billyb_imp
Registered
This time we have another Alpha Convertible, this time in an acrylic black pearl again from The Pen Rod Co. via Vince at The Turners Workshop, again very easily turned. The blank is basically black with silver in it, the photo doesn't really do it justice, looks great in the hand.
I have now done 5 Alphas and finding them ok to work with, a bit fiddly with the centreband being in 3 parts but follow Dan's instructions and you should be fine, his idea of having a block with a 12.5mm hole in it, into which you press the centreband works fine (the large tube needs a 12.5mm drill, I used a spare piece of acrylic blank), just ensure you have the items as square as possible, otherwise the plating on the largest part may scrape off leaving you with some sharp edges around the decorative band.
Make sure you get both the nib coupler & end coupler the right way round, including the ring facing the right direction, they're a bugger to get back out once you've pressed them in, fortunately I only wrecked one pen getting this wrong, still i've now got a few spare parts.
As I mentioned on one of the other threads, if you want to upgrade the supplied converter to a smart Beaufort Ink one you're going to be disappointed,the Beaufort just doesn't fit through the Alpha hardware. You may be able to file the hardware out a little 0.03mm should do it, I will try this at the weekend.
On the whole I am very happy with the TM Alpha Kit, a good quality kit that I a sure will sell well for both Dan and we penturners.
I have now done 5 Alphas and finding them ok to work with, a bit fiddly with the centreband being in 3 parts but follow Dan's instructions and you should be fine, his idea of having a block with a 12.5mm hole in it, into which you press the centreband works fine (the large tube needs a 12.5mm drill, I used a spare piece of acrylic blank), just ensure you have the items as square as possible, otherwise the plating on the largest part may scrape off leaving you with some sharp edges around the decorative band.
Make sure you get both the nib coupler & end coupler the right way round, including the ring facing the right direction, they're a bugger to get back out once you've pressed them in, fortunately I only wrecked one pen getting this wrong, still i've now got a few spare parts.
As I mentioned on one of the other threads, if you want to upgrade the supplied converter to a smart Beaufort Ink one you're going to be disappointed,the Beaufort just doesn't fit through the Alpha hardware. You may be able to file the hardware out a little 0.03mm should do it, I will try this at the weekend.
On the whole I am very happy with the TM Alpha Kit, a good quality kit that I a sure will sell well for both Dan and we penturners.
