An ebonite skeleton

[Jimjam66]

Well I made a start with the ebonite Zulutiming so kindly sent me. It's the first time I've worked with it and quite frankly I don't know what to make of it - it stinks of sulphur and burning rubber (since it is in fact sulphur-treated rubber that shouldn't have been a surprise) and spews out ribbons which choke the lathe in no time. It's also very heat-sensitive, which I learned by destroying the first component I made while trying to drill it (too fast). But on the upside it works really easily and seems to have quite a bit of strength.

First a shot of the ribbons:



And a couple of the bulb filler skeleton:





I'm used to making these with brass, so there's a bit of learning still to do as I skin it with timber. More as it happens.

 

[paulm]

Looks to me like you've mastered it already David

 

[ZuluTiming]

Sharp tools help, also some sort of lubricant (I use oil) for threading.
Good luck

 

[wm460]

Looks great from here David.

 

[Jimjam66]

Thanks guys!

Sharp tools help, also some sort of lubricant (I use oil) for threading.
Good luck

I swiped a bottle of spray cooking oil from the wife (she was less than impressed!) to help with the threading. Ended up using it for drilling as well - worked a treat!

 

[Penpal]

David the making of these items seem to have been a challenge you met are these items modelled from bought ones how does the cost and effort balance? got a kick out of your lubricant for threading I say why not it was there beckoning. I have never tried Ebonite and was interested in your observations and further experiences. With too many irons in the fire keeping away from fountain pens for me goes back the 1940,s and 50,s ruined shirts endless cleaning, poor quality inks etc but I admit freely that writing when all things came together my writing was far more easily read using the fountain pen. Scary for me from a slate to pencils,powdered ink mixing ink wells cheap nibs to fountain pens to biros.The advent of the Biro spelled the end of real legibility. When you sell or give fountain pens is there a regime you recommend to the receivers to keep their pens in top nick? Do you find difficulty in choosing, tuning installing nibs and are people knowledgable about fountain pens ie cartidge, dipping, inks in general, cleaning gear, storage.?

In the long run would it pay to specialise in biro pens or fountain or both what with the huge variety of them and their consumables I could foresee so many possibilities.

You are obviously enjoying this good fortune mate.

Kind regards Peter.

 

[Jimjam66]

Peter, the idea for these evolved from a desire to make kitless pens combined with a love of wood. The techniques are all well-documented although I don't know of anyone doing exactly what I do. Most kitless makers would have used the ebonite as the only material, so the 'skeleton' above would have been the actual pen. My 'wrinkle' is to skeletonise these components to allow skinning with wood.

Effort v reward is an interesting one - I sell one of these for £170 with a German steel nib, and to be honest people only have to see them to want them. Effort equates to about six to seven hours of solid work, so hourly rate is £24 or so. Not really enough if this was the day job, but when you add in to the equation that I would make them anyway because I love the hobby the £170 pays for some new toys ...

Nibs are a funny one. I love writing with a fountain pen and I can't tell the difference between a slightly tuned Chinese nib and a German one. I think there's an awful amount of empty snobbery (but I couldn't say that out loud) ...

 

[Winemaker]

looking good to me

 

[Penpal]

Peter, the idea for these evolved from a desire to make kitless pens combined with a love of wood. The techniques are all well-documented although I don't know of anyone doing exactly what I do. Most kitless makers would have used the ebonite as the only material, so the 'skeleton' above would have been the actual pen. My 'wrinkle' is to skeletonise these components to allow skinning with wood.

Effort v reward is an interesting one - I sell one of these for £170 with a German steel nib, and to be honest people only have to see them to want them. Effort equates to about six to seven hours of solid work, so hourly rate is £24 or so. Not really enough if this was the day job, but when you add in to the equation that I would make them anyway because I love the hobby the £170 pays for some new toys ...

Nibs are a funny one. I love writing with a fountain pen and I can't tell the difference between a slightly tuned Chinese nib and a German one. I think there's an awful amount of empty snobbery (but I couldn't say that out loud) ...

Then lets see the finished ones when you are ready mate great idea.

Peter.

 

[Grump]

That's a well made fiddly bit o pen init?

 

[Jim]

I want to see the finished pen now you have wet my lips David ..

 

[Jimjam66]

I want to see the finished pen now you have wet my lips David ..

Customer is picking it up on the 16th, Jim - so I can't afford to dilly-dally!