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Making a Fountain Pen from Scratch

paulm

paulm

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Has anyone made a fountain pen from scratch, apart from the nib and feeder? What materials did you use? there is a video on youtube How to make a Fountain Pen Section - YouTube and he uses casein. I've never heard of this and wondered if there was a UK equivalent or casein is something that we use in the UK.
 
paulm

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edlea said:
I think making pens on metal lathes takes away the individuality out of the pen more mass production than hand crafted. much better a pen is turned like these guys in Japan do it.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I want to be able to do Ed. Its going to take a long time but I'm sure I'll get there in the end.
 
Jimjam66

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Paul, I have made a few. I use brass as the 'spine' and then add the wood as a skin. Look at this thread and this one for some pics of my process.

Of course the purists will tell you I'm doing it 'wrong' because they all use ebonite or acrylic as their spine ... You tell me how much diffs there *really* is ...

Ed, I do use a metal lathe to machine the brass, but bear in mind that a metal lathe in its basic form differs from a wood lathe only in that there is a carriage driven by a worm drive in place of the banjo. In every other respect they are mechanically identical. Again, how different is the process *really*? If you are referring to a CNC lathe then I get your drift, but I don't have the luxury of one of those!

Paul, if you need any specific assistance give me a shout, I'd be happy to help. In fact I've just ordered some ebonite rod to make my own feeds, so the next pen I post will be all mine apart from the nib!

Oh - and thanks to for all the kind comments about my kitless stuff, guys! Flattery does get you somewhere, it seems!

:wink:
 
Jimjam66

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Some resources you might enjoy:

Making a section: Thread on IAP

Making a FP from scratch: Tutorial on IAP (Ignore the bulbfiller-specific stuff - with a single-piece barrel and un modified feed this could easily be a cartridge pen.)

Kitless pen: Tutorial on IAP

By the time you've gone through that lot you will start noticing the common steps - not too painful really! You DO need a fistful of special tools which you have to make first, but once you have them you can use them over and over.

You may want to start with acrylic or ebonite for your first attempt - casein is apparently very brittle. The best place I found for ebonite (actually vulcanised rubber) is this pipe making place in Denmark.

Or you could use brass like me - but I'm one of those pesky wood snobs ...

:fart:
 
edlea

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Jimjam66 said:
Paul, I have made a few. I use brass as the 'spine' and then add the wood as a skin. Look at this thread and this one for some pics of my process.

Of course the purists will tell you I'm doing it 'wrong' because they all use ebonite or acrylic as their spine ... You tell me how much diffs there *really* is ...

Ed, I do use a metal lathe to machine the brass, but bear in mind that a metal lathe in its basic form differs from a wood lathe only in that there is a carriage driven by a worm drive in place of the banjo. In every other respect they are mechanically identical. Again, how different is the process *really*? If you are referring to a CNC lathe then I get your drift, but I don't have the luxury of one of those!
Click to expand...

Point taken David. As in the adage a little knowledge etc etc.... When I think 'metal lathe' I picture something that is set up once to churn things out by the hundreds with every one identical to the next.
 
Jimjam66

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Pete B said:
Sorry to barge in. David your making your own ebonite feeds ?
I've pm'd you cash waiting !!

Pete
Click to expand...

Thanks Pete but that's a bit premature! I have ordered the ebonite - some trial and testing will be needed before i can truthfully say I make *working* feeds. Then we can talk again!
 
paulm

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Thank you David, I will have a thorough look and try to see what I can do.
 
paulm

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I now see why people were asking where to buy ebonite, I wondered what it was for.
 
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