The idea for this concept started recently when I showed my way of modifying a Slimline in this thread:
I'll repost the photograph as a starting point for this new concept. . Here it is:
As usual with slimlines, this two-piece pen pulls apart into two halves for the purpose of replacing the refill as I show here :
When you look at this pic, the wide part in the top half does not have to be an integral part of the upper (top) barrel as it was made.
The wide part could, in fact be a separate piece. . "Brilliant revelation" lights up the creative cells in the brain !! . Flash ! . Flash !!
It could be just about anything you like ... so why not a pre-cast blank made by one of the IAP experts for, as an example, a Sierra pen.
So let's make it a Sierra blank, with the Sierra brass tube already in. . Here's how we'll modify the wooden parts to make this happen ...
There you see the wooden end parts, made from Purpleheart (to match a color in part of the cast blank I have chosen for the middle part).
You also see some parts from a Slimline, namely the nib, the two so-called 7 mm brass tubes, and, between the tubes, part of the twist mech.
Eventually, the lower brass tube could get glued into the wooden part above it, as the upper tube is glued into the wooden part above it.
Here's another pic including the Sierra blank that I have chosen for the middle section. . This Sierra blank was made by an IAP member.
I suppose it is clear that the two narrow parts of the wood pieces are sized to fit inside the Sierra blank with the fish image on it.
The lengths of those two narrow wood protrusions are not critical, as long as they don't bump into each other in the middle.
The diameters are important ... the diameters should match the internal diameter of the Sierra blank, to keep things nicely aligned/centered.
Notice that I have added two white acrylic bands to the ends of the fish blank. . These are not necessary, but I put them there just so that the image of the fish is "bracketed" and appears nicely centered. . These are not "oops" bands.
So let's have a look at a trial assembly of the pieces and see what we think.
Looks promising, wouldn't you say ? . But the top and bottom wooden pieces could do with a little bit of shaping, it seems to me.
How about this ?
Well, that's one possible shaping, but not the only one. . But let's go with that for now. . One consideration is that the top wooden piece, with its narrower extension that is inside the fish blank, has to act as the twist portion of the pen, to extend and retract the refill in the usual slimline fashion. . So we are going to have to glue the upper brass tube inside the upper wooden piece. . But do we have to also glue the fish barrel piece to the upper wooden piece ? . Actually, we do NOT have to do that.
So, realizing that fact leads to the concept of the center piece (the fish image) being removable and replaceable with a different barrel.
Note that the bottom (nib end) wooden piece also contains a so-called 7 mm brass tube and could be glued to that brass tube.
But the center barrel (the fish) does not have to be glued to anything. . It is held nicely centered between the two wooden end pieces with their narrow parts holding the barrel in place laterally. . The upper brass tube is a friction fit on the top of the central transmission. . So the parts of the pen are nicely held together by friction. . Refill replacement is done by pulling the top and bottom apart. . But until you have to replace the refill, friction does its job of holding the whole pen together, and the center decorative barrel is pretty much secure.
So let's think about a replacement for the fish barrel ... you might want to replace it with a different barrel when Fish Friday is over.
How about one of Marla's feather blanks, also made for a Sierra, and to which I have added some black end bands to make its length the same as the fish blank. . Just to emphasize, those black end bands are in no way necessary. . They just add a bit of visual appeal, perhaps.
For the weekend, then, we'll have a feather barrel on the pen. . Here it is, but now pictured with a different nose cone, this one tapered to match the taper on the slimline nib :
If you wish, you can glue the decorative center barrel to the upper wooden piece. . In that case, you would be choosing between these two options, for example:
There you have it ... the New Concept Slimline-Sierra. . We have now expanded the scope of your slimline modifications with a little lathe work.
You can have fish for Friday and you can have feathers for the rest of the week, if you so choose.
A little work remains to be done. . I have to apply a finish to the wood pieces, and I have a little gluing to do.
For me, the slimline has acquired new life. . I like working with tube-in blanks made by others. . Here is a way to do that, even on a slimline.
But you could also use any blank material where I have used the tube-in pre-cast blanks. . I like the possibilities that this concept presents.
BTW ... please tell me which of the "nose cones" you prefer of the two that I presented: the tapered nose cone shown first on the feather blank, or the blunt nose cone with the depressed finger grip that is shown, again with the feather blank, in the picture immediately above.
And if you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know. . I love getting feedback. . Thanks for reading this lengthy thread !!
Some credits are due to the makers (both IAP members) of the Sierra-size barrels that I have used.
The fish blank barrel was made by EBorraga. . The feather blank barrel was made by Cricket, also known as Marla on some vendor sites.
How I Modify Slimlines
I don't make many slimlines; this shows how I like to make them when I do. . The wood on both pens is Cocobolo. . These are Berea kits. Probably others do a similar modification. . I can't remember if I copied anyone else's design, and if I did, who that was. I apologize for the photo having...
www.penturners.org
I'll repost the photograph as a starting point for this new concept. . Here it is:
As usual with slimlines, this two-piece pen pulls apart into two halves for the purpose of replacing the refill as I show here :
When you look at this pic, the wide part in the top half does not have to be an integral part of the upper (top) barrel as it was made.
The wide part could, in fact be a separate piece. . "Brilliant revelation" lights up the creative cells in the brain !! . Flash ! . Flash !!
It could be just about anything you like ... so why not a pre-cast blank made by one of the IAP experts for, as an example, a Sierra pen.
So let's make it a Sierra blank, with the Sierra brass tube already in. . Here's how we'll modify the wooden parts to make this happen ...
There you see the wooden end parts, made from Purpleheart (to match a color in part of the cast blank I have chosen for the middle part).
You also see some parts from a Slimline, namely the nib, the two so-called 7 mm brass tubes, and, between the tubes, part of the twist mech.
Eventually, the lower brass tube could get glued into the wooden part above it, as the upper tube is glued into the wooden part above it.
Here's another pic including the Sierra blank that I have chosen for the middle section. . This Sierra blank was made by an IAP member.
I suppose it is clear that the two narrow parts of the wood pieces are sized to fit inside the Sierra blank with the fish image on it.
The lengths of those two narrow wood protrusions are not critical, as long as they don't bump into each other in the middle.
The diameters are important ... the diameters should match the internal diameter of the Sierra blank, to keep things nicely aligned/centered.
Notice that I have added two white acrylic bands to the ends of the fish blank. . These are not necessary, but I put them there just so that the image of the fish is "bracketed" and appears nicely centered. . These are not "oops" bands.
So let's have a look at a trial assembly of the pieces and see what we think.
Looks promising, wouldn't you say ? . But the top and bottom wooden pieces could do with a little bit of shaping, it seems to me.
How about this ?
Well, that's one possible shaping, but not the only one. . But let's go with that for now. . One consideration is that the top wooden piece, with its narrower extension that is inside the fish blank, has to act as the twist portion of the pen, to extend and retract the refill in the usual slimline fashion. . So we are going to have to glue the upper brass tube inside the upper wooden piece. . But do we have to also glue the fish barrel piece to the upper wooden piece ? . Actually, we do NOT have to do that.
So, realizing that fact leads to the concept of the center piece (the fish image) being removable and replaceable with a different barrel.
Note that the bottom (nib end) wooden piece also contains a so-called 7 mm brass tube and could be glued to that brass tube.
But the center barrel (the fish) does not have to be glued to anything. . It is held nicely centered between the two wooden end pieces with their narrow parts holding the barrel in place laterally. . The upper brass tube is a friction fit on the top of the central transmission. . So the parts of the pen are nicely held together by friction. . Refill replacement is done by pulling the top and bottom apart. . But until you have to replace the refill, friction does its job of holding the whole pen together, and the center decorative barrel is pretty much secure.
So let's think about a replacement for the fish barrel ... you might want to replace it with a different barrel when Fish Friday is over.
How about one of Marla's feather blanks, also made for a Sierra, and to which I have added some black end bands to make its length the same as the fish blank. . Just to emphasize, those black end bands are in no way necessary. . They just add a bit of visual appeal, perhaps.
For the weekend, then, we'll have a feather barrel on the pen. . Here it is, but now pictured with a different nose cone, this one tapered to match the taper on the slimline nib :
If you wish, you can glue the decorative center barrel to the upper wooden piece. . In that case, you would be choosing between these two options, for example:
There you have it ... the New Concept Slimline-Sierra. . We have now expanded the scope of your slimline modifications with a little lathe work.
You can have fish for Friday and you can have feathers for the rest of the week, if you so choose.
A little work remains to be done. . I have to apply a finish to the wood pieces, and I have a little gluing to do.
For me, the slimline has acquired new life. . I like working with tube-in blanks made by others. . Here is a way to do that, even on a slimline.
But you could also use any blank material where I have used the tube-in pre-cast blanks. . I like the possibilities that this concept presents.
BTW ... please tell me which of the "nose cones" you prefer of the two that I presented: the tapered nose cone shown first on the feather blank, or the blunt nose cone with the depressed finger grip that is shown, again with the feather blank, in the picture immediately above.
And if you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know. . I love getting feedback. . Thanks for reading this lengthy thread !!
Some credits are due to the makers (both IAP members) of the Sierra-size barrels that I have used.
The fish blank barrel was made by EBorraga. . The feather blank barrel was made by Cricket, also known as Marla on some vendor sites.