tight fit onto the steel band of the Schmidt c/c (D or maybe E bit, I think).

Because there is no tube pushing into the nipple of the c/c, there is a very tiny amount of leakage. My plan was to clean everything up then (when it's ready to go) seal the c/c in place with sac cement (shellac) -- which in theory would make it just as watertight as a shellac-sealed lever-fill pen.

I like it! I wish I had jumped in on the tap as well.

One trick you can do for hiding the clip ring is measure the outside diameter of the ring and see what drill bit is closest. Drill out the top of the cap to the right thickness. Then use your files for cutting the notch (or a dremel!). Try a couple of scrap pieces to get a feel for it.

I tried that during a trial run, but didn't like the fact that the angled end of the drill bit cut away at the threads which hold the finial in place. My home-made "parting tool" worked well enough for me.

Very nice. I like that blank.

Thanks ... yes, I was lucky to get it before Ed sold out. (He might have had more, but I haven't seen it since.)

 

[MikeL]

Looks great!

 

[duncsuss]

Looks great!

Thanks

 

[Fatdawg]

Know that's thinking outside the box. I would think the shellac will seal everything up nice for you also. I played with using an Estie section on a kitless, but couldn't get a fit I was happy with.

Thanks folks

Well done! I collect Esties and somehow missed the group buy on taps, bummer!
Curious how you made the section to use a converter with those nibs.

Fair question ... from the front end, I drilled with an H bit for the length of the nib housing, then tapped it (pretty much to full depth, I couldn't think of any bad side effects). Then I drilled with a much narrower bit to make a "pipe" that would carry the ink through from the back of the section.

Narrowed down the tenon to take the 9x.75 threads, and parted off.

Reversed it, threaded the tenon, then drilled with two different sized bits, one about the diameter of the nipple of the cartridge/converter (think that was a #18 bit), the other a tight fit onto the steel band of the Schmidt c/c (D or maybe E bit, I think).

Because there is no tube pushing into the nipple of the c/c, there is a very tiny amount of leakage. My plan was to clean everything up then (when it's ready to go) seal the c/c in place with sac cement (shellac) -- which in theory would make it just as watertight as a shellac-sealed lever-fill pen.

 

[John Den]

Great Pen Great blank
Regards,
John

 

[Dustygoose]

Very nice!

 

[duncsuss]

Great Pen Great blank
Regards,
John

Very nice!

Thanks

 

[cnirenberg]

Well done. That is a great looking pen.

 

[duncsuss]

Well done. That is a great looking pen.

Thanks, Chris