Folks, I would like to try kitless pens. I've only ever turned pens from kits and I have a couple questions. (Warning: I haven't checked out the library here yet. I know there are some great resources and I definitely intend to peruse it for topics of usefulness. But thought I'd get these questions up.)
I was thinking I'd start small, maybe by omitting the finial for the cap or body (or both) and instead turning my own. I'd then use the center band, clip, and nib from a kit that I like. That way, I could probably just glue the finial to the cap/body, perhaps with a small tenon sliding into the brass tube to keep everything aligned. I wouldn't have to worry about threads then, and I could just refill the pen by unscrewing the nib. Do folks think that would work? Any hiccups with this approach that I don't have the foresight to see right now? Are there any particular mandrels or styles of kitless mandrels that work well (and have a lot of flexibility in terms of configuration)? I just don't know what to look for.
And, for when the day comes that I start threading my own sections and what-not--do folks use brass tubes for kitless or do they simply thread the inside of the blank? I would assume the latter, because it doesn't seem like a brass tube glued into the blank would really thread all that well (unless the tube was thick enough to accept the whole thread), but thought I'd ask.
I was thinking I'd start small, maybe by omitting the finial for the cap or body (or both) and instead turning my own. I'd then use the center band, clip, and nib from a kit that I like. That way, I could probably just glue the finial to the cap/body, perhaps with a small tenon sliding into the brass tube to keep everything aligned. I wouldn't have to worry about threads then, and I could just refill the pen by unscrewing the nib. Do folks think that would work? Any hiccups with this approach that I don't have the foresight to see right now? Are there any particular mandrels or styles of kitless mandrels that work well (and have a lot of flexibility in terms of configuration)? I just don't know what to look for.
And, for when the day comes that I start threading my own sections and what-not--do folks use brass tubes for kitless or do they simply thread the inside of the blank? I would assume the latter, because it doesn't seem like a brass tube glued into the blank would really thread all that well (unless the tube was thick enough to accept the whole thread), but thought I'd ask.
my knowledge of pen turning is just about nil, but your plan sounds great to me! [emoji3]
