I hate front sections

[Carl Fisher]

I'm at about a 1/5 success rate on front sections. I blow up, screw up, or throw out 4 for every 1 good one I get.

Please tell me at some point these will get easier

 

[lorbay]

Yes they will get easier. I feel your pain.
Lin

 

[Twissy]

I did find that they got easier, but still occasionally throw one across the shop! And when you move from the #5 to #6 you can start all over again:biggrin:

 

[rstought]

It will get better. For me, these four things have greatly improved my success rate. In no particular order:

1. More precise measurements - Using either milimeters or "decimal inches" instead of strictly imperial measurements.

2. Use of a good mandrel - I had someone create one for me out of steel.

3. Use of small tools - Others might be able to do everything with one set of tools, but I apparently can't. For me, small parts = small tools

4. Drilling a small hole (maybe 1/16 or 3/32") the length of the section. This way, all the larger holes that you drill, both from the back of the section (say, for a converter) and the front (for the feed), will line up.

 

[duncsuss]

I've decided to increase the section/barrel threads I use from 9x0.75 to 10x0.75.

I've lost a lot of sections due to the threaded part of the section snapping off, hoping that the extra material there will help.

Of course, it might just move the problem to the barrel, I'll probably have to increase the barrel/cap diameter too.

 

[lorbay]

I learned how to make my front sections from George and this tutorial he did.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f56/making-fountain-pen-section-tutorial-88966/
Man I miss his tutorials.
Lin

 

[Carl Fisher]

That tutorial is what I typically go by.

My latest failure last night was when a front seciton I was working on ATE my feed housing. After tapping for the housing, I screwed it in to check the depth to see if I was flush and it seized into the section. I must have forgotten to clean out the hole before test fitting and bound up some debris in the threads. Ended up destroying the feed and housing to get it out and then killed the section by cross threading trying to clean up the internal threads.

The prevoius one yesterday sheared the outer threaded section off.

I think I've found almost every way to screw these things up just this past weekend.

 

[duncsuss]

I think I've found almost every way to screw these things up just this past weekend.

We probably all go through phases like this, at least I do. Guess I'm very lucky that it's not the way I make a living, and I do it for fun -- I even manage to enjoy it when things blow up on me.

And if I get a good result once in a while, that's even better :laugh:

 

[lorbay]

That tutorial is what I typically go by.

My latest failure last night was when a front seciton I was working on ATE my feed housing. After tapping for the housing, I screwed it in to check the depth to see if I was flush and it seized into the section. I must have forgotten to clean out the hole before test fitting and bound up some debris in the threads. Ended up destroying the feed and housing to get it out and then killed the section by cross threading trying to clean up the internal threads.

The prevoius one yesterday sheared the outer threaded section off.

I think I've found almost every way to screw these things up just this past weekend.

Carl as you have said the feed seized into the section and this happens to me all the time and I have put this down to the tap we use being slightly larger than the feed threads. As we (or I ) don't have a die for the feed so you can't really check it. So what I do is make sure there are plenty of threads in the section and then take out 2 or 3 of the first threads out at a time with the clearance drill until it screws in nicely.
Lin

 

[Bruce markwardt]

I think the front section is by far the hardest part on making a pen. Even making the front sections for rollerballs is tough. There's a lot going on in a very small space. Every time I think I have it figured out I spend a day screwing up a couple.

The thing I like about Bock nibs is that if the section eats your feed/housing you can at least buy a new feed/housing. You don't need to buy a whole new assembly.

I have made several eyedropper pens using old Esterbrook and Osmiroid nibs. The front sections are super easy because the nib threads are in the front of the nib assembly rather than the back. You just drill a hole and thread and then screw in the nib as far as it needs to go. Much easier. I'm no pen expert but I wonder why Bock and JoWo are threaded in the back/middle of the housing.

 

[duncsuss]

I have made several eyedropper pens using old Esterbrook and Osmiroid nibs. The front sections are super easy ...

... which hasn't stopped me finding ways to goof on these too :biggrin:

(but I completely agree they are simpler to make than Bock and JoWo/Meisternib sections)

 

[Bruce markwardt]

I have made several eyedropper pens using old Esterbrook and Osmiroid nibs. The front sections are super easy ...

... which hasn't stopped me finding ways to goof on these too :biggrin:

(but I completely agree they are simpler to make than Bock and JoWo/Meisternib sections)

I haven't messed one of the Esterbrooks up yet. Something to look forward to!!!!

 

[Carl Fisher]

The front sections are super easy because the nib threads are in the front of the nib assembly rather than the back. You just drill a hole and thread and then screw in the nib as far as it needs to go. Much easier.

That would be oh so nice. No more worrying about getting the depth just right which when I do everything else right is always a trick of it's own.