RonSchmitt
Member
Does anyone have instructions or a tutorial on making a bullet pen?
I have a few .308 casings and would like to give it a shot.
I have a few .308 casings and would like to give it a shot.
Bullet pen tutorial
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dfurlano
Member
Don Ward has one on the Guild.
http://www.penmakersguild.com/
http://www.penmakersguild.com/
Rifleman1776
Member
Originally posted by RonSchmitt
<br />Does anyone have instructions or a tutorial on making a bullet pen?
I have a few .308 casings and would like to give it a shot. [
You should be shot for that pun. [
]bonefish
Member
I use the slimline kit and .308 Winchester cases. The .308 case is almost exactly the same length as the brass tube used for the barrel of the pen.
If you re-load, or know someone who does, full length re-size the case. Re-sizing insures that the case neck is round, and that the body of the case is concentric with the neck.
Step 1-If you don't reload, use a turned down nail to knock the old primer out. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TRY TO REMOVE AN UNFIRED (LIVE) PRIMER FROM THE CASE. Check the case mouth to make sure it is not dented or out of round. Many cases from a semi-automatic will have dented necks. If you don't have a way to re-condition the case, discard it and find one that is in good shape.
A better bet would be to use new, un-fired AND UN-PRIMED CASES if you can find them.
Step 2-Dril out the primer hole in the rear of the case to accept the brass tube. I am not sure of the exact size drill to use, but start off small and go up. I like for the brass tube to be a snug fit, to insure that it lines up with the case mouth.
Step-3 The mouth of a .30 caliber case is larger than the brass tube used in the slim line kit. Some turners use a piece of heat shrink around the brass tube, but I have never tried it this way. I drill a piece of scrap wood about an inch long and glue it to the tube, just like I do when making a normal pen, except the blank doesn't cover the entire length of the tube. Turn the wood until it is a snug fit inside the case mouth, and the brass tube is centered.
What you have done is made a wooden bushing to fit the case mouth.
Glue it in, making sure that the tube and bushing are flush with the case mouth. You will find that the tube may or may not protude from the case head, where you drilled out the primer pocket. If it does, trim it flush with the case head. I put a small amount of glue on the tube where it fits inside the case head.
Polish the brass, and you have finished the lower barrel of the pen.
Step-4 Install the nib and the twist mechanism, and make the upper barrel as it would normally be made, with one exception. On the ones I make, I make the upper barrel the same diameter as the case head, and taper the barrel to the diameter of the final and clip that I am going to use.
You don't have a bushing in the diameter of the case head? Use any 7 m/m bushing that you have for the end of the barrel that fits against the case head.
Turn the barrel material down to the same diameter as the case head. Determine this diameter by measuring the barrel and case head. Measure often, because you don't have a bushing to use as a guide.
Make the upper body and assemble the pen as you normally would.
Note: You could use the upper barrel of a 7 m/m Euroupean for the top of the pen. Just leave the center ring off. The body diameter of a European pen might be smaller or larger than the case head. That doesn't matter, because you are not going to use the center band anyway. Just turn the blank to the correct diameter, measuring often, as mentioned earlier.
I could take pictures of these steps, but a strange thing happens when I touch a camera. It begins to malfunction.
Hope this helps.
Bonefish
.
If you re-load, or know someone who does, full length re-size the case. Re-sizing insures that the case neck is round, and that the body of the case is concentric with the neck.
Step 1-If you don't reload, use a turned down nail to knock the old primer out. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TRY TO REMOVE AN UNFIRED (LIVE) PRIMER FROM THE CASE. Check the case mouth to make sure it is not dented or out of round. Many cases from a semi-automatic will have dented necks. If you don't have a way to re-condition the case, discard it and find one that is in good shape.
A better bet would be to use new, un-fired AND UN-PRIMED CASES if you can find them.
Step 2-Dril out the primer hole in the rear of the case to accept the brass tube. I am not sure of the exact size drill to use, but start off small and go up. I like for the brass tube to be a snug fit, to insure that it lines up with the case mouth.
Step-3 The mouth of a .30 caliber case is larger than the brass tube used in the slim line kit. Some turners use a piece of heat shrink around the brass tube, but I have never tried it this way. I drill a piece of scrap wood about an inch long and glue it to the tube, just like I do when making a normal pen, except the blank doesn't cover the entire length of the tube. Turn the wood until it is a snug fit inside the case mouth, and the brass tube is centered.
What you have done is made a wooden bushing to fit the case mouth.
Glue it in, making sure that the tube and bushing are flush with the case mouth. You will find that the tube may or may not protude from the case head, where you drilled out the primer pocket. If it does, trim it flush with the case head. I put a small amount of glue on the tube where it fits inside the case head.
Polish the brass, and you have finished the lower barrel of the pen.
Step-4 Install the nib and the twist mechanism, and make the upper barrel as it would normally be made, with one exception. On the ones I make, I make the upper barrel the same diameter as the case head, and taper the barrel to the diameter of the final and clip that I am going to use.
You don't have a bushing in the diameter of the case head? Use any 7 m/m bushing that you have for the end of the barrel that fits against the case head.
Turn the barrel material down to the same diameter as the case head. Determine this diameter by measuring the barrel and case head. Measure often, because you don't have a bushing to use as a guide.
Make the upper body and assemble the pen as you normally would.
Note: You could use the upper barrel of a 7 m/m Euroupean for the top of the pen. Just leave the center ring off. The body diameter of a European pen might be smaller or larger than the case head. That doesn't matter, because you are not going to use the center band anyway. Just turn the blank to the correct diameter, measuring often, as mentioned earlier.
I could take pictures of these steps, but a strange thing happens when I touch a camera. It begins to malfunction.
Hope this helps.
Bonefish
.
its_virgil
Member
Mine is available at the following locations: http://www.penmakersguild.com , http://www.bubbasville.com , and http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/penturners in the files area in the special techniques folder (I think) or email me and I'll send you a copy in either .pdf or .doc format.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Do a good turn daily!
Don
RonSchmitt
Member
Originally posted by Rifleman1776
You should be shot for that pun. [
Sorry, I was tired.[
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