Ways to attach a rollerball refill and using adaptors?

[carandacher]

I am thinking about making a rollerball pen with a cap and I wonder how one usually achieves that the rollerball refill inside the pen doesn't get to move vertically?
I guess some people use springs or plastic tubing at the non-writing end of the refill, some use threaded refills and most usually the length inside has to be perfect match to the length of the refill?

What has worked for you?

 

[jcm71]

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you are talking about making a closed end/kitless rollerball. Also assuming that you are thinking of using a Schmidt or Schneider rollerball refill, which are the same length and are all interchangeable with all of the "kit" pens we normally turn. Using a completed rollerball kit of your choice, measure the distance between the inside of the finial to the nib tip (obviously with the refill and spring removed), making allowance for the length of refill you want to protrude from the nib, and go from there. Use the same type of spring on your finished product as the one used in measuring. Hope this helps.

 

[carandacher]

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you are talking about making a closed end/kitless rollerball. Also assuming that you are thinking of using a Schmidt or Schneider rollerball refill, which are the same length and are all interchangeable with all of the "kit" pens we normally turn. Using a completed rollerball kit of your choice, measure the distance between the inside of the finial to the nib tip (obviously with the refill and spring removed), making allowance for the length of refill you want to protrude from the nib, and go from there. Use the same type of spring on your finished product as the one used in measuring. Hope this helps.

Schmidt would be a good choice I believe.
I am making my first kitless rollerball from scratch and I don't have an access to a rollerball pen to take it apart, so the basic anatomy is not completely clear for me.

So the pen would be a rollerball with a cap, do this kind of pens usually have springs on one or both ends of the refill or is the end usually

Threaded refills seems like a stable choice, does anyone besides montblanc make these?

 

[jcm71]

Rollerballs have springs on the finial end, ballpoints at the nib. Different rollerball component sets (kits) have different sized springs. The only threaded refill that I know of or use is a Cross ballpoint (not what you need). I don't know of any threaded rollerball refills, however, others on the forum here might.
Not to criticize, however, I find it strange that you say you have no rollerball kits on hand to take apart and measure yet, you are looking into making a kitless from scratch. Your public profile is completely void of any details about your pen making or woodworking experience as well. If you are a complete novice, I suggest you invest in some rollerball kits from vendors here or online, and go from there. If you are a novice pen turner, you may be putting the proverbial cart before the horse in trying to make a kitless pen so soon.

 

[duncsuss]

The only rollerballs I have made were kits, so I can't tell you "what works for me" in this case.

However, I have made ballpoint pens and fountain pens without kits, and what I have found works best for me is to make one or more prototypes using clear Acrylic Acetate.

This allows me to see from the outside exactly how things are lining up on the inside of the pen I'm making -- do I need to drill a little deeper, did I go too far and have to start over again, etc. Once I have a prototype working exactly how I want it, I can measure all the critical distances and repeat the work to make the real thing.

Note: I always use "cast", not "extruded", acrylic acetate -- it is a bit more expensive, but the extruded material has internal stresses and it has always cracked when I work it.

Hope this helps.

 

[carandacher]

Thanks, I will consider buying a kit.

This makes me think that if there's a spring at the top of the refill, the refill will move inwards in the pen a bit when applying pressure, is this a normal feature in rollerball pens?

It would seem ideal to make the barrel and section length to match perfectly to the length of the refill, however I guess all(or most?) manufacturers solve this fit issue with a spring or threads, as even half millimeter gap would make the refill wiggle a bit vertically.

 

[duncsuss]

Thanks, I will consider buying a kit.

There's no need -- but you will be able to measure the parts and use that information as a good starting point for making your own pen. I know a few pen makers who are very successful and did not start out with kits; you have to learn a lot of skills and processes that are irrelevant as soon as you stop using kits, so why bother?

This makes me think that if there's a spring at the top of the refill, the refill will move inwards in the pen a bit when applying pressure, is this a normal feature in rollerball pens?

Correct. Pressing a rollerball into the paper, you feel a small amount of flex.

It would seem ideal to make the barrel and section length to match perfectly to the length of the refill, however I guess all(or most?) manufacturers solve this fit issue with a spring or threads, as even half millimeter gap would make the refill wiggle a bit vertically.

It's quite easy to get a perfect fit by "sneaking up" on it -- but I think that rollerballs benefit from the small amount of flex that a rear spring gives them. You can try it easily -- buy a refill, drill a blind hole in a piece of any material you have on hand (it doesn't have to be an exact length), and glue the refill into the hole. Then try writing with it, and compare how it feels to one that has a spring behind the refill.
Good luck -- you are going down a rabbit hole, it's a lot of fun but it's not easy to escape :biggrin: