GettinTg my feet wet with a kitless pen

[jimmyz]

I would like to try making a kitless pen. To make the task a little less complicated, I was thinking of making a kitless rollerball. My thought is to buy a rollerball kit and discard everything other than the refill and "tip" (if that's the correct name). This would let me thread the lower section for the "tip" and then the outside of the lower section and inside of the upper section. Both ends would be closed, with some sort of clip. Both barrels would be aluminite because I'm told thats the material of choice for making threads.

Guess I'm wondering how to determine the size of the threads on the "tip". Do I have to get that from the pen kit supplier or is there a way to figure out what the thread size is? Can or should I just buy the parts needed and possibly get that from the supplier?

Then, what "standard" taps and dies would be used for the upper and lower barrel threads"

I have copies of the "Taps and Dies" and recent "Kitless" tutorial and will use both of these as references.

Appreciate any thoughts on my plan and, especially, how to determine the size of the threads on the "tip". Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Curly]

Some of the vendors sell El Grande sections for fountain pens and the same in rollerball. They are both 10 x 1 mm threads so your pen could be convertable. A refill can come from anywhere. You will need the spring too but not sure where you should look for those. You can of course cannibalize an El Grande kit for parts. That would give you a clip too.

Victory Machineery is the place to go for taps and dies. They will have the 10 x 1 mm tap I mentioned plus the 12, 13 or 14 x .75 mm tap and die, your choice, for the cap to barrel threads. Single point of course but you don't need th expensive triple to start with.

I'm sitting in the dark replying on my cell as thunder storms knocked out the power 3 hours ago or I would have added links.

 

[builtbybill]

I believe Curly meant Victor Machinery - Victor Machinery - Metalworking tools and supplies