KMCloonan
Member
I was going through my Kit inventory and found three Berea "New Series" Ballpoint Kits. I had never made this kit before (I must have bought them when Berea Advertised them, back in 2020 or 2021). Anyway, I used one of the kits to make a pen using one of Rocky B's redwood burl blanks. I can tell you, I am quite disappointed in this kit/pen. It was a waste of a great blank. The transmission does not mate properly with the base, so it spins and only engages if you press the upper and lower segments together at the same time you twist the base.
As Todd in PA wrote some time ago, the New Series pens require you to either cut the wood for the cap blank shorter than the tube, or to part off about 1/4" of the wood if you cut the wood the same length as the tube. These methods leave a lot of opportunity for errors, especially if you have not tried them before. I am not crazy about these kits.
I also found I had another Berea "Flat Top" kit that also requires you to leave a portion of the tube extending beyond the blank, to allow for a center band to sleeve onto the tube directly.

If you have used these kits before and like them, I am happy to send these 3 kits and the redwood burl pen to you. If you have anything you would like to swap (like a couple blanks) that would be great, but not required.
Thanks,
Kevin
As Todd in PA wrote some time ago, the New Series pens require you to either cut the wood for the cap blank shorter than the tube, or to part off about 1/4" of the wood if you cut the wood the same length as the tube. These methods leave a lot of opportunity for errors, especially if you have not tried them before. I am not crazy about these kits.
I also found I had another Berea "Flat Top" kit that also requires you to leave a portion of the tube extending beyond the blank, to allow for a center band to sleeve onto the tube directly.

If you have used these kits before and like them, I am happy to send these 3 kits and the redwood burl pen to you. If you have anything you would like to swap (like a couple blanks) that would be great, but not required.
Thanks,
Kevin