Lone star duo

[its_virgil]

Just finished a Tex flag/pecan pen and pencil set. I really like making this pen. The pencil is on the bottom. Notice any thing unusual about it? No CB. I used a long 7mm tube and glued the corian, picguard, and poecan into a one piece blank so it will more closely match the pen. Both are made from the slimline kit in chrome. Comments welcome: good, bad or indifferent.

NOTE: NO, I repeat NO freedom pen corian was used in the making of these pens. Last time I posted one of these pens I was flooded with emails about using freedom pen corian for my own use. It hasn't happened...I haven't even ordered any corian from Sawmill Creek. Thanks ... and as usual...
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[pastorbill1952]

Don, that is a great looking set. Is that resin coated flag pic?

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks pastorbill. The flag portion is corian cut and glued together and the star is laser engraved. Thanks for looking.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by pastorbill1952
<br />Don, that is a great looking set. Is that resin coated flag pic?

 

[elody21]

Great looking pens! I still don't understand why my husband won't let ME have a lazer ingraver?![V]

 

[its_virgil]

I don't have one, but I'm lucky enough to have a shop here in town that sells trophies and awards and he has one. I get my engraving done locally. They are nice, but expensive. I'll just leave the engraving to others.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by elody21
<br />Great looking pens! I still don't understand why my husband won't let ME have a lazer ingraver?![V]

 

[alamocdc]

Very cool, Don! [^]

 

[WoodChucker]

Don, awesome looking set! Is there a star on both sides? I really like these, very nice work!

 

[JimGo]

Don, those look great! One question thoug; if you glued the pecan, corian, and picguard together, where does it turn? You said you used a "long tube", so I assume the user turns the clip to extend the pen? I gotta try one of those soon!

 

[swm6500]

Nice looking set Don.
Jim, the pencil does not turn, the pen still turns if I read what Don is saying. Pencil is made the way it is because normally the top and bottom halves are joined with a coupler the looks like a common center band.

 

[jvsank]

Great looking pens

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks Billy B, RT. Sam, Jim, and Johnny.

RT: The star is just on one side. The customer wasn't willing to pay for the star on both sides, but that is a good idea. I have not had the star lasered on both sides, but may on the next one. I working of a shop here in town that sells "Texas" products.

Jim: Sam is right. The bottom one is a pencil, so no twisting necessary. The pencil kit comes with a coupler and it is possible to put the two tubes onto the coupler and grind off the coupler CB so the coupler/CB is the same diameter as the tubes and make the pencil with one blank. I was given some of the 10" 7mm tubes this week and wanted to try it that way. I also wanted the pen and pencil to match as closely as possible and don't like the bushing to bushing size of the slimline. Give it a try, but unless you figure out a way to make the pen work, the one blank only works with the pencil. But this way, those that do custom slimlines can make the pencil an exact match without the ugly gold CB in the middle.

Thanks again to all for the kind words.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[ctEaglesc]

Nice job.
The first ones I did that way,I didn't know about the longer tubes.
I drlled glued and milled the bottom tube, ground down the ring on the connector pressed in the connector and milled the cb(tricky it was thin and then proceded with the top section.
This works well if your DP only has a 2" travel.
When grinding the CB leave a "tad" of a shoulder.
Granted the longer tubes are easier but I didn't know better at the time.
I still do it the same way for "fatter" clicks.
that reminds me...

 

[alamocdc]

If I'm doing a fatter SL pencil, I do it a bit differently. Only because I didn't know any better and never thought about using a longer tube... and I have them, DUH! I've always added the length of the CB to the upper blank and drilled a hole the diameter of the CB that depth in the bottom of it. That way the CB presses into both tubes as usual, but the CB is hidden under the extra length of the upper tube. Your way is much easier, Don! But mine doesn't leave me with useless leftover parts. []

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks eagle: I've done it that way also, before I had the longer tubes. I'll probably go back to that way when these tubes are gone. Why buy more when using the coupler and milling it down works. If I grind the coupler/CB on a grinding wheel, does that qualify as milling?

Billy: Using the longer tubes has increased my collection of short tubes and I have a nice assortment of couplers from pencils and click pens. Maybe I can find a use for them.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[ctEaglesc]

Originally posted by its_virgil
<br />Thanks eagle: I've done it that way also, before I had the longer tubes. I'll probably go back to that way when these tubes are gone. Why buy more when using the coupler and milling it down works. If I grind the coupler/CB on a grinding wheel, does that qualify as milling?

Billy: Using the longer tubes has increased my collection of short tubes and I have a nice assortment of couplers from pencils and click pens. Maybe I can find a use for them.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don -
I have found the easiest way to "grind" down the connector or the trim rings for transmissions is the same way I scff my tuces.
I use my bech sander and put the component on a long screwdriver and angel it <b>into </b>the direction of the belt.If you do it the wrong direction I assure you you will only do it that way once.
I use about 100 grit and be carefule if any parts have threads on them.A wrap of masking tape helps to protect the threads if you don't have a steady hand.[]
One more thing about using the supplied tubes and connector.
the length is right without "tweaking"

 

[its_virgil]

Eagle,
While the slimline pen is forgiving in its length, the pencil is not. There is only small window of adjustment for the pencil's length. Thanks for the input and suggestions.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by cteaglesc
<br />

Don -
One more thing about using the supplied tubes and connector.
the length is right without "tweaking"
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