Solid Copper Clicker #3 evolution, a 1 of 1

[More4dan]

Latest evolution of a copper clicker. I changed the Mechanism from a a Schmidt SMK88 to the SKM192. The 192 is essentially the guts of the 88 where you can make your own finial and button. I think it looks better than the nickel 88. I could also make the finial to match dimensions of the clip This one is for a friend's wife who works as an ICU Nurse. I was able to make all the components out of copper that is resistant to germs, bacteria, and viruses.

Making the finial and button took longer than the rest of the pen. It took 2 tries on the finial and 5 on the button. Partially due to the copper, where hole dimensions don't match the drill bit used. Success came with starting a couple sizes smaller and slowly increasing them till I got a good fit. The second one, if there ever is one, may be a bit quicker.

Thanks to Ed at Exotic Blanks for the Schmidt clickers to try out. I'll follow up with a full write up this weekend. Hope you like the pen, always welcome comments and suggestions.

Danny

 

[howsitwork]

Danny

try milk as a lubricant for copper. Seriously try it !

Also copper self,sterilises from COVID , longer survival,time approx 4 hours to kill it.

really like that pen

 

[howsitwork]

On,plastic materials it can survive for upto 3 to 4 days latest research

 

[Cwalker935]

Very nice, I like that a lot. What's the thread size on the clicker?

 

[More4dan]

Very nice, I like that a lot. What's the thread size on the clicker?

The finial I made uses a M7 x 0.75. The SKM192 uses a specialty thread, M4.2 x 0.35. I press fitted the 192 into the finial.

Danny


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[magpens]

Nice work, Danny !!

I really like that copper finial and pushbutton. . And I understand the effort it takes to get copper to turn out "right" !!

VERY well done !!

I believe the '192 goes in from the "pen side" ... is that right ? . So, before the finial is actually in its final position.

 

[Penultimate]

That's really nice. How does copper machine? What type of bit did you use?.


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[More4dan]

Nice work, Danny !!

I really like that copper finial and pushbutton. . And I understand the effort it takes to get copper to turn out "right" !!

VERY well done !!

I believe the '192 goes in from the "pen side" ... is that right ? . So, before the finial is actually in its final position.

Thanks Mal, the 192 screws into the bottom of the finial, or in my case pressed in. So, the finial needs to be removable if you want to make the 192 replaceable.

Danny


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[More4dan]

That's really nice. How does copper machine? What type of bit did you use?.


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Thanks, I used C145 grade copper that has some Tellurium added to make it "more better" for machining and drilling. C110 is the normal grade and has a machinability grade of 20, the C145 is rated at 85. In comparison, brass is 100.

Danny


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[dpstudios]

Very nice Danny. Inspirational.

 

[More4dan]

And finally got around to copper playing the clip. I had to strip the chrome finish off to get the copper to plate. Just took a couple minutes on the buffer. I used copper sulfate for the solution, a piece of scrap copper bar for the anode and a DCpower supplyset at1.5 volts. A D size battery will also work.

Danny

 

[Brotherdale]

Wow! Great work Danny

 

[SteveJ]

That is a sweet looking pen!

 

[Bryguy]

Another beauty. I like the plating. I've been playing around with Aluminum and anodizing and etching.

 

[Ironwood]

Inspirational Dan. Thanks for posting.
Does the recipient know she is getting the pen ?

 

[More4dan]

Inspirational Dan. Thanks for posting.
Does the recipient know she is getting the pen ?

Thanks.

I shared a picture with her husband and he showed her. She is really excited.

Danny


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[mark james]

That is very attractive! Well done.

 

[magpens]

That result is VERY nice, Dan !!

Gosh ! . You seem to be a fully-fledged Electro-Chemist, along with all your other skills !!!!

 

[JoeCallahan]

Absolutely beautiful work, and not to mention practical. If you ever have the time, I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd love it if you added a write-up of your electroplating process to the IAP Library.

 

[bsshog40]

Very nice!

 

[bmachin]

Making the finial and button took longer than the rest of the pen. It took 2 tries on the finial and 5 on the button. Partially due to the copper, where hole dimensions don't match the drill bit used. Success came with starting a couple sizes smaller and slowly increasing them till I got a good fit. The second one, if there ever is one, may be a bit quicker.



View attachment 238153

Danny

Danny,

Kinda late to the party here, but rather than stepping up drill sizes, you might consider buying/building a boring bar. That way you can control the diameter to with a thou or two as you go up with much better surface finish and less runout. (Unless of course I misread things and that's what you did, in which case I'm embarrassed.)

Bill

 

[More4dan]

The issue is for holes in the 1/8" range for a good press fit for the mechanism and the button. I have boring bars just none that small. A good set of reamers would help.

Danny


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[bmachin]

The issue is for holes in the 1/8" range for a good press fit for the mechanism and the button. I have boring bars just none that small. A good set of reamers would help.

Danny


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Reamers are nice, but finding the exact diameter you need can be nigh on to impossible (or expensive). There are some carbide reamers available on Ebay that would fit the bill for what you need for a reasonable price--you just can't go vey deep with them. Actually you could get by grinding your own from 1/4" drill rod for the depth that you need and for copper you wouldn't even have to worry about hardening.

Bill

 

[Pierre---]

Great pen Danny!
I am fighting with SKM192 these days, I find hard to thread a piece of something at M4.2 x 0.35! So you got around the problem by press fitting it? From the inside I suppose. You are not afraid of the mec falling apart after having pressed the button too hard or often?

 

[More4dan]

Thanks Pierre, I didn't have the tap for the thread. So I did press fit it to install it. I designed the button so it will bottom out in the finial before it would push out the 192. You could also glue it, but I was worried it might get into the mechanism.


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[More4dan]

Great pen Danny!
I am fighting with SKM192 these days, I find hard to thread a piece of something at M4.2 x 0.35! So you got around the problem by press fitting it? From the inside I suppose. You are not afraid of the mec falling apart after having pressed the button too hard or often?

Pierre, I also was working with a metal finial that I was pressing into, so I had enough interference to require a bit of force to get it to set in place. The press fit was for the smaller threaded section and the knurled section, I drilled two hole diameters both slightly smaller than the 192.

If I were pressing this into a brittle plastic I might think about gluing it in place instead of risking cracking the finial.

The downside is it is not replaceable, however it is an all metal mechanism that should last. The upside is I could make the threaded part of the finial longer which helped with securing it to the pen., and I don't have to worry about the 192 unscrewing for the customer.

Danny

 

[Pierre---]

Thanks for the answers Danny. I think the problems I have come from my M4.2 x 0.35 tap that looks a bit undersized so the mechanism does not enter the threads. Maybe I will try your solution instead. It is true that the fact the user cannot unscrew the mec is a good thing...