Which kit UK? Lots of newbe questions !

[Spike589715]

Hi
I would love to make a fountain pen using my metal work lathe and a kit
I would like to use and acrylic block for the body and lid
Are there any suggestions for good kits, there seem to be a few available on eBay and suppliers ? Any recommendations

I think I will need to buy a suitible mandril to hold the block in place, again any advise or suggestion ? I have chucks and rotating centres etc

Also finishing the acrylic, fine wet and dry ? Then ? To polish
Any good suppliers for the acrylic is there a nicer material to give a bright viberant finish ?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or suggestions

Simon

 

[OLLIEwinz]

when i sand my acrylics i use a micro mesh set and wet sand through 12,000 grit. be careful and make sure to protect your lathe from water.then u buff using a 3 stage novus plastic polish set.they turn out great.you don't need an expensive mandrel, try this supplier not sure if they have the pen kits you want but they have pretty cool acrylics. if you can get away with it order your kits from penn state industries over here in america or woodturningz. shipping is expensive but their quality is very good.

https://www.stilesandbates.co.uk/index.php

 

[MattTheHat]

I wouldn't bother with the mandrel. I would turn the pen between centers using bushings you buy to match the pen kit you end up with. Or you could always make a set of bushings. For a single pen, I'd personally just use the matching bushings.

I recommend wet sanding with MicroMesh too. But, if you're just going to do the one pen (or a few others occasionally) you can use MicroMesh dry too. Just turn the speed down so you don't burn the stuff, as it's embedded in some kind of rubber compound that will heat up and burn.


-Matt

 

[magpens]

I don't bother with bushings or mandrel at all anymore. . At the headstock end I use a small diamond coated cone (meant for sharpening mortise chisels) in the chuck. Of course, at the tailstock end a conical live center. Just put the blank between the two cones. For the purpose of rounding the blank before axial holes exist, I drill a small hole (1/8") in the end of the blank at the driving end for the diamond cone to grip into. at the tailstock end just a center punch dimple is good enough for the live center. Of course, once you have the tubes in the blanks the cones fit nicely into the tube ends.
Couldn't be simpler or more accurate. I do this on a metal-working lathe but there is no reason I can see why it wouldn't work on a wood lathe.