Ever just get bored

[edblysard]

With the way normal kits look?

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1362.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1361.jpg

[sturina]

That looks amazing, fantastic idea and so beautiful in the wood :2tsup:

[PenTurner]

Nice work Ed, a bit of time and thought went into that, looks great. Amos:):2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[bench1holio]

very nice ed!... i love it:2tsup: its always worth the extra time it takes to customise

[Dorno]

I've never gotten that bored :(( but I sure wish I had because that is a mighty fine looking pen and would be the sort of think I could only hope to put on my wish list:D

well done very nice work :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

Cheers Ian

[bdar]

Nice job with the Sierra Ed. To answer your question, yes a few years back, my Sierra was made from Padauk. Will have to find a photo again

[dai sensei]

Thant's thinking outside the box, well done :cool:

[dj_pnevans]

WOW top job.:2tsup:
David

[Ozkaban]

What an improvement!

Any chance of a WIP? ;)

[plantagenon]

I never get bored other than at work!!:C

That's certainly different. What did you do to it?

[artme]

. What did you do to it?

Improved it!!:rolleyes:


Love the improvement Ed. Certainly different and eye catching!!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[justturnin]

I have thought about this many times but have not been able to figure out how to do it. Know I know it can be done I am going to ruin a few to figure it out. Thanks for sharing. The pen looks great.

[edblysard]

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/ModifiedWallStreetfinish026.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/ModifiedWallStreetfinish010.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/ModifiedWallStreetfinish020.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/ModifiedWallStreetfinish021.jpg

[edblysard]

Part of the above post...
First photo shows the parts you modify and replace with wood...note the new parts are thicker than the original brass sheet parts.
Second photo shows the actual parts that need modification...you will turn the center part where it fits into the nose barrel down, I went to 9mm with it, and the top or cap shoulder, just above the clip also to 9mm, you can do this with a 3 or 4 jaw chuck and a file, they are real soft metal.
Photo 3 and 4 simply show the thin brass nose being removed, and in photo 4, this is the part that needs to be turned or filed down, because you need to have enough material in the barrel to support the pressure of using the pen...the original is 1/16 or less sheet brass glued to the center part, so it can be thin and strong, but the replacement needs to be a little thicker.
Also, trying to turn the replacement parts as thin as the original is quite hard, and wood that thin will break very easy, so the solution was to make the "keeper" part thinner and the replacement parts thicker.
See the first photo and you can see where the replacements are thicker at the bottoms where they fit on the shoulder of the top cap/clip and the center part..
The nib can be pushed out of the nose cone, and the top cap is a press fit and holds the metal part in, it also can be knocked out with a punch...make up bushings, cut drill and turn the replacement parts, epoxy the center part and nib back into the new part, press the top cap back in place and assemble just like normal.

[dai sensei]

Thanks for the info Ed :2tsup:

Would it be worth while adding a brass sleeve to the nose cone for support? Perhaps even turn the existing nose cone down to a sleeve, or does it taper?

[edblysard]

It tapers....simply a thin sheet of brass rolled or stamped into the cone shape.
There is a compression type fitting holding the nib in the cone nose, you can press the nib out, it takes a little effort but so does most things!
The biggest concern was the shoulder area, when I did the first one years ago I discovered the hard way there is no support if you make the wood replacement part thin.
You can do the top or cap/clip replacement thin, but the nose cone needs some meat on it to hold up.

[edblysard]

This might help...
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1363.jpg
You can see how thin the nose cone is, and if you look carefully, you can see the fitting in the tip that holds the nib in, you can take a punch or rod and simply punch the nib out.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1364.jpg
The clip/cap, also note the thin sheet brass used as the shell...the round cap is all that holds it on.
You can simply turn a thin replacement for this, as it is under no stress, but if you use acrylic, it will be almost transparent and the hardware will show.
I went with a thicker replacement parts because I did both acrylic and wood pens, and it was simpler for me to standardize the replacement part, hence the shoulder needed to be turned down.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1367.jpg
The part of the nib you would press into a tube is 7.51 mm, so I drill a 7.5mm hole all the way through the nose cone replacement, then a counter sink 9mm for the center part.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1370.jpg
The cap is 9.4mm, so the through hole is 9.5mm, which means that shoulder is turned down to 9.5mm, meaning I just drill a 9.5mm hole through the replacement part and then turn.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1371.jpg
The copper center part on the left is how it is un-modified, note the left over glue and glue grooves, and how thin the nose cone would have to be in order to flush up against it....the one on the right (gold) has been modified so there will be enough material to hold up under stress.
Take it and run with it folks, would love to see others version of this simple and fun mod.!

[edblysard]

To clairfy a bit...
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/shoulder2.jpg
This needs to match the cap so turn down this shoulder to 9.5mm

[plantagenon]

Brilliant Ed.

Can this be moved to a tutorial on this site??????

[edblysard]

Anyone who knows how has my permission to do so, I have no clue how....

[edblysard]

Oh,
Just so you know, wood and acrylic are not the only material you can use...
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k143/edblysard/IMG_1373.jpg

[bdar]

Finally found my link to my custom Sierra, didn't do the cap for some reason, In a hurry to get it done for a show if I remember. Not as good as yours Ed but as they say if no picture didn't happen so I found it :) Custom Sierra - International Association of Penturners (http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/custom-sierra-23439/)

[edblysard]

Still pretty cool looking, cap and all.
Its fun to do something like this, even if it is just a one off.

[bdar]

Still pretty cool looking, cap and all.
Its fun to do something like this, even if it is just a one off.

Yes, it is always good to think outside the square. Have just made contact with a national award winner that works with gems to see if we would combine our crafts and see about making pens out of agate and petrified wood. It is going to be interesting.

[dai sensei]

..making pens out of agate and petrified wood...

Can be done, just use diamond drill for hole then use diamond grinding blade on your angle grinder to get round and to approx size, followed by sanding and polishing.

[edblysard]

Agate would be awesome!