pen holder from stopper blank

[BarrierBob]

Has anyone ever tried to make a desk pen holder from a stopper blank or equal size blank? Tried pouring a matching stopper blank and pen blank for the set, and now starting to formulate a plan for this. plan on using sedona rollerball as the pen kit, for a closed end pen. looking for possible thoughts. Thanks

 

[BarrierBob]

Will attach a few pics, as soon as I can.

 

[jttheclockman]

My thoughts on pen holders as a whole and this is just my opinion. If you are talking a screw cap 2 part pen then you should stay away from funnels of any kind. Those type pens need to rest flat on some object. The cigar and sierra blank pens can be put in funnels but remember that the coatings on these pens are not indestructible and in fact do scratch easily . I would be more inclined to make a stand similar to the ones that people use to prop their pens when showing off here. As I said just my opinion.

 

[BarrierBob]

Thanks , I see your point. Here is what I am trying with rollerball closed end. The washer was actually inset in the base and covered over with resin. Made blanks from all the same resin, for a close match. The green set shows how the threaded portion of rollerball cap was used as the actual pen holder. I'm sure this needs a lot of work, just looking for thoughts and possible ideas.

 

[jttheclockman]

Thanks , I see your point. Here is what I am trying with rollerball closed end. The washer was actually inset in the base and covered over with resin. Made blanks from all the same resin, for a close match. The green set shows how the threaded portion of rollerball cap was used as the actual pen holder. I'm sure this needs a lot of work, just looking for thoughts and possible ideas.

Well again my thoughts on this idea is purely mine and you do whatever you feel is fine with you. But the awkwardness of unscrewing the body from the cap would be a problem for me. It is not a natural motion and feel. You do need to keep tight to keep ink from drying quickly. Good luck. Maybe others can make suggestions.

 

[Mortalis]

My first inclination was to suggest one of the magnetic pens and then sell the pen and holder as a unit. But, then I got to thinking that the idea of a pen holder is to be able to grab the pen, one handed, and go then 'throw' it back into the holder when done. A magnetic pen would most likely need two hands or some manipulation of the fingers on a single hand to remove the pen from the magnet. <shrug>
I dont think you need to be mindful of drying ink on a ball point or roller ball as you would if was a fountain pen.
I tend to agree with John that an open stand as described by John would probably be more something someone with a desk pen would be interested in.

 

[BarrierBob]

Thanks for the information and thoughts. Just making these as a gift for a friend who did me a favor. I do see the point of having to unscrew the rollerball type. my original thought was a cigar closed end pen, then things took a twist ( maybe not a good twist ) thanks again.

 

[Tach]

I had a request for a pen and holder. I used something similar to BarrierBob. The pen was a pirate pen from PSI so it was a bit top heavy. I overcome that be increasing the height to about 2" and instead of using a washer I used a 45cal. lead bullet from my reloading bench. I recessed the lead just enough to cap it with a piece of dowel. It turned out nice and had enough weight to keep it upright.

 

[duncsuss]

I made this after seeing a picture of something online. I glued strips of foam in the hole, they grip the pen cap and allow me to screw the pen into it when I'm not writing and remove it to write. (Since I make my caps with one and a half turns to completely unscrew, it's an easy process, I can spin the pen between thumb and index finger.) I leave the holder on my desk at work - at the end of the day, I simply pull the capped pen out of the holder and take it home.

 

[egnald]

A while back I made a somewhat modified PSI Premium Designer NT kit with a matching PSI Pen Stand out of Bethlehem Olive Wood. I chose the pen kit because it uses 8mm tubes and a Parker style refill which is a lot less susceptible to drying out in an "open" pen stand than a rollerball type refill is. Since the Premium Designer is only available in Gold plating, I used the Brass Pen Stand to help them match.

The modification to change the Premium Designer into a Desk Pen was to essentially eliminate the cap/clip/finial and to make the upper out of a full 5" inch blank turned with a closed end with the tube glued into a blind hole on one end of the blank. The lower blank was made using the standard, unmodified, instructions. Although it can be twisted to retract the ink refill, it is not necessary when using the Pen Stand.

I have often thought about pouring a larger blank when I cast so that I can make a matching set out of Alumilite instead of wood, but I haven't done it yet.

Anyhow, here is how it turned out - Dave

PS I really like the angled bottom on the pen stand that Duncan (duncsuss) posted. I might have to try modifying a PSI Pen Stand to have a closed bottom and cut it at an angle like that and glue a piece of felt to the bottom instead of using the bottom piece that comes with the kit. (Thanks for the idea Duncan).