Another Italian Job

[gerryr]

This is another blank from Pedigree Woodcrafts. The one is called Matrix Blue. When I bought it I thought the blue was opaque. Yesterday I happened to hold it up to a strong light and discovered it was translucent cobalt blue. The matrix in it is silver. It took a while to decide what to try. I thought about painting the blank blue, but finally decided to use nickel plated tubes and make a Rhodium Jr. Retro fountain pen. I chose the Jr. Retro because I didn't want any gold on the hardware. I used the recommended 12.5mm and 10.5mm bits and would really like to have some that are about .2mm smaller for a tighter fit with the tubes. Those may not be easy to find. At $8.95 each, these matrix blanks are not for the faint of heart. I also have a Matrix Silver and a Matrix Iridescent, both of which are clear except for the matrix.

Comments good or bad are welcomed and thanks to those who comment.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Ok Gerry you'r getting me to start liking the Jr.Retro,I just might have to drop the Jr.Gent and replace with the Jr.Retro. Cost aside what do you think about the blanks from Pedigree so far?

 

[gerryr]

Roy,
The jury is still out. I have several more that I have yet to decide exactly what to make from them and they're mostly very different from this one. If I did this one again, I would paint the blank metallic blue. What I'm not very impressed with yet are the nickel plated tubes. If you can get a really tight fit in the blank then they might work OK, but most of the tubes just kind of wallow around in there and the more slop you have the more you can see bubbles in the glue. I still think that if you don't want the tube to show, painting the blank is a better option.

 

[GaryMGg]

The photo shows a dark cylinder running along the pen. I'm guessing that's the tubes.
Even at that, it looks good. Real nice workmanship, that's for sure. [8D]
Gary

 

[gerryr]

Interesting. That dark line is some kind of photographic aberration because it isn't there when I look at the pen. Those would be really skinny tubes if that were the tubes.

 

[rhahnfl]

Yeah... it's in the photo because it extends onto the silver hardware at the exact same width. Must be a reflection of the camera or something. Good looking pen!!!

 

[vick]

Very nice. I also am liking the Retro kit the more I see it.

 

[ed4copies]

Gerry,

Dawn bought a few of those for me, too. You think the metallic blue? I have not drilled a "matrix" yet, did the "black coffee" this weekend, it is opaque, but the pattern is just "so-so". If you do all the matrix patterns, then I won't have to waste any - GOOD PLAN!!![}][}][}]

Nice pen. E-mail any suggestions you want to share!!!

 

[huntersilver]

Very nice pen and work too!

 

[rcarman]

I am still unsure on the retro, but the craftsmanship would make a pen kit look good. AWESOME job!

 

[George7]

>I used the recommended 12.5mm and 10.5mm bits and would really like to >have some that are about .2mm smaller for a tighter fit with the tubes.

I used an English/Metric conversion widget and found that 13/32 is equal to 10.3188 mm. 31/64 is 12.3031 mm. I don't know that they will work, but they are close to what you said you wanted.[]

 

[johncrane]

Gerry!
your pen looks really good,also thanks for the tip on the drill size's l cant see why they want too make the tube sloppy beats me! l am with Roy on this one the only way too really know what the kit is like is to try it .[]