What to do to help

[Smitty37]

With the big movement toward "kitless" pens, I'm wondering what our members getting into kitless will be looking to the sites vendors to provide that will fill their needs.

Not so much specific items as just general ideas. I'm sure that like me the vendors here want to offer the members what they need as much as we can.
We still have many makers who prefer to work with component sets and we'll still be working to offer what they want - but what do the kitless folks want - if anything.

 

[thewishman]

Interesting materials for bodies and parts.

 

[lorbay]

With the big movement toward "kitless" pens, I'm wondering what our members getting into kitless will be looking to the sites vendors to provide that will fill their needs.

Not so much specific items as just general ideas. I'm sure that like me the vendors here want to offer the members what they need as much as we can.
We still have many makers who prefer to work with component sets and we'll still be working to offer what they want - but what do the kitless folks want - if anything.

Nibs, feeds,piston fillers and clips.

Lin.

 

[hanau]

taps and dies
I would like to buy complete kit that contains the correct taps and dies ,nibs, feeds,piston fillers and clips.
That way i know what i have will work without having to figure out will this tap and die work with this part.
Ater i learn what i am doing then i can start experimenting with other size parts.

 

[BRobbins629]

transmissions for parker style refills
long blanks - 9-10" - materials suitable for threading
Click mechanisms with matching small metal nibs in various platings
Clips with various platings
feeds and fountain pen nibs with variety of widths and platings
unusual filling systems - piston, lever, push button, etc.
round brass stock for making mandrels
stainless steel bolts (in case Skippy doesn't reply)

 

[RichF]

clips in various
accent bands in various platings that are around 1 mm thick in various diameters (8 mm thru 16-18 mm--you would probably need a poll to determine the demand for sizes) to allow matching band and clip material.
+1 on Bruce's click mechanisms with matching small metal nibs in various platings

 

[penmaker56]

As a purveyor of parts the "kitless" trade and small manufacturer, it is not as easy as you may think. The factories that make pen parts have minimums that have become so large, it is basically impossible for the small supplier to bring them in; i.e. Ideal, the company that used to make clips had a 10,000/style/color minimum, they sold their dies to another company who raised the minimums to 25,000; a large nib manufacturer raised their minimums to 1000, things like front nose cones (the term nib, here means the front part of any pen, but in the pen world, it is only used with fountain pens), accent rings and center bands, if not made by the pen company directly, are made and plated to order.

As large and popular as this hobby/advocation/business is getting, it is still not large enough to support the minimums that these factories are requiring. Even though I bring in things directly from Schmidt (with their minimums) I have been trying to work from the back side, through pen manufacturers that I know, to acquire the parts for the small pen maker. Even that is not easy, as they do not like to sell the dust sitting on their shelves.

 

[Smitty37]

As a purveyor of parts the "kitless" trade and small manufacturer, it is not as easy as you may think. The factories that make pen parts have minimums that have become so large, it is basically impossible for the small supplier to bring them in; i.e. Ideal, the company that used to make clips had a 10,000/style/color minimum, they sold their dies to another company who raised the minimums to 25,000; a large nib manufacturer raised their minimums to 1000, things like front nose cones (the term nib, here means the front part of any pen, but in the pen world, it is only used with fountain pens), accent rings and center bands, if not made by the pen company directly, are made and plated to order.

As large and popular as this hobby/advocation/business is getting, it is still not large enough to support the minimums that these factories are requiring. Even though I bring in things directly from Schmidt (with their minimums) I have been trying to work from the back side, through pen manufacturers that I know, to acquire the parts for the small pen maker. Even that is not easy, as they do not like to sell the dust sitting on their shelves.

I'm pretty well aware of what you're saying but I'd still like to have some idea of what those turners feel their needs are. I understand that many of the needs will probably only be filled by very large vendors (if at all) and that they will have limited selections available

 

[Janster]

What he said!

taps and dies
I would like to buy complete kit that contains the correct taps and dies ,nibs, feeds,piston fillers and clips.
That way i know what i have will work without having to figure out will this tap and die work with this part.
Ater i learn what i am doing then i can start experimenting with other size parts.

What hanau said!

 

[SteveG]

I am only just at the launch point to start making pens without kits, but I believe a supply of solid silver or sterling silver tubing in the typical sizes that match up with finish OD on the pens would be in demand. The tubing would be used to cut accent bands to be part of the over all pen design. A small selection of tubing diameters would probably cover most needs.