prototype kitless twist and click ballpoints

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david44

david44

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2013
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114
Location
Withernsea, East Yorkshire,UK
Just completed these.

Twist pen. Sierra transmission, built up on at least 3 different diameters of brass tube (I lost count!). Nib and finial turned from brass rod (playing with my new mini metal lathe) and clip hand made from brass sheet (a tedious filing and sanding job - and it's not perfect). I need to summon up the patience to have another go.

Click pen. Schmidt mechanism and turned aluminium nib. The mechanism behaves oddly with intermittent reluctance to function. I took it apart but could see nothing obvious - perhaps someone else has experienced this.
 

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As a fan of good click pens, I really like the click pen. That is a very good job on the nib. I don't think many have done one that tapered. Most (including mine), have a little roundness to them just to be safe with the wall thickness. :good:
 
BSea said:
As a fan of good click pens, I really like the click pen. That is a very good job on the nib. I don't think many have done one that tapered. Most (including mine), have a little roundness to them just to be safe with the wall thickness. :good:
Click to expand...

The taper was turned on my mini metal lathe using the top slide (compound slide). First I drilled the metal to the three different diameters and depths which I have noted down. After doing the taper I use a collet chuck in my wood lathe to hold the nib by its tenon and then "tweak" the final length and maybe the profile of the very end using an hss "3 point" tool which I made.
 
david44 said:
After doing the taper I use a collet chuck in my wood lathe to hold the nib by its tenon and then "tweak" the final length and maybe the profile of the very end using an hss "3 point" tool which I made.
Click to expand...

Can you describe or show the "3 point" tool a little more fully, please.
Thanks
 
magpens said:
david44 said:
After doing the taper I use a collet chuck in my wood lathe to hold the nib by its tenon and then "tweak" the final length and maybe the profile of the very end using an hss "3 point" tool which I made.
Click to expand...

Can you describe or show the "3 point" tool a little more fully, please.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Might not be the correct name! I think they are called something else. They are available commercially but I made my own. Basically it's a length of round hss maybe 6 inches long by 1/4 or 5/8 diameter with the end ground to a point with three facets arranged "evenly" around the diameter. It ends up with a point and three edges. I find it most useful for all kinds of detail work and shaping. It can leave a quite nice finish on the brass and aluminium (aluminum to those of on the other side of the great sea). Another piece of the same hss makes a rather handy little skew which also gets a lot of use. I hope all that makes sense! David
 
Thanks, David. I believe I have seen a tool like that on the market.

Your grinding skills must be pretty good to make your own !!
 
magpens said:
Thanks, David. I believe I have seen a tool like that on the market.

Your grinding skills must be pretty good to make your own !!
Click to expand...

Not especially! It's not perfect - the three edges may not all be the same length :crying: but actually I find that to be useful! :smile-big: I do the grinding hand held on a standard white or pink wheel. The handles are some small ones I picked up at a junk sale but otherwise I would turn some. Give it a try! Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I reckon. Lief is full of learning experiences!
 
Great effort overall!

Making a clip for our kitless pens presents a lot of challenges, including getting a good looking shape, along with establishing the required "spring action" so the clip does not bend out the first time it is used. You did not back off from the challenge. Nice work!
 
SteveG said:
Great effort overall!

Making a clip for our kitless pens presents a lot of challenges, including getting a good looking shape, along with establishing the required "spring action" so the clip does not bend out the first time it is used. You did not back off from the challenge. Nice work!
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve. I did a bit of reading about other peoples experiences and then decided I simply had to make the effort. Fortunately I actually enjoy experimenting and learning new skills. :smile:
 
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