Thread: Bullet pen variation

Nice work Corbs. I can't help you on your question but I am sure Fred will probably step in and give you some advice about that.

Nice pen mate, I like the end cap, makes it look more finished.

Goodlooking variation Corbs.Really came up a treat.

Great work Corbs, looks lovely!

Great work Corbs, i havent tried to make bullet pens yet keep up the good work
Stephen

Thanks guys, no pen clip on it obviously. These were new brass so no primer in them. It looks a little silly without the primer so might need to find some fired brass if I do these ones again, or make a wood plug for the primer hole.

I like the look of the primer end, but without the clip it looks more like a desk pen?

As to parting off, probably not much help to you as I do all mine on my metal lathe, but I seem to remember that Les shows how he does it on the wood lathe in one of his tutorials.

Unfired new brass has no primer, just the little hole where it goes. You can always install one of the pen kit finials, or press in some brass rod and turn that flush with the primer end. Or you could drill for a Euro threaded insert and install a Euro finial and clip.

Again, I think there is a tutorial on IAP on a similar pen.

I haven't turned brass with wood working tools, but have read quite a few articles on hand turning brass with home made gravers, basically a bit of HSS and a handle, so it should be do-able.

Thanks for the info Fred, will have a look around and see what I can find. I have a couple of old HSS thicknesser blades doing nothing in the shed so might be able to turn one of them into a parting tool?

Originally Posted by corbs

Thanks for the info Fred, will have a look around and see what I can find. I have a couple of old HSS thicknesser blades doing nothing in the shed so might be able to turn one of them into a parting tool?

You can also try using a skew chisel long point first, preferably a HSS type.

Thats how I have done it in the past with an old skew, but was interested to see if others had better options

Originally Posted by corbs

I have a couple of old HSS thicknesser blades doing nothing in the shed so might be able to turn one of them into a parting tool?

If you try that, you might try making one about 1/16th in. (1.5-1.6mm?) and tapered toward
the bottom for a shape.. much like a cutoff tool for a metal lathe. Only the top of the tool
would be cutting, so it only needs to be about 1/4" high. Wrap the rest in tape for a
temporary handle to see if it works the way you want it to..

Keep the tool rest as close to the brass as possible.. holding a blade for a handle.. you
wouldn't want any movement of the tool at all. If the tool rest is 1/4" away, that might
be too far. You don't want any chatter.

Nice pen and a good variation. You could get a metal parting tool and adapt it to work on the wood lathe.

I went the whole ten yards and made a device using my Dremel with the larger black cut off blade they sell. Worked great but i used my hercus metal lathe to acheive it. Then one day I tried the small three wheeler bandsaw with a metal cutting blade and sweet , easy and perfect cuts every time. I always use an inside outside reamer made in the good old USA sold at gunsmiths, I buy from the gunsmith in Mitchell if they do not have it in they order it for you their business is built on USA imports. If you go back on my old posts you willfind pics and words in detail. They sell bullets and all manner of cartridges with or without primers only in lots of 50. if you go to the Canberra rifle range there is a guy there will sell or give you brass from a huge container before it is sold for scrap on the range itself, wear hearing protection.

Regards Peter.

Thanks Peter, will look into it