postable caps

[scubaman]

Darn, I still don't follow... what does a boring bar have to do with a tailstock? It's on the tool post, on the compound. Most compounds can be rotated - I think Sherline has one that can't. Or are you saying rely on flex? I would not... Of course you can turn an internal taper, just forget the tailstock thing

 

[Paul in OKC]

You might be able to drill a taper with the tail stock offset a bit. That would count on the drill 'finding center' when you start the hole, and figuring the offset in the tail stock would cause the hole to be bigger at the entry point than at the bottom. Possible, I suppose, but not sure about consistancy.

 

[bitshird]

Well sorry for the dumb Arse idea, I had never tried it until yesterday, The idea was to put a boring bar in a drill chuck and offset the tail stock with the cap held in a three jaw or Beal collet, I tried this I was thinking that by starting with the boring bar at or near the closed end of the cap and the tailstock extended fully that as it was withdrawn it would cut an inside taper I offset my tail stock .020 and tried but it didn't work, so now I'll take my D.A award for the day shut up, and realign my tail stock, [)][)][)]

 

[RussFairfield]

I have been making what we now call a "closed-end" pen since before they had a name, and I would like to offer several observations to the topic of postable caps. They are in no particular order .....

Does it really make any difference whether the cap posts or not?? We make a pen. It is what it is. People either like it or they don't?? If they like it, they will buy it; and if they don't, they won't.

I have come to thinking the same way about threads. They either work or they don't. Most potential buyers have no other concerns than that.

One of my El Grande fountain pens (both ends closed and recessed clip) was included with other penmaker's pens in a feature article in one of the fountain pen magazines last year. There was no mention in the review of my pen that the cap did not post. I sold several pens as a result of that article, and none of the buyers made the first comment about the cap not posting.

My most popular fountain pen has always been my original design with the "hour-glass" shape. There is no way the cap can be posted. People either accept or reject it on it's style alone. Making the pen a little longer improves the balance and adding a better nib makes it a better writer. I have ignored this pen for far too long, and have started making them again.

My observation has been that people expect the cap to post when they first pick up a pen that looks like a commercial pen. Very few will let that be their deciding factor. If it doesn't look like a commercial pen, they have no expectations and will be more inclined to accept the pen for what it is.

Posting the cap has to mean more than just sticking the cap on the end of the pen and hoping it stays there. The pen with the posted cap has to be functional and comfortable to use; and it has to look good that way.

I got into making closed-end pens because the pen kits at the time were neither functional nor comfortable to use with the cap posted or un-posted. The caps were heavy and the posted pen was top-heavy and uncomfortable to use. Using the pens un-posted was even worse because the rough metal threads and ridges on the posting fittings rubbed the skin raw. This isn't as much of a problem with some of the newer kits that are now available.

 

[scubaman]

Russ, it may not matter to you, for the reasons you state, but I assure you it matters to some. I have definitely lost sales because a cap did not post. Of course I have also lost sales because a pen was too large, too heavy, too small a grip section etc. Whether I want to make a decent postable cap is my business. (I know that's not what you were trying to say.) What I mean is, that sellability is simply one aspect of this. A crappy-posting cap is just that... crap... an El Grande cap that has an unsightly gap when posted and comes off when you look at it wrong is no asset to a pen! I have sold many a pen with that cap though... that does not make it any better in my eyes!

Having a cap that posts is one aspect of a pen, but not the only one. I view it as a good goal for those that pursue it actively. And if someone wants t omake a postable cap, they might as well do it right!

I do agree only partially with the thread comment. I assume you mean multi-start threads vs single start. It does not matter whether a pen closes in 3/4 of a turn or several complete turns as long as the thread works right and engages w/o fiddling around. What does matter is the holding power of a thread... 4-lead threads typically get so steep they don't wedge in place and a pen can easily come separated, especailly loose-tolerance metal or metal/plastic threads. The current crop of large pens from CSU and PSI all fall into that category. It's the sort of hidden feature that few people think of when they pick up a pen. And if it only sits on a desk may never notice. As far as I'm concerned a single start thread that works smoothly and stays closed is much preferred. I think thread tolerances play a large part, and these guys seem to all design the threads too loose...