Good start. I'm glad to see you take the plunge. It gets better.
Stinker!!! Still waiting on stuff, but since there is a M10x1 tap out there....going to work on that. Nice effort sir, what did you make that one from and...what's next!?
Yes it IS fun! God start, looking forward to seeing more and perhaps a pen to stick on the end of a section!
I'm just starting out with kitless (1st pen was completed last night!, will post pictures soon). IMO the cap was more difficult than the section. The cap I ended up making was threaded M12x.75 for the body and M9x.75 for the finial (therefor step drilled) and had a clip. The section was pretty straight forward once I figured out the steps to do the drilling. Lots of fun regardless!Yes it IS fun! God start, looking forward to seeing more and perhaps a pen to stick on the end of a section!
Thanks George!
Appreciate your time and efforts to communicate. I'm going to stick with sections for now. It seems like the trickiest part to perfect.
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Martin, Hope you don't mind but this might be of use to someone......
I'm just starting out with kitless (1st pen was completed last night!, will post pictures soon). IMO the cap was more difficult than the section. The cap I ended up making was threaded M12x.75 for the body and M9x.75 for the finial (therefor step drilled) and had a clip. The section was pretty straight forward once I figured out the steps to do the drilling. Lots of fun regardless!
AK
The pen I just made had the cap stop by hitting the body (where the tennon stopped) as such I did not provide a stop for the section in the cap but will certainly consider that for the future. Thanks a lot for the advice, it probably would have taken quite some time before I realized I needed a stop.Martin, Hope you don't mind but this might be of use to someone......
I'm just starting out with kitless (1st pen was completed last night!, will post pictures soon). IMO the cap was more difficult than the section. The cap I ended up making was threaded M12x.75 for the body and M9x.75 for the finial (therefor step drilled) and had a clip. The section was pretty straight forward once I figured out the steps to do the drilling. Lots of fun regardless!
AK
Andrew, just something to think about. While you were step drilling did you provide a step or "stop" for the section to prevent the lower body from screwing into the cap too deep?
I learned that it isn't a good idea to allow the threads themselves to stop the threading action so I never allow the threads to stop the body from threading into the cap, I provide a positive stop so when screwing the body in, it will engage the cap threads THEN hit a solid stop in the cap so there won't be a chance of over-tightening the pen and possibly cracking the cap.
Just something to consider.
Sorry for the honkin' large pic there. I did this from my phone for the first time. I guess I need to figure out how to minimize the photo when uploading from the phone. Moderators, your forgiveness please. : )
The threads on the inside of the section are frustrating me. And since the feed and feed housing are both round on the #5, I'm getting the feed housing stuck inside the stinking hole and everything is so dang slippery from the Pam spray! I ruined a feed housing trying to get it out. I'm done for today. I think I will shift and concentrate on the #6 Bock feed and all the measurements that go with that.
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The threads on the inside of the section are frustrating me. And since the feed and feed housing are both round on the #5, I'm getting the feed housing stuck inside the stinking hole and everything is so dang slippery from the Pam spray! I ruined a feed housing trying to get it out. I'm done for today. I think I will shift and concentrate on the #6 Bock feed and all the measurements that go with that.
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One thing I do (after ruining a feed housing) is to use a kit nib with the feed & housing. This keeps it stabilized a bit more. Then when you are finished replace the cheap nib with a good one. And I also went to a #6 nib. Mainly because I think they look better, but they are also a bit easier to work with. At least for me.The threads on the inside of the section are frustrating me. And since the feed and feed housing are both round on the #5, I'm getting the feed housing stuck inside the stinking hole and everything is so dang slippery from the Pam spray! I ruined a feed housing trying to get it out. I'm done for today. I think I will shift and concentrate on the #6 Bock feed and all the measurements that go with that.
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Excuse the slight wandering off topic and being a little preachy BUT..... If some of you are having problems with the feed housings getting stuck in your sections where it is taking so much force threading the housing in and out, I would rethink the size holes you are drilling! With these small, close tolerance parts and fine threads, SORTA CLOSE isn't good enough, use the proper drills!
To save switching my setups around all the time I usually make a dozen or two sections at once and when it comes time for cutting the threads I hold the section with one hand, the tap handle in the other and hand turn the threads, withdraw the tap, blow out the section and check for any "stringies" hanging on then thread a new feed and housing in...... all without forcing anything and threading the housings in with my fingertips!
When a pen leaves my hands I want it to be useable by anyone not just look good. In my mind an eighty year old great grandmother with arthritis should be able to disassemble the feed, housing and section from the pen body to periodically clean her pen without the need for pliers or vice grips!
You're right, and I did adjust slightly after breaking the feed. It's all part of the learning curve. At least it has been for me. My point with using a cheap nib is that it provides a little stability so that maybe someone else will avoid breaking a feed like Martin & I did. But once someone has their system worked out, it shouldn't be necessary. But remember, most of us don't have the experience you have, let alone a system yet. Knowing how loose or tight a feed should be in a section is all a matter of experience. And we're learning as we go. Frankly, I think breaking a few parts along the way is just going to happen early on.Excuse the slight wandering off topic and being a little preachy BUT..... If some of you are having problems with the feed housings getting stuck in your sections where it is taking so much force threading the housing in and out, I would rethink the size holes you are drilling! With these small, close tolerance parts and fine threads, SORTA CLOSE isn't good enough, use the proper drills!
I agree. Probably why non of my kitless pen have been sold.When a pen leaves my hands I want it to be useable by anyone not just look good. In my mind an eighty year old great grandmother with arthritis should be able to disassemble the feed, housing and section from the pen body to periodically clean her pen without the need for pliers or vice grips!