Kitless Contest - 2015 Summer Extravaganza

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
2015 Summer Extravaganza - Kitless Contest​

The Universal Contest Rules apply. You can find them and read them Here

Your kitless entry may be any style pen or pencil you wish to make.

There are no restrictions on tools, techniques or raw materials. Everything is allowed as long as you are the one doing the work.

You are encouraged to make as many of the parts for your entry as possible. However, you may use a commercially made clip if you hide the ring, or you may eliminate the clip (making one yourself is always an option). Roll Stoppers are an excellent alternative to clips and something you might want to consider if you don't want to make a clip.

You may also use commercial ink / lead system components (e.g. nibs, feeds, transmissions / mechanisms (twist or click), refills, converters, sacs, springs, pressure bars...). You may not use a slimline twist transmission. There are other contests for slimlines.

Nose cones, sections, couplers, finials and center bands from kits, salvaged from other writing instruments or sold separately by vendors are not allowed.

The barrels should be made from materials that have not been modified by an artist other than yourself.

You will judged by
1 - creativity
2 - quantity and quality of YOUR original work in making the parts for your creation
3 - looks, we all like a pretty pen!​

To enter, send an email to SummerKitless2015@comcast.net with:
A) 3 pictures of your pen (960 x 960, 1.00MB max)
B) A statement that clearly explains what YOU did and used to make the pen. Any special features should be explained to insure they don't get overlooked by the voters​

Deadline for entry is August 23, 2015 10:00pm (Parkland, FL time). You may only make one entry.

Prizes (if any) will be announced later.

If you have any questions you may post them here, PM me or send me an email.

Good Luck.


We now have prizes!
First Place...from Classic Nib a $50.00 Gift Certificate
Second Place ..from Exotic Blanks a $50.00 Gift Certificate
Third Place .....from Brooks803 a box of Blanks.
Ed
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Who is going to be the first to declare their intention to step up and enter the 2015 Summer Extravaganza Kitless Contest? Don't be shy.

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Thanks for replying Derek!!! I was beginning to wonder if my contest post was visible to anybody other than me.... :biggrin:

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Hi Dale - Anybody can be in it, no matter what tools and know how they have. Check out entry #4 in last years contest:

Derek's Frank Lloyd Wright Minimalist Kitless 2014 Entry (#4)

Of course, to win it may take a bit more in the way of tools and know how than is required to just be in it. But you never know if you don't try. As things stand right now (as I'm typing), you wouldn't finish any lower than second.

And making an entry would be a sure way to build up that know how. Lot's can be done without any super special / expensive tools.

Ed
 

Brian G

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2013
Messages
1,567
Location
Bloomington, MN
Cripes, Ed. . . I told you during the Bash that I'd enter whatever contest you hosted. Kitless? Man, I'm hosed. :redface:
 

mredburn

IAP Activities Manager
Staff member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
8,752
Location
Fort Myers FL
Hey Brian its all about the effort. I cant promise you you'll win if you enter but I can guarantee you wont if you dont enter. This is about having fun and stretching your comfort zone. Make a pen and have fun!
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
My comfort zone will be stretched so far, I'll tear something. We'll see what happens. I'm declaring "IN!"

Welcome aboard Brian. Glad you decided to take up the challenge.

If a capped fountain / roller seems like it might be an overwhelming challenge (and a bit expensive) as a first kitless attempt, you could always try a custom click. A custom click can be a much less expensive endeavor than a fountain, but still result in spectacular custom pens.

A commercial pen like a Papermate Inkjoy (retractable ballpoint) can be bought for parts for as little as $0.50. That will give you a smooth click mechanism and a nice writing refill to use as the foundation for a custom click. Add in some artistic creativity in making the body and you just might have a winner.

The good news is that we have almost 7 weeks until the entry deadline. Plenty of time to try a couple of different things.

Good luck.

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Finally made it to the end of that youtube video! It really got good about 3/4 of the way through it.

I know what you mean!! I especially liked the part where they switched to French (well...French Canadian...so not quite French) at around 9:33:40. It made me laugh until I realized how hard it must have been to switch up like that without losing a beat.

Back to the contest. I suggested earlier that click pens may offer an easier path to Kitless Success. You don't need a lot of equipment or expensive equipment to make a kitless click. But if you do come up with a super fantastic design, a small investment can allow you to crank out millions of them and launch you into the ranks of the Pen Moguls. Here's an example:

Small is relative when it comes to investment...click to see what I mean....

Ed

Who is wondering if Derek is going to enter the kitless contest for real this year....
 

Brian G

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2013
Messages
1,567
Location
Bloomington, MN
I hope he's not confused that it's a kiltless contest, again. If that's the case, he needs to get in on the IAP smock buy. Maybe we should take up a collection.

Mulling some ideas. I start with an over-the-top, beyond my reach plan and it usually settles to something manageable.

So I can cannibalize a mass-produced pen for a click mechanism? I'll have to root through the crappy pen drawer and see what lurks.
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Hi Brian - Commercial click mechanisms are allowed, whether you buy them new from a vendor or salvage something.

Good luck with your planning (and the implementation).

Ed
 

southernclay

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Messages
2,260
Location
Dawsonville, GA
I'm going to rip off something similar to the masterpiece below...I think I'll go with a roller and different ink color though :biggrin:

120897d1408543665-kitless-pen-entries-vote-now-do1c.jpg
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Hi Warren - I would expect someone from the great state of Georgia to be able to go way beyond what someone from 30 miles south of Dead Cow Gulch SD was able to do for a kitless pen. At least wrap some poly clay around it or something. :rolleyes:

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
If you are reading this and you are thinking to yourself "I'm not going to enter this contest." or "I can't enter this contest", how about posting your reasons why. Maybe there is something we can think of that might change your mind about your willingness / ability to enter the contest.

Ed

Who can't believe anyone would pass up the chance to push their skills to the next level in a friendly competition......
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
A challenge! Is trash talking allowed?

LOL,,,I am in this!!!

you might want to go ahead send my name to the engraver for the plaque

no since holding him up.View attachment 135453

Hi Frodo - Glad you are going to participate. High quality trash talking that results in increased participation from the community is encouraged. Toxic waste talk is discouraged.

Can't wait to see what you come up with. Also make sure you check out the universal rules linked in the first post in this thread. Especially rule #1.

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
So, who else is going to be man enough (or woman enough) to step up and take the kitless challenge this summer. If you won't participate because you think you can't win, then make it about building your skills, not winning.

Do you have a problem making kitless pens you can't figure out or something else that is stopping you from giving kitless a try? All you have to do is ask. You might be surprised how easy the answers are.

There are very few really good reasons for not participating in this challenge and most of the good reasons involve getting hit by a bus or bitten by a shark (or something like that). So most of you have no good reason to not participate.

Let's go!!!

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
can you submit more than 3 pictures?

Hi Frodo - When the poll is posted for voting, each entry will have a maximum of 3 pictures shown. So, don't send more than three pictures.

And just to be clear, the three pictures have to be of the same thing. Only one writing instrument can be entered in this contest per member.

Ed
 
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
3,227
Location
Millersburg, OR
Moved the shop not long ago and so far the layout is a pile in the middle of the floor. If the pesky work thing doesn't get in the way too much I may have to take a shot at this one. I've had an idea or two that could be fun to try.

Sent from my phone using some program.
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Moved the shop not long ago and so far the layout is a pile in the middle of the floor. If the pesky work thing doesn't get in the way too much I may have to take a shot at this one. I've had an idea or two that could be fun to try.

Sent from my phone using some program.

Hi Chris - A pile in the middle should leave plenty of room all around the perimeter to do all sorts of creative things!!! As you pull things out of the middle to use them on your kitless creation, put them where you want them when you are done. Next thing you know you have a kitless wonder (or two) and an organized shop. Sound like a winner!

Sure hope you can make the time to participate.

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Hi Derek - I'm glad you have decided to keep posting here on the absolutely. positively, without a doubt, most certain for sure best contest thread in the whole Summer Extravaganza. Your posts here will draw in the thousands of IAP members who follow you. Fortunately, most of them won't realize that they were supposed to click those sneaky links in your post and they will instead seriously consider entering the best contest (to be clear, that's this one!!!) this summer.

I'm getting a good feeling about you as well. I really think this year might be the year for a serious kitless entry from Derek. Either of those swap pens you sent me could be adapted to a real contender of a kitless entry.

What do you say Derek? Is this the year? Come on. Go for it!!!

Ed
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
I'll probably throw an entry into the mix, but given my schedule of late I'll probably start it the last day of the contest.

Hi Carl - You have until August 23 to get your entry in, so that's a pretty decent amount of time. But I know how easy it is to put things off when you have a long list of things to do. Maybe you could pretend the entry deadline is July 23. Hope you get a chance to make a submission.

Ed
 

D.Oliver

Member
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
3,531
Location
Faith SD
Hi Derek - I'm glad you have decided to keep posting here on the absolutely. positively, without a doubt, most certain for sure best contest thread in the whole Summer Extravaganza. Your posts here will draw in the thousands of IAP members who follow you. Fortunately, most of them won't realize that they were supposed to click those sneaky links in your post and they will instead seriously consider entering the best contest (to be clear, that's this one!!!) this summer.

I'm getting a good feeling about you as well. I really think this year might be the year for a serious kitless entry from Derek. Either of those swap pens you sent me could be adapted to a real contender of a kitless entry.

What do you say Derek? Is this the year? Come on. Go for it!!!

Ed

First off, on the statement in red...I think you got your decimal point in the wrong spot. The only people that follow me have pitchforks and torches.

Secondly I have been reading your post and mulling your ideas of scavanging a click mech from another pen. I went through my drawer and I think I found the perfect pen to part out. What do you think?
PITH from Ed 1.jpg
 
Last edited:

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
...I think you got your decimal point in the wrong spot. The only people that follow me have pitchforks and torches.


Secondly I have been reading your post and mulling your ideas of scavanging a click mech from another pen. I went through my drawer and I think I found the perfect pen to part out. What do you think?
View attachment 135503


Sorry about getting that decimal point in the wrong place. I forgot about all those people with pitchforks and torches. I should have said tens of thousands following you!!

As far as the pictured pen...I think you would have to be nuts to try and take that thing apart. I'll bet it was put together in a way that would make a normally really hard to disassemble pen completely impossible to disassemble. Maybe if you used a really big hammer on it. Something would probably come loose after a couple hundred whacks.....

Maybe on your next trip to the nearest big city (would that be Eagle Butt or Mud Butt?) you can stop by an office supply store and buy a cheap pen that would be easier to take apart. Just a thought. Fortunately this time of year you won't have to ride your horse through snow to get there. As long as you go this week. Next week could be too late....

Ed
 

D.Oliver

Member
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
3,531
Location
Faith SD



You may also use commercial ink / lead system components (e.g. nibs, feeds, transmissions / mechanisms (twist or click), refills, converters, sacs, springs, pressure bars...). You may not use a slimline twist transmission. There are other contests for slimlines.


If you have any questions you may post them here, PM me or send me an email.

Good Luck.

Ed

Ed could you elaborate on these other contest for slimlines? They sound wonderful.:good:
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Wow! If you are going to make your own aluminum from bauxite, make sure you take pictures. Whichever process you use, it should be exciting. That should be some pen when you are done.

Ed
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Top Bottom