Casting Tables of similar kits for Tube in Casting

[More4dan]

I'm starting to do tube in casting and wanted to understand what size I could make to match the largest number of pen kits. I sorted through all the kits and started with the 10.5mm x 12.5mm tube combinations that we find in the Jr series pens and some others. The attached file is the list I came up with for the kits that use 10.5mm and 12.5mm tubes. I filtered out the redundant kits from different retailers. I then built a table of the kits where the tube lengths were fairly close in length. My thoughts are to make my blanks to the longest and trim based on the kit it will be used. I plan to do similar for different tube sizes like for sierra kits and the 3/8" kits in the future. Hopefully you find some use from the file. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Danny

 

[Larryreitz]

Thanks, Danny! I will be sure to save this and I appreciate the time you put into it.
Larry

 

[magpens]

Thank you very much, Danny !! . This is very useful info for many reasons.

But please change the first column heading .... Upper Drill Dia .... to Upper Tube Drill. . This will match the format for the lower tube info.

Thanks again !!

 

[Curly]

Danny that had to have been a lot of work.

I think though there is a problem if doing imbedded objects like watch parts and labels. Trimming them to shorter lengths could cut into the parts or label ruining the centering and balance of the object/s. If you look at the 12.5mm Mirage Screw Cap of 2.29" and then cut to fit a Victorian of 1.37", there is a loss of .92". Admittedly an extreme example. With the new molds that have floating plugs you can pretty much cast any lengths you want for a multitude of kits. The downside to them is the cost.

If you make molds with integral stoppers you can still cast tubes with a plus or minus .050" if you size the stoppers correctly. To much shorter and they can leak and too long and the tube is too close to the end of the mold. A mold with separate stoppers has a little more latitude.

Interested to see what you come up with.

 

[More4dan]

Danny that had to have been a lot of work.

I think though there is a problem if doing imbedded objects like watch parts and labels. Trimming them to shorter lengths could cut into the parts or label ruining the centering and balance of the object/s. If you look at the 12.5mm Mirage Screw Cap of 2.29" and then cut to fit a Victorian of 1.37", there is a loss of .92". Admittedly an extreme example. With the new molds that have floating plugs you can pretty much cast any lengths you want for a multitude of kits. The downside to them is the cost.

If you make molds with integral stoppers you can still cast tubes with a plus or minus .050" if you size the stoppers correctly. To much shorter and they can leak and too long and the tube is too close to the end of the mold. A mold with separate stoppers has a little more latitude.

Interested to see what you come up with.

Curly, I was thinking the second table that had all tubes within a about a 1/4" of each other. I plan to do watch part pens and leave some room near the ends anyway for thickness reasons. An 1/8" from each end should still be ok for placement and balance.

I downloaded all the data into a database analyses software called Spotfire. It made it easier to sort and regroup then I exported the filtered table.

Danny


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[mbroberg]

Thank you for this Danny! Another you could add is the PSI Music RB/FP.

Upper Tube 12.5mm x 1.65" long. Lower tube 10.5mm x 2.28 Long.