Custom Blue and Black Ebonite Rollerball

[wizard]

Finished it this A.M. It's a Custom Rollerball made with Blue and Black Ebonite with cartridge/converter capabilities. New for me is the section with the Rollerball system and the inlaid finials. I want to thank Robert (Robert111) for graciously providing me the necessary instructions to do my first finial inlays.... Thanks so much Robert!! I was very unsure about how to shape the section for the Rollerball system and just winged it..:redface:. Not sure I really like the shape of this one..
Comments are welcomed please. If you have time... I would really appreciate specific comments, opinions and/or examples about the shape of the section for this rollerball system. Also, I'm working on an aluminum pen with the front section also in aluminum for the same rollerball system. I would appreciate any opinions on possible shapes for sections in aluminum.
Thanks so much for looking!! Doc

 

[LL Woodworks]

As always - Very Nice Doc - I've made several of these roller ball cartridge systems and love them. Below is an aluminum one I made earlier this year and I like this section shape alot. Although feasible, it is harder to make with PR or ebonite because the material gets so thin near the nib.The yellow, red and green one is my wife's daily writer with a little different section shape and the last on is more a tuned to the shape of your section.

This is what is great about custom, we can experiment over and over. I love my daily FP but I like this roller ball system almost as well, especially if I'm having to write on an assortment of different paper textures.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Robert111]

Looks good, Doc! That blue ebonite is frustrating to finish. Yours looks pretty nice.

You asked for comments about the section, and I think when I did one of these Schmidt rollerball systems I tried to make a taper from the midpoint of the section to the point of the rollerball, if you follow me. That makes the joint between section and nosecone virtually invisible. Here's a photo:

As always, your craftsmanship is flawless in every detail!

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Doc, you've really upped the anti for me when I get back into the shop (It's been three months) I like the shape of the section, but think it needs to be slightly longer like I think Lynn's last one is., but what do I know.

 

[LL Woodworks]

Nice Robert - I'll have to try this - Like it, Like it alot

Looks good, Doc! That blue ebonite is frustrating to finish. Yours looks pretty nice.

You asked for comments about the section, and I think when I did one of these Schmidt rollerball systems I tried to make a taper from the midpoint of the section to the point of the rollerball, if you follow me. That makes the joint between section and nosecone virtually invisible. Here's a photo:

As always, your craftsmanship is flawless in every detail!

 

[wizard]

Holy cow!! Lynn and Robert, thanks so much for the ideas, comments and beautiful examples. I can't wait to finish work today...and start a new section tonight.

 

[BSea]

That's great work as always. I do agree the section doesn't look right. to me it looks like a fountain pen section rather than a roller ball section. Regardless, It's a keeper for sure.

 

[ToddMR]

It looks well put together Doc. The first thought the popped into my head was that it looks like the tip of the pen is actually another pen inserted into the roller ball section. Obviously I know its not that way. The shape overall is good, still on the fence about the indention of the roller ball tip. I would have to feel it in my hand writing to know if I liked it. It looks to be a well balanced design none the less. My comments are just that, so don't take any of what I am saying as negatives. I always like the things you turn out.

Well done.

 

[Dalecamino]

Another nice pen Doc. I personally like the way Robert shaped his sections. Although, I find nothing wrong with yours.

 

[watch_art]

Sections are totally subjective. Make what's comfortable for you or the customer. There's no one shape fits all. One person will want a taper while one wants a pinch and then another wants a lip on the end.

 

[Fishinbo]

MAGNIFIQUE !!!



_____________________________

BandSaw Blades Online - Custom Welded Band Saw Blades

 

[wizard]

New Look to Section

Thank you for kind comments. But most of all, thank you for the helpful suggestions, comments, constructive critique and sharing of ideas that characterizes the spirit of this forum...Could not grow with you!!!

Well, I re-contoured the old section to try to get a taper from midpoint of the section to the point of the rollerball as Robert mentioned...Don't think I quite made it.....got a little worried about thickness of ebonite left at the front part of the section. However even with the current thickness... seems pretty sturdy. I also think it would look better if I went ahead and made a new section that was longer to give more room for the fingers as well as making the transition at the midpoint of the section more defined. I also wondered whether the section would have looked better in the blue ebonite.... It's a work in progress....Anyway..I'm rambling..too much coffee. Again, let me know what you think..comments welcomed. Thanks so much for looking. Doc

P.S. Last picture was just for fun...just wanted to see if I could make a face...yep..think maybe 4+ cups of coffee this AM was too much.

 

[OOPS]

I approached this as if I was shopping online to make a purchase. I believe that your original design "looks" as if it would be a more comfortable pen to hold, as it appears that there is plenty of material to hold onto, without having to grip the threads. With your tapered nosecone (is that what this should be called?) looks as though it might require me to grip it right on the threads. Again, this is my subjective opinion from looking at the photos. Either pen is stunning, but if they were side by side, I would purchase your original design.

The other design aspect that caught my attention was the size of the black accent pieces in relation to the overall pen. Subjectively the black rings seem too thick to me. Did you consider thinner accent pieces?

I can see that your abilities are far beyond mine. I am throwing in my two cents worth as you asked for in your original post. I would like to see more of your work as you bring this design concept along.

 

[Robert111]

Thank you for kind comments. But most of all, thank you for the helpful suggestions, comments, constructive critique and sharing of ideas that characterizes the spirit of this forum...Could not grow with you!!!

Well, I re-contoured the old section to try to get a taper from midpoint of the section to the point of the rollerball as Robert mentioned...Don't think I quite made it.....got a little worried about thickness of ebonite left at the front part of the section. However even with the current thickness... seems pretty sturdy. I also think it would look better if I went ahead and made a new section that was longer to give more room for the fingers as well as making the transition at the midpoint of the section more defined. I also wondered whether the section would have looked better in the blue ebonite.... It's a work in progress....Anyway..I'm rambling..too much coffee. Again, let me know what you think..comments welcomed. Thanks so much for looking. Doc

P.S. Last picture was just for fun...just wanted to see if I could make a face...yep..think maybe 4+ cups of coffee this AM was too much.

Looks good to me. I think it'd be comfortable too.

For what it's worth, lately I've been trying to cut down on the length of the threaded part of the barrel, not so much because I find it uncomfortable to grip a pen over the threads, but just because there's nothing aesthetically pleasing about long threads. I had a customer insist a pen should cap in exactly 1 1/2 turns. I can generally get pretty close to that if I'm using the 14 x .8 set and allow threads to be about 3/16" long.