Baron cap finial embellishments

[karlkuehn]

I'm building a Baron fountain pen for the wife. I told her how much I like writing with the FT American FP I just started using, and she said, "I like fountain pens!" ('nuff said). I got to looking at the little black 'cone' thingy on the stock kit part.

It looks like it's pushed in and the 'rivet' thingy on the inside is then squished (yeah, I know, I a machinist genius, knowing all the 'buzz' words) to hold it into place.

I've seen some people lately that are putting nifty custom embellishments in there. Do you drill that piece out, or is it just being covered up with a surface 'cabochon'?

 

[karlkuehn]

Also, on a related sidenote (this is new territory for me! []), do any of you closed cap end gurus out there have any finials you'd like to part with before I start monkeying around? heh

 

[randyrls]

Originally posted by karlkuehn

I'm building a Baron fountain pen for the wife.

It looks like it's pushed in and the 'rivet' thingy on the inside is then squished (yeah, I know, I a machinist genius, knowing all the 'buzz' words) to hold it into place.

I've seen some people lately that are putting nifty custom embellishments in there. Do you drill that piece out, or is it just being covered up with a surface 'cabochon'?

Karl; I have not done this yet, but I believe the black plastic end piece (BPEP) is pushed out with a punch. I would drill a hole in a piece of scrap just larger than the diameter of the BPEP and then lay the finial down and use a punch to push it out. I once did this accidentally while disassembling a Baron. I realized that there is a hollow on one end of the disassembly rod for a reason! The reason is that it fits over the pin in the BPEP to prevent pushing out the BPEP while you are pushing out the finial.

 

[karlkuehn]

Thanks Randy! Shows you what I know! I thought the EPBEPB or whatever was metal! That's easy money, I think I can work with that!

 

[igran7]

Karl the PBEPBE thingy comes out pretty easy as Randy said. Just hold it in one hand, get the largest diameter punch that'll fit in the cap (as long as the punch has a pointy thingy on the end) and pound it! Once you've made a little dent in the PBEPEB thingy then use a smaller punch (a little smaller than the hole in the cap) and hit away with a hammer. It should only take a couple of good whacks and your done.

 

[karlkuehn]

Uhhhh....how do you hold the finial while pounding out the beepeedeepeepee thingy in order to keep from screwing up the plating? I wonder if I can just grab the little nib from the inside with a pair of needlenose and twist/snap it off. Tantar strong like bull. Unnghh!

 

[karlkuehn]

OH! you mean hit it from the finished end! That makes sense, no risk to the finish that way. Tantar get! Tantar like make own parts.

I guess when I commit to this, Tantar better make dang sure Tantar can replace the eedeypeedybeedy with something. I guess I can always fake it! That's the joy of casting your own blanks...crunch all you want...we'll make more!

 

[igran7]

Karl, hit the little nipple on the inside of the beepeedepe. You need to hold it with your hand so you don't mar the finish on the outside. it really doesn't take too much to jar it loose. Just a couple of of good whacks on the eepebeppede and BAM! its free.

 

[karlkuehn]

Whacked the crap out of it, but it just mushroomed and wouldn't come out after moving about a 1/8". That eighth did, however, give me enough play to grind it back to the brass middle part and then just knocked it through the hole from the finished side, no problem!

I guess now I need to figure out how to replace it! hehe...I'll just build a little jam chuck that will accept the stock. Now that I'm after it, I might as well replace the black center band ring, too. Look out customization types, here I come! []

Thanks for the help you guys!

 

[rherrell]

I grind it flush from the inside and it comes right out.

 

[RussFairfield]

Before you started pounding with a bigger hammer, did any of you think about holding the finial in a #1 chuck jaws and using a small parting tool the cut away the plastic insert in the cap. You coule also drill it out with a 1/4" drill bit. Either way is faster than beating it out, and you won't ruin the finial or plating.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by RussFairfield

Before you started pounding with a bigger hammer, did any of you think about holding the finial in a #1 chuck jaws and using a small parting tool the cut away the plastic insert in the cap. You coule also drill it out with a 1/4" drill bit. Either way is faster than beating it out, and you won't ruin the finial or plating.

That would be taking all of the fun out of it!

 

[karlkuehn]

Originally posted by RussFairfield

Before you started pounding with a bigger hammer, did any of you think about holding the finial in a #1 chuck jaws and using a small parting tool the cut away the plastic insert in the cap. You coule also drill it out with a 1/4" drill bit. Either way is faster than beating it out, and you won't ruin the finial or plating.

The insert is some kind of metal, so I wasn't sure how well cutting it away would go unless it was really cramped down in a chuck. It actually popped out pretty easy for the first 1/8" just holding the fitting in my hand, and then it had enough clearance to take the thin finished part off on the belt sander.

 

[bitshird]

Originally posted by RussFairfield

Before you started pounding with a bigger hammer, did any of you think about holding the finial in a #1 chuck jaws and using a small parting tool the cut away the plastic insert in the cap. You coule also drill it out with a 1/4" drill bit. Either way is faster than beating it out, and you won't ruin the finial or plating.

Jeezh why do intelligent people with fully functional brains have to make things SOOOOOOO easy. I mean really wouldn't it be more fun to shed some blood, endure some pain and scratch up the plating, ,

 

[johncrane]

To remove the cap insert on Jr gents l Drilled a 15/32'hole into a scrap piece of wood then glue a thick rubber washer over the hole, then drill the same size hole 15/32'into the rubber. Using this will protect the cap platings.l also use this as a press block when l am replacing the custom made center ring on the Jr gents.should work with the Baron.

 

[karlkuehn]

Well, that's about the coolest thing ever. heh...fairly simple, too. Thanks for showing the pictures!

 

[jjudge]

I just used a punch to disassemble a Baron cap (insert, pound while holding lightly in hand) ... and the cap + clip came off, and the black filial fell right off.

I guess the point of the punch was pressing up against the filial's plug, while I was pounding out the cap.

But -- I like your way better: more controlled.

--joe

 

[Jim15]

Thanks John.

 

[Tanner]

Brilliant John!!! Thanks for showing how you do it. I was cracking up at what Russ said. I have his videos, he's such a great common sense guy. No sense in making this more difficult than it has to be.