Wanted Tap and Die set

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Califo

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Sep 26, 2014
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79
Location
Boca Raton
Getting stared on kitless pen and I was wondering if anyone would sell unwanted tap/die combo (12mmx.75) or anything on that nature to get me started.

Thanks all.
 
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Curly

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Nov 20, 2010
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Saskatoon SK., Canada.
If you go to victornet.com they have all kinds of inexpensive taps and dies, single start, that you can use for caps and sections. Once you make a few custom pens you can decide if you like it and then buy the spendy stuff. They have a $25 minimum order but you're going to need a die holder and they have some cheap ones that'll do the trick.
 

More4dan

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Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
2,102
Location
Katy, TX
I'll second what Curly said! You'll need taps for the section and the cap and the feed if you plan to make Fountain pens. Victor will have the section and cap taps and dies in single start but not the FP feed. They will do for roller ball and Parker based pens.

Holders made to be used in the lathe are an almost must to keep the threads square so you don't end up with a "bent" looking pen. I got mine from little machine shop with a taper to fit my tail stock. You'll need a tap guide and a die holder. Make sure the die you order is the round type and the OD fits your holder.

Danny


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Curly

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Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
4,828
Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
My tap holders have a little hole in the end so a spring loaded centre aligns it fine and you can get away with holding it in the tailstock drill chuck without it locked down. Hand turn the blank into it.

I also got the die holders from Victor and use a transfer punch in the tailstock chuck to guide the die while hand turning it. They have two other sizes for the bigger and smaller dies.

Once you decide if you like making pens this way you can make better or buy better tap and die guides if you like. The more expensive tools make the job a little easier and quicker but are not essential to begin with. With the cheaper options you can be making pens for $50 or less verses spending many hundreds for the cool stuff and the multi start threading taps/dies.
 
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