Pen Making???

[Dave Crabbs]

Hi All,
I just started making pens and was wondering if this would work. I thought about making a gauge block to seat the twist mechanism. My idea is to press the mechanism part way on then, taking a hardwood gauge block with hole in it that slips over the mechanism and finnish pressing the mechanism. I have read about using a V block to do the same thing, but I'm a little clumsy and thought this would be easier then trying to hold three things at once. I made one pen that I needed to press the mechanism in a little farther and with my luck it went in a few frog hairs more than I wanted it to go . It retracts the point into the pen but not by much.
Any ideas as to this working or not?
Thanks
Dave

[Harry Pye]

I don't see any reason why your idea wouldn't work unless you start making pens with other than a straight-line shape. That would require a larger hole. But my main concern is the variation in the length of the components. I find it easier to press the transmission in a bit less than noted on the instructions. Then I 'sneak up' on the required depth. The extra time is worth it. BTW, I use a drill press to assemble my pens.

[Hank Walczak]

Thought of that (guage block) too but it was pretty evident after doing a couple dozen that a stumbling point can occur during the milling of the blank. You can shave off a little of the brass tubing from both ends and have some variance between each blank. It seems that these mechanisms have some variance in the pen refill travel too. Gave up and just creep up on it using the pen refill for testing. Of course, having a pen disassembler kit allows me to repair those times that I goof up. I use my drill press for assembly too.

[Dave Berger]

As they sell "pen presses", I looked for an alternate and cheap way to do this.
I use a 6 inch quick clamp (the kind with release button and squeeze handle). Works just fine. Epoxy hardwood squares to each of the jaws. As for the tool sold to insert tubes, I just use a piece of scrap red oak that I turned down to a taper on the lathe. If you use your imagination, you can save a ton on tools needed for pen making.

[Robert Cepek]

I'm way to cheap to use one of those fancy tools. I have what is called by some a drill press and two pieces of wood. This way works for me and I can control the pressure and how far to insert the inards.