Longest single-body pen kit

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QuillandQuiver

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I'm looking to make a matching set of cedar pens that I don't want to really segment. Do you have any recommendations on a non-segmented pen kit I could use?
I've attached a picture of the "book matched" blanks I hope to use.

Cale
 

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Rockler sells "Long Wood" pen and pencil kits. The clicker pen is very firm, with a loud click. Caution #1: Even though it is a "set", the resulting pen and pencil lengths are different. Caution #2: The tips are angled and sharp-edged. If the turning is slightly small, where the sharp gold tip edge sticks out at all from the turning, you will feel it. You must do a perfect match between the turning and the tip, or else "round-in" from a slightly larger diameter turning.

I made two pen/pencil sets for myself with these kits. The set in the shop is made from zebrawood cut from a board. The set in the computer bag is made from "Asteroid Glow Stonez", glow-in-the-dark plastic blanks from Woodturningz, which I purchased at the local Rockler store, too.

Here are links for your convenience:
https://www.rockler.com/long-wood-click-pen-hardware-kit-gold
https://www.rockler.com/longwood-click-pencil-hardware-kit
https://www.woodturningz.com/Glow_Stonez_-_Asteroid-1?sk=asteroid
https://www.rockler.com/asteroid-glow-stonez-pen-blank


Zebrawood Pen and Pencil Set.JPG Long Wood Asteroid Pen Pencil Set Light.JPG
 
Recently I turned a blank for the Blade. The mechanism is wonderful. Give a slight thought not only to the the length of the blank, but the mechanism. Having a wonderful blank length with a subpar mechanism will not do you justice.

5E7CE1BF-066B-47BF-99D4-B6F23AE923C3_1_201_a.jpeg
 
How long do you want your barrels to be ?

It should be possible to modify the Blade kit to achieve just about any practical length.

The modifications would involve replacing the brass tube with a longer tube, and adding an extension piece to the Schmidt click mechanism.
Both these modifications are really quite simple to implement and would involve adding the same numerical length increment to both parts.
 
Most of these are right up the alley of what I was imagining. I think the simple clicker look is what I'm aiming for and the uninterrupted length of wood is really nice.
 
its_virgil said:
The Slimline Pro EDC Click is the new version that uses the Schmidt SKM-88 click mechanism. This version will be easier to modify to a one piece than the original slimline pro click.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Click to expand...
That must be the one I was thinking of. I knew it had the Schmidt mechanism.
I like the blade, but wish the clicker was more subtly sized.
 
Resurrecting this thread because I've reached an impasse.
I've got two Rocklet Longwood pen kits that require an 8mm drill bit. I'm drilling with a benchtop drill press and a pen vice- but my bit and the travel on my press won't allow me to drill the length of the blank for these. Any ideas on solutions? I've done the drill and raise the blank technique but it doesn't work with this long of a blank (at least from my past tests). How have you drilled these longwood blanks or even the Blade?

Cale
 
QuillandQuiver said:
Resurrecting this thread because I've reached an impasse.
I've got two Rocklet Longwood pen kits that require an 8mm drill bit. I'm drilling with a benchtop drill press and a pen vice- but my bit and the travel on my press won't allow me to drill the length of the blank for these. Any ideas on solutions? I've done the drill and raise the blank technique but it doesn't work with this long of a blank (at least from my past tests). How have you drilled these longwood blanks or even the Blade?

Cale
Click to expand...
How long is the body on the Longwood? I've made Blade/Tenacious pens, and used the "raise the blank" technique. It worked for me. They use an 11/32" drill bit. Remember, it doesn't have to be drilled perfectly. Even if the hole isn't centered on both ends, as long as you have room for the bushings you'll be fine.
 

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I have had more successes than failures by first drilling as far as I can on my drill press, then by clamping the blank in a vise and using my hand drill to finish drilling through. The already drilled hole sort of acts like a guide for keeping the drill going straight.

Another option perhaps is to drill on the lathe where the throw (quill travel) is not as much of a limitation as it is on a drill press. - Kind of like Jim's "Raise The Blank" technique, but horizontal on the lathe instead of in a drill press.

Regards,
Dave
 
qquake said:
How long is the body on the Longwood? I've made Blade/Tenacious pens, and used the "raise the blank" technique. It worked for me. They use an 11/32" drill bit. Remember, it doesn't have to be drilled perfectly. Even if the hole isn't centered on both ends, as long as you have room for the bushings you'll be fine.
Click to expand...
This is my typical practice for other blanks. The longwood just gave me particular trouble. I'm not entirely sure how long they are though...
 
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