Solid Silver Pen Kits

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OldYankee

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May 17, 2008
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Location
Fenton, MO, USA.
My wife and I just met the owner of a couple of jewelry stores in our area that specialize in Silver jewelry. I happened to have one of my 24K Gold Americana pens in Red Palm in my pocket that I made and she asked me about it. She said if I made some in silver to get in touch with her because she would be glad to sell them for me. So I started to look for Silver pen kits when I got back home and when I showed some of them to my wife she said "Plated? No they have to be solid silver. Noone wants plated." Well I am at a loss then because I don't think anyone makes kits in solid silver that I am aware of. If they did, they would probably be prohibitively expensive. Any thoughts or comments on this?

I went ahead and ordered a couple of the Baron Sterling Silver Rollerball kits and the required drill bits and bearings at Arizona Silhouette and will make those - just in case she's wrong about the solid silver requirement. I can probably sell them to someone anyway even if she turns out to be right about that jewelry store lady's requirements.
 
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I, for one, would like to see more "silver" kits and even a few solid silver kits. I love the tone of silver versus chrome, platinum or other silver looking pens. They have a warmer glow to them. I can see a solid silver being in the neighborhood of an Emperor, or Imperial, but that would be OK with me. I would even like a thicker plating of silver of the quality that would be in the neighborhood of $25 - $35.
 
Originally posted by OldYankee

.... Any thoughts or comments on this?
Click to expand...
I agree with Grant, you will never find kits in either fine or sterling silver so make your own! Pens don't have to have heavy metal end and center pieces such as in the kits currently available. Sterling washers, tube and sheet stock can be combined to make some pretty nice looking pens.

A good source for your fine and sterling stock is http://www.metalliferous.com/silver.php
 
This is really stupid, I have been a part time silversmith for nearly 30 years, I have a CNC milling machine and a lathe, and some excellent 3D software, I have created an d cast in Sterling Silver licensed charms for many major colleges and fraternal organizations and sororities.
One of the first things I thought about doing when I started making pens was when I got the time to create some parts like nibs, centerbands, clips and finials.
I can machine the master components from wax then mold them and cast them actually it sounds a lot harder than it is,but this is one of those someday projects, I guess my hope is that SOMEDAY I'll get my Doo Doo packaged together and do it.
In fact, tomorrow I'm going to join procrastinators anonymous, Since I retired, I've wasted more time that I had spare time before.
Given the price of Sterling casting grain say around $22.00 per troy OZ. I think cost on parts for say a modified slimline, something with a centerband size closer to or a bit larger than a comfort grip and a heavier clip with a finial with a larger diameter than a slim line, I would estimate can be done with about 20 grams of silver,about 2/3rds OZ. also there are some new sterling alloys that are a tiny bit more expensive but are resistant to natural oxidation I know several folks have tried with PMC but found that it was quite weak, that's also the problem with most of the tarnish resistant alloys; although they are stronger than the clay.
Jeff Demand is the jeweler that designed the nib and centerband for the Dragon and the flame desk set, Jeff is a very talented designer and has worked with a software developer for several years on a 3D cam program that I also use.
The problem as I see it has been the clip, I think i can make a sterling finial perhaps set with Trustone, or even the real thing,and make a clip that will retain it's rigidity, the one problem that I'm looking at is designing a clip that I think is termed the J clip, I haven't really been able to get my teeth around that one yet.
Since I'm not getting any younger and I don't think much of any thing is going to be less expensive in the foreseeable future, I think I'll close this out, and get my rotund posterior in gear.
I'll have something to seek opinions on by mid week maybe sooner.
I guess I need to give it a shot since it's so stinkin hot, and my mill is in my air conditioned office [:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0]
 
Dear Ken,

What software are you using?? I use Rhino. I also do silver casting and have for several years.

Where exactly is Adamsville? I am in Corbin, KY, just north of Knoxville.

I too am a retired old man with more to do than when I worked. But, I'm having a ball so far.
 
Bob, I use Rhino or FeatureCam, I prefer Rhino for 3D work, Adamsville is 105 miles east of Memphis 45 miles southeast of Jackson and about 6 miles from the edge of the earth, and the sad part of that is I live 7 miles from Adamsville.
It's where Bufford "Walking Tall" Pusser was from, it used to be one of the hot moonshine spots, but that was along time ago, things aren't that good any more. :(:(:([}:)]
 
Ken,

If you hang into this work for another 3 years, I am going to give you a visit and become one of your customers for sure. Home for me is Tunica, MS, with relatives around Jackson, TN. Been following your work here for a while but too far away to do anything about it currently.

I am very interested in this line of pen making.
 
Dear Ken,

I know just about where that is. My daughter lived just across the line in Mississippi.

One other question. What are you using to get to Gcode? RhinoCam or something else?

Thanks again.
 
You might want to call Berea directly.
Phone: (216) 898-8956
Toll Free: 1-877-736-5487
Fax: (216) 898-8962

I have a print copy of their catalog and in it they have two kits under "presentation series" that have solid sterling silver components.
They have an El Grande and the Flat Top American in solid sterling.
They said that all parts are solid except for the clip which has a thick plate due to strength needed.
They said limited quantities so I don't know if they still have any available. They do not show these on their website. I have never seen these through any of the resellers either.
 
Just an aside. Folks who like sterling jewelry, such as myself, also like to buff and polish the sterling.



I would worry a bit about the polish having a harsh effect on wood finish over time, and perhaps on the PR/acrylics. Might make them shine like nobody's business for a while, until they start etching the surface, which to me seems inevitable.

Just a thought. I personally would love a nice sterling pen kit.
 
Bob, I have Meshcam and FeatureCAM, I tried Rhinocam, but it wasn't to my liking, My FeatureCAM is 2004, which was before DelCAM took it over, so I can't get any updates. We had 2008 at work, which we got after canning MasterCAM Just before they came out with 3D, but they were charging us 1500.00 per year for Academic.
DelCAM only charges us 50.00 per seat,and we have 4 seats, just wish they would have thrown in ArtCAM I use Mach 3 for my controll.
 
No big deal.

It was his first post. When you are reading through the site for the first time, everything looks new and after a while you stop looking at the dates on the posts. I'm sure more than one person here has resurrected the dead when digging in a catching up with a new forum

In any case, I enjoyed reading the thread again. Maybe Travis21 will be a little more wordy on his second post? :biggrin:

Ed
 
Travis was just trying to help out ... And that's what this site is all about! :smile:

What a difference a few years makes! Anxiously awaiting my first set of components from silverpenparts myself. :cool::smile:
 
Silver pen parts

If you search silver pen parts then a company comes up where you can buy both parts as clips,bands etc BUT also you can buy kits too.i did a couple for someone into snakes and used a snake pen clip.sorry no pics but they looked good.
 
A wonderful trip down memory lane today. I opened up this thread and there were postings by long term members and excellent pen educators/turners leehljp. bitshird and texatdurqango. All three have contributed greatly to our body of knowledge on pen turning. Great to see you posting again. Darrell
 
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