Boom mounting
The blanks are finished. They look great and the only thing left is the kit assembly. There are several components in each pen kit and the order of assembly may be different.
The first part of the assembly is to press the components (tip and clip piece) into the brass tubes.
At first I used a C-clamp to assemble pens, then I moved to a vise, but now I use a vise to assemble pens. This is their proprietary clamp designed specifically for pen making. Each method was faster than the last.
My first task is to unpack the pencil kit and inspect all the components. Sometimes a part may be missing or poorly made. For regular pens, I buy extra chunks so I can finish the pens in case there is a problem.
Almost all pen kits have assembly instructions and I have found reading them to be a good thing. Shortcuts do not usually add any value to the assembly process.
Fitting a slim streamlined pen (these pens have two blanks)
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Press the tip part into the lower tube. I shape all pens in a certain way, so that you can easily see which end of the nib is. The tip end of most pens is thinner or the same size as the end of the paperclip.
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Press the torque mechanism on the other end of the “blank pen”, testing the length and function of the mechanism with the refill, adjusting as necessary. Pressing the torque mechanism too far into the brass tube requires disassembling the pen and then reassembling it.
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Press the end of the paperclip into the other blank
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Insert the center ring over the twist mechanism and press the end of the clip into the blank nib
The slim or streamlined pen is now fully assembled.
The mounting method is different for each type of pen; however, the differences are usually related to the mounting of the internal components. Almost all pens have a nib and clip! The above set applies to most pens that use a CROSS refill. Pens that use a Parker refill and have a click mechanism generally include a spring. Fountain pens and roller pens are assembled slightly differently.
The pen is then photographed and cataloged so that we do not lose sight of it. If I sell the pen online, I upload the image and details to the website.
Hope you enjoyed a way to make pens.
