Maximum pen diameter?

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Joined
May 12, 2006
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217
Location
Nashua, NH, USA.
I'm going to order some Aluminum rod to make my own bushings for turning between centers. I plan to get at least 1/2" diameter stock, but I don't know the maximum diameter I'm likely to ever need. I'd like to do this all at once to minimize shipping costs.

Does anybody know the (approximate)diameter of the largest pen available in kit form?
 
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Texatdurango

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Apr 23, 2007
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Show Low, Arizona
Quite a few pens have barrels in the .570" area. I am making fountain pens that have upper barrels of .625 diameter and they are not large compared to some I have seen.

I think I would order some 5/8" stock and perhaps some 18mm rod as well.
 

redfishsc

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Feb 11, 2006
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North Charleston , SC
I once made an Emperor from a 3/4" blank and I did not have much at all to work with-- I pulled it off, but barely. I drill on the lathe, which means I drill the blank as dead center as can be done aside from using expensive machine shop setups.

I personally would spend the extra couple of dollars for a blank or two in the 3/4" range. A few 5/8" and a few 1/2".
 
Joined
May 12, 2006
Messages
217
Location
Nashua, NH, USA.
Thank you all.
I'm going to turn them on the wood lathe.
I think I'll stick with 5/8" for now - and maybe a short piece of 3/4". The larger rod starts getting really pricy.
 
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