alpha1
Fellow
I am enjoying learning how to create kitless pens with some modest success. I want to start adding pen clips to my pens could any one advise on suitable sizes to use etc. Is there a rule of thumb as to pen sizes etc.
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Pen clips
- Thread starter alpha1
- Start date
DuncSuss
Full Member
I don't know of a rule, other than "does it look okay?"
Classic fountain pens (such as Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Conklin, Esterbrook ...) have often used clips that are shorter than I would expect yet they still look good. I've made a few clips that were longer and/or fatter than looked right when I got done - easy enough to take off and put one that has a better match, or grind it down a bit.
Classic fountain pens (such as Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Conklin, Esterbrook ...) have often used clips that are shorter than I would expect yet they still look good. I've made a few clips that were longer and/or fatter than looked right when I got done - easy enough to take off and put one that has a better match, or grind it down a bit.
I’m guessing you’re referring to the size of the gasket ring that a lot of pocket clips have? If not then you can ignore the rest if this…
If so then it really comes down to your pen design.
(Note: there a different ways to do this but my approach is to make a finial with a threaded tenon that passes through the clip gasket ring and screws into the body of the cap. The clip gasket ring is rebated into the cap so it isn’t visible. This approach is what the rest of this reply is based upon).
Of particular importance is the cap diameter, and whether you want the gasket ring to be visible as a feature of the pen or if you want to rebate it and add your own ring, (which is what I do), or have no ring at all.
If you want to have the gasket ring visible as a feature then it’s a bit easier. You just need to make the cap finial tenon the right size to fit through the gasket ring and screw into the cap body. You also need to turn the cap, or that part of it if it’s tapered, to the same diameter as the gasket ring.
If you want to rebate the ring then that’s a little tricker and it’s a case of sitting down with a pen and paper to calculate your tenon size, gasket ring o/d and cap wall thickness at that point. Too thin and there is a risk of it failing (you will need to cut a slot through this wall to allow the bar to pass through). The spring steel clips that I buy from Beaufort apply quite a bit of tension and, although it’s generally up and down pressure, the very nature of clips mean they can be knocked sideways during general use meaning that either side of that slot can’t be too thin.
I’ll be honest It took me a while to get it right. The depth of the rebate needs to be pretty accurate and also the slot needs to be accurate, clean and square as it’s very visible. If too big you get a sloppy clip that moves around. Not good. So be prepared for some failures if you go down this route
.
Cheers
Ash
If so then it really comes down to your pen design.
(Note: there a different ways to do this but my approach is to make a finial with a threaded tenon that passes through the clip gasket ring and screws into the body of the cap. The clip gasket ring is rebated into the cap so it isn’t visible. This approach is what the rest of this reply is based upon).
Of particular importance is the cap diameter, and whether you want the gasket ring to be visible as a feature of the pen or if you want to rebate it and add your own ring, (which is what I do), or have no ring at all.
If you want to have the gasket ring visible as a feature then it’s a bit easier. You just need to make the cap finial tenon the right size to fit through the gasket ring and screw into the cap body. You also need to turn the cap, or that part of it if it’s tapered, to the same diameter as the gasket ring.
If you want to rebate the ring then that’s a little tricker and it’s a case of sitting down with a pen and paper to calculate your tenon size, gasket ring o/d and cap wall thickness at that point. Too thin and there is a risk of it failing (you will need to cut a slot through this wall to allow the bar to pass through). The spring steel clips that I buy from Beaufort apply quite a bit of tension and, although it’s generally up and down pressure, the very nature of clips mean they can be knocked sideways during general use meaning that either side of that slot can’t be too thin.
I’ll be honest It took me a while to get it right. The depth of the rebate needs to be pretty accurate and also the slot needs to be accurate, clean and square as it’s very visible. If too big you get a sloppy clip that moves around. Not good. So be prepared for some failures if you go down this route
.Cheers
Ash
alpha1
Fellow
Thanks.
alpha1
Fellow
I have ordered some clips in different sizes I will have a go once they arrive.
alpha1
Fellow
Clips arrived I am ready to have a go. Watch this space.
alpha1
Fellow
Out of interest I have spent all of to day watching youtube videos on kitless pen turning searching for fitting a clip to the pen cap. I came up with one video that was useless. It seems that all the kitless pens featured on you tube don't have a clip fitted. Unless I missed something.
DuncSuss
Full Member
Ash pretty much spelled it out in his post.
You make the cap with threaded openings at both ends - one end screws onto the pen barrel, the other end is to receive the finial that holds the clip to the cap. I usually make that junction using the same tap and die set as the nib section into the barrel - but it cannot be larger than the hole in the clip ring of the clips you bought.
You have to decide if you are going to hide the clip ring or not. If you don't hide it, the diameter of the cap (at the ring) must match the outer diameter of the ring or it will look like a mistake. Do you have decent quality calipers? I have several digital ones, they aren't expensive and let you measure the clip ring easily.
If you decide you will hide the clip ring, the diameter of the cap is not fixed in the same way. There are limits, of course - the smallest it can be is the diameter of the clip ring plus whatever you are comfortable with for the wall around the ring - I'm okay with 0.5mm wall thickness, there are no stresses on it in normal usage. The largest it can be is determined by the length of the tab connecting the ring to the top of the clip.
You make a shallow rebate around the hole in the top of the cap, just deep enough to hold the clip ring. (You measured its thickness using the digital calipers, that's how you know how deep that rebate has to be cut.) If it's not deep enough, the cap finial won't screw on fully. If it's too deep, the clip might be wobbly (but that's always better than having a gap between the finial and the body of the cap.)
Then you have to take a needle file and broach the wall to make a passage for the tab.
Go for it - maybe practice on some cheap acrylic before committing to an actual cap. Good luck!
You make the cap with threaded openings at both ends - one end screws onto the pen barrel, the other end is to receive the finial that holds the clip to the cap. I usually make that junction using the same tap and die set as the nib section into the barrel - but it cannot be larger than the hole in the clip ring of the clips you bought.
You have to decide if you are going to hide the clip ring or not. If you don't hide it, the diameter of the cap (at the ring) must match the outer diameter of the ring or it will look like a mistake. Do you have decent quality calipers? I have several digital ones, they aren't expensive and let you measure the clip ring easily.
If you decide you will hide the clip ring, the diameter of the cap is not fixed in the same way. There are limits, of course - the smallest it can be is the diameter of the clip ring plus whatever you are comfortable with for the wall around the ring - I'm okay with 0.5mm wall thickness, there are no stresses on it in normal usage. The largest it can be is determined by the length of the tab connecting the ring to the top of the clip.
You make a shallow rebate around the hole in the top of the cap, just deep enough to hold the clip ring. (You measured its thickness using the digital calipers, that's how you know how deep that rebate has to be cut.) If it's not deep enough, the cap finial won't screw on fully. If it's too deep, the clip might be wobbly (but that's always better than having a gap between the finial and the body of the cap.)
Then you have to take a needle file and broach the wall to make a passage for the tab.
Go for it - maybe practice on some cheap acrylic before committing to an actual cap. Good luck!
Tip: when I was working this out at the start I cut one of the rings off a sacrificial clip using a dremel so that I could use it to test the diameter of the rebate hole as I sneaked up in the final size. Clips can be fiddly to handle (the bar is always in the way) so having just the ring made things a lot less fiddly to work with when you’re getting your design nailed down.
alpha1
Fellow
Well it started off Ok till it came time to tap the blank. I can not find my 13.08 triple lead tap I have no idea were it's gone. A replacement is over a hundred pounds. I am not a happy bunny. 
alpha1
Fellow
Found them I put them in a safe place it took me two days to find the safe place I had the Shed turned upside down twice. They were in a drawer in the house. Didn't have much luck fitting the clip either need to work out dimensions better for next attempt.