Anyone got a spare pen?

[Todd in PA]

Anyone got a spare pen? I know I do.

I imagine many of you have this issue:
I make a pen, it takes time effort, and money. Then for any number of reasons, the finished product does not meet my own quality control standards.
It gets a crack sometime after completion.
I notice a scratch in the kit.
The twist or click isn't smooth.
The ca puckers.
It's ugly do to my own design choices.
Etc.

So there I am with a completed pen and unable to sell it, unwilling to give it away, reluctant throw it out.

A lot of them end up being my carry pens. I use them and don't worry about taking it out of the house, dropping it, or losing it. I actually don't know that I've never claimed a 'good' pen as my own. All 'my' pens are from the drawer of misfit toys.

I've got a drawer for the rejects. These are ones I think I'll disasssmble one day and rebuild with new tubes. Or I'm keeping for spare parts. But basically just taking up space. Maybe I'm just sentimental.

I'd love to hear how you are you managing your rejects.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

I disassemble them and remake the pen. If I mess up the hardware during disassembley I keep it for spare parts. I don't have a problem giving away pens but I don't give away rejects. That way if the pen gets shown to someone that wants to buy a pen they see the quality that I'm capable of producing. Be careful distributing a product that your not proud of.

 

[sorcerertd]

I disassemble them and remake the pen. If I mess up the hardware during disassembley I keep it for spare parts. I don't have a problem giving away pens but I don't give away rejects. That way if the pen gets shown to someone that wants to buy a pen they see the quality that I'm capable of producing. Be careful distributing a product that your not proud of.

Yes. This. I wish there was a way to disassemble click kits without breaking them.

 

[Drewby108]

Yes. This. I wish there was a way to disassemble click kits without breaking them.

I broke one of my girlfriend's click pens putting it together. She kept it as work with it stuck open and her clients still kept trying to ask if they could keep it lol. I have since managed to fix the mechanism. A couple of the cheaper kits I made for her have walked off with people.

She didn't understand why I made so many for her when I was starting out. Practice pens that weren't great quality for my standards, but great for clients to fill out paperwork.

I made a couple pens I was not proud of for a cigar event, but the people who received them were super happy with how they looked. I think it mostly boils down to how a person receives the rejects. They might not have bought them, but if they get the pen for free or win it in a raffle, they're happy.

 

[Alan Morrison]

I normally only make segmented pens and my enjoyment is in the design and construction. Very few end up as pens.
In the early days most went into pen kits but now instead of a drawerful of pens I have a drawerful of tubes.

 

[KenB259]

I disassemble and remake them. Sometimes I just get tired of my personal pens and even though there's nothing wrong with them, I remake them in a different style.

 

[Woodchipper]

I had to disassemble a pen. I found some good videos on YouTube. Here is a link to one I found most helpful. It was suggested on the forum to get the punch very close to the diameter of the pen body. Punch set can be found at Harbor Freight or any of the pen suppliers.

 

[sorcerertd]

I normally only make segmented pens and my enjoyment is in the design and construction. Very few end up as pens.
In the early days most went into pen kits but now instead of a drawerful of pens I have a drawerful of tubes.View attachment 339989

I know you like to innovate rather than repeat, but there's a lot of people that would gladly buy those.

 

[KenB259]

I normally only make segmented pens and my enjoyment is in the design and construction. Very few end up as pens.
In the early days most went into pen kits but now instead of a drawerful of pens I have a drawerful of tubes.View attachment 339989

I can relate to this, I have a bunch of blanks too that have not made it onto a pen.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

When I disassemble a pen I used to use the same punch set as seen in the video earlier. That worked but the beating the parts took using the hammer is what ruined most of the kits. I bought the rather expensive pen press from PSI that assembles and disassembles pens. I use it with the same punch set and ruin very few parts. The slow steady pressure is a lot more forgiving than a hammer. I can even press out the plastic thread insert used with the rollerball caps and not damage them. If your really careful you can press off the top part of a bolt action kit without hurting it. Like also mentioned I'll redo a carry pen just to have something different without having to buy another kit.

 

[Todd in PA]

I appreciate the replies. I clearly need to set enough of the attachment to my effort to be able to strip down the kit and build new tubes.

 

[sbwertz]

I broke one of my girlfriend's click pens putting it together. She kept it as work with it stuck open and her clients still kept trying to ask if they could keep it lol. I have since managed to fix the mechanism. A couple of the cheaper kits I made for her have walked off with people.

She didn't understand why I made so many for her when I was starting out. Practice pens that weren't great quality for my standards, but great for clients to fill out paperwork.

I made a couple pens I was not proud of for a cigar event, but the people who received them were super happy with how they looked. I think it mostly boils down to how a person receives the rejects. They might not have bought them, but if they get the pen for free or win it in a raffle, they're happy.

That is why I have a laser. If your name is burned on it, it won't walk away. Especially with my blind or visually impaired turners. I started doing it after someone asked one of my turners to look at her pen then turned and walked off with it. It takes a certain type of heel to steal from a blind person.

 

[mark james]

I normally only make segmented pens and my enjoyment is in the design and construction. Very few end up as pens.
In the early days most went into pen kits but now instead of a drawerful of pens I have a drawerful of tubes.View attachment 339989

That is an impressive drawerful - several! (of blanks). Excellent artistry Alan.

 

[Drewby108]

It takes a certain type of heel to steal from a blind person.

That is messed up.

I made a bunch of the pens for practice and knew that they likely were going to disappear, so I haven't been too bothered. If I were going to get into selling what I make, a laser would be a strong consideration to do business pens for people.

 

[Alan Morrison]

I know you like to innovate rather than repeat, but there's a lot of people that would gladly buy those.

Anyone who is passing is welcome to come and help themselves.

 

[sbwertz]

I turned wooden morse taper mandrels to turn pepper mills, and use two of them...on in the headstock and one in the tailstock to assemble and disassemble pens. My blind turners can assemble their own pens using the lathe as a press because they can put one finger on the parts and turn the wheel with the other hand until the feel the parts come together. Much more precise control for positioning a transmission than with a regular lever operated pen press.... a thumbnail in the groove on a slim transmission will position it perfectly. I have a tapered bit made for doing grafting on fruit trees that makes a tapered hole just like a pen nib. (Lee Valley Veritas Plugger bit) I drill a shallow taper in one of the wooden mill mandrels to hold the pen point while assembling. The tapered bit also makes very nice pen stands.

Update...apparently you can no longer get the plugger bit! Glad I have two...one at home and one at the blind center.

 

[penicillin]

If the pen is functional as a writing instrument but is otherwise flawed, then I donate it to our local public library. They always need pens and appreciate the ones I give them.

You could consider offering them to others who fill out forms a lot - police and other first responders, caregivers for the elderly, etc.