Broadwell Art Deco Fountain pen kit

[wolf creek knives]

My son has requested this pen from PSI (Broadwell Art Deco Rhodium and 22kt Gold Fountain Pen Kit PKART3F). However, when looking at the drill bit sizes in the accessories section in the catalog it calls for a 27/64 and a 12.5mm bit. When I look at the build instructions they call for a 12.5mm and 10.5mm drill bit. Has anyone made this kit before and if so what size drill bits did you use? According to a conversion chart a 27/64 drill bit in fractional sizes is 10.7156 in metric. Small difference but that could make a difference. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Charlie_W]

It has been a while since I turned a 12.5/10.5 pen but my usual drilling plan is to drill 10 thousandths larger than the tube.
A box of bits with fractional, letter, and number bits is a big help.

 

[wolf creek knives]

It has been a while since I turned a 12.5/10.5 pen but my usual drilling plan is to drill 10 thousandths larger than the tube.
A box of bits with fractional, letter, and number bits is a big help.

So based on what you're saying, would you use the 27/64 or 10.5mm? I purchase specific drill bits that are kept in a plastic display box in a drawer each marked with their individual sizes. Based on my math, adding 10 thousandths would make the drill bit, in metric 10.5001 (but I'm no math wizard). Based on this the 27/64 bit would be too big at 10.7156mm. Am I missing something or is my assumption, and math, close?

 

[Dalecamino]

10 thousandths is the thickness of 10 sheets of printing paper. I would use what the kit instructions call for.

 

[qquake]

I wouldn't think 0.22 mm would be enough to matter. That's only 0.009", if my math is correct.

 

[eharri446]

I have the same pen except in rollerball and it called for the 10.5/12.5 combination. The tubes fit into the 10.5mm hole very nicely.

 

[ed4copies]

What are you drilling? A wood hole will often "fill in", so you should use a slightly larger bit. Resin and most other plastics will stay the size they are drilled, so the bit can be smaller--UNLESS you plan to paint, then the hole should again be a little larger.

WE are the penmakers, the instructions should be viewed as "suggestions" to be improved upon, not engineering drawings to be followed to the letter!

 

[magpens]

Just to add fuel to the fire, I find it interesting/confusing that PSI offers this set of drills, bushings, and other tools for the Art Deco two barrel pen kits and this listing states the drill bit in question is a 10.5 mm drill bit :

Broadwell Art Deco Accessories Set: with drill bits, bushings and trimming sleeve

Get the accessories you need for your Broadwell Art Deco Pen Kit and Save! Accessories set includes: One set of Art Deco Bushings (Item #: PKARTBU) One 10.5mm drill bit for lower tube (Item #: PK105MM) One 12.5mm drill bit (Item #: PKPL1-DB) One Barrel Trimming Sleeve (Ite

www.pennstateind.com

The joke goes like this ... "How do you confuse an Irishman ? ....... Show him two shovels and tell him to take his pick."

I happen to be more than half Irish .

 

[Don Rabchenuk]

When making this kit I have always used the 10.5 and 12.5 as stated in the instructions and have never had any problems.

 

[eharri446]

PSI sells a kit which calls for a .492 drill bit which is the same as the 12.5 mm drill bit. That just adds more confusion to the mix.

 

[wolf creek knives]

What are you drilling? A wood hole will often "fill in", so you should use a slightly larger bit. Resin and most other plastics will stay the size they are drilled, so the bit can be smaller--UNLESS you plan to paint, then the hole should again be a little larger.

WE are the penmakers, the instructions should be viewed as "suggestions" to be improved upon, not engineering drawings to be followed to the letter!

The blanks will be wood with some type of "Art Deco" design to them. I haven't figured it out yet and I've been asking another member some questions about how to turn certain types of materials.
I'm not sure what you mean in this last statement (WE are the penmakers, the instructions should be viewed as "suggestions" to be improved upon, not engineering drawings to be followed to the letter!) Yes I am the penmaker on this pen however, I didn't design the pen lit nor did I do any of the drawings when it was sent to the manufacturer. Based on that, I have found that the build instructions should be adhered to and followed when it comes to assembly. Some may think differently. The blank is my decision so I can do that however I want. The issue I bring up is the differences mentioned in the original post, PSI is suggesting two different bit options and I was asking for clarification which I've gotten.

 

[wolf creek knives]

I think the confusion in bit sizes has been answered. I'm sticking with the build instructions and using the 10.5 and 12.5 bits. Thanks for everyone's input and even the jokes

 

[Curly]

10 thousandths is the thickness of 10 sheets of printing paper. I would use what the kit instructions call for.

Chuck you are out just a little. 10 sheets of rolling paper would be closer than printing paper to ten thousandths. 10 sheets of paper is very close to 1mm or 0.040". Printing paper is just under 0.004" or 0.1mm so in this case the difference is a couple sheets of paper. I know if we want to pick nits and get silly with our decimals, a millimetre is 0.039370078740157" but none of us have any way of measuring anything to that kind of accuracy.

If the 10.5mm holes end up being a little snug they can always be sanded a touch to let the tube slide in.

 

[Dalecamino]

Chuck you are out just a little. 10 sheets of rolling paper would be closer than printing paper to ten thousandths. 10 sheets of paper is very close to 1mm or 0.040". Printing paper is just under 0.004" or 0.1mm so in this case the difference is a couple sheets of paper. I know if we want to pick nits and get silly with our decimals, a millimetre is 0.039370078740157" but none of us have any way of measuring anything to that kind of accuracy.

If the 10.5mm holes end up being a little snug they can always be sanded a touch to let the tube slide in.

Right or wrong...I gave you something to do. You are welcome!!

 

[Curly]

Nope you gave me lots to do. One finger typist.

 

[Dalecamino]

Nope you gave me lots to do. One finger typist.

But no typos!