Does any company make a full sized postable?

[PenMan1]

I have a customer who insists on a postable fountain in Majestic or Emperor size. I have warned him that this would be like writing with a flag pole with ten wet flags at the top.

Any suggestions on where to look for hardware?

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Steve Roberts had a postable final made for an Emperor once I think. You might have a custom final made by a machinest.

 

[PenMan1]

Roy.
He AIN'T that good of a customer Reckon Steve still has one or two if these left?

 

[ed4copies]

Hey Andy!!

Just make a full size gentleman, closed end--with the end taper allowing the pen to post. Give him a good "deal" on it and ask him to use it for a couple months. Then, if he actually likes it, continue your quest to find a way to do it.

I predict he will decide that the pen is too large and too heavy, and off balance. Which it will be!

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

I've never seen one but he said he did it so the next time I talk to him I'll ask, but Ed's Idea just might work out.

Roy.
He AIN'T that good of a customer Reckon Steve still has one or two if these left?

 

[PenMan1]

Hey Andy!!

Just make a full size gentleman, closed end--with the end taper allowing the pen to post. Give him a good "deal" on it and ask him to use it for a couple months. Then, if he actually likes it, continue your quest to find a way to do it.

I predict he will decide that the pen is too large and too heavy, and off balance. Which it will be!

Great idea, Ed! An even better idea since I have a Majestic with a missing "tail". Now, I see why Dawn keeps you around

 

[Texatdurango]

I have a customer who insists on a postable fountain in Majestic or Emperor size. I have warned him that this would be like writing with a flag pole with ten wet flags at the top.

Any suggestions on where to look for hardware?

Andy, I think the wet flag analogy would be correct if you were using a heavy pen such as an Imperial or Emperor but not necessarily appropriate with a pen you made from scratch weighing mere grams rather than pounds! :biggrin:

Probably not what you have in mind but something to think about when you get these unique requests. I just made a fountain pen that is about the same size (length and diameter) as an Imperial or Emperor but about 1/4 the weight and it is postable. The cap is mere grams and I doubt posting it would even be noticeable when writing.

As far as extra hardware, you could jazz it up with some sterling silver accent bands in the cap and an accent ring at the bottom of the body. It would take a little over an hour to make and you could save $45 on a kit.

Just a thought!

While the pen is not in salable condition yet, you can get the idea. Photo is here http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=85352

 

[PenMan1]

George:
Great advice! The body of the pen will be petrified wood (an ouch, on the weight scale).

I am thinking of making a "George Pen - another way of pen making" and using Venus CB, cap and fenial decorations embedded in clear PR.

This could give a little "bling", allow me to contol a little weight by eliminating tubes, let's me "adjust" balance, somewhat AND ends up as a true custom pen!

Any advice or pitfalls to avoid will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Texatdurango]

George:
Great advice! The body of the pen will be petrified wood (an ouch, on the weight scale).

I am thinking of making a "George Pen - another way of pen making" and using Venus CB, cap and fenial decorations embedded in clear PR.

This could give a little "bling", allow me to contol a little weight by eliminating tubes, let's me "adjust" balance, somewhat AND ends up as a true custom pen!

Any advice or pitfalls to avoid will be greatly appreciated.

Well petrified wood sorta puts the kibosh on a postable cap for sure! If you decide to trim some weight however, Elliot Landes sells some supplies you might be interested in. Visit http://www.penmakers.com/used.html to see what he's got.

In particular, he sells brass bushings which can be glued into the lower body material directly or tubes. A fountain pen section screws directly into the bushings so you have eliminated the lower metal finial and the center metal coupler.

No pitfalls to think of as long as you take your time and think about a step before drilling or cutting.

 

[PenMan1]

Thanks, George! I usually look at the "end game" and work backwards to "step 1".
Elliot immediately came to mind after your first post.

Working my way backward to step 1, I need to find a material that "looks like pet stone".

This one may take more time and effort than the customer may be willing to "sponsor".
If any group can find a workable, practical solution, it is you guys.

All suggestions are welcomed. I don't want to say the customer is unreasonable, simply a bit demanding.

 

[Texatdurango]

.....All suggestions are welcomed. I don't want to say the customer is unreasonable, simply a bit demanding.

Then charge him accordingly, he will either pay up OR quit coming up with new demands.

 

[workinforwood]

Petrified wood puts the kabash on no tubes too. It's rock, and it gets brittle and will need the tube support. If you make your own component parts out of Aluminum, then it can be postable still and will reduce a lot of weight.

 

[Monolith]

Sorry to butt in... but what's meant by a pen that is "postable"?

 

[PenMan1]

Sorry to butt in... but what's meant by a pen that is "postable"?

A postable pen is always a roller ball or fountain that requires a cap to keep the ink from becomeing dry inside the pen. Postable means that the cap will fit onto the fenial end of the pen when writing.

 

[Dan_F]

The weight of tubes is negligible compared to the weight of the metal fittings in the big kit pens.

You could always include a large helium balloon to attach to the cap to support that end when it's posted. A tank of helium could be maintained in home or office, and he could always entertain friends and clients by breathing helium from the tank and then talking like a munchkin. It really works by the way (the talking part). :biggrin:

Dan