Before I jump off the deep end with one of the kitless setups from Turners Warehouse, wanted to see if anyone picked up a bunch of stuff and never really got into it. I'm pretty open to requirements.
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Kitless pen tools
- Thread starter Aaron Cheateaux
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2021
- Messages
- 1,226
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- 1,076
- Location
- Roulette, PA
- Website
- www.reallyruralwoodworks.com
I used the guts of a Bic pen , which I used a extra long 1/4 inch drill bit , and then re-purposed a Briggs & Stratton valve guide reamer to get the opening just that slight bit more for a snug fit to the pen's shoulder. I double-purposed the drill bit by adding a good coat of wax on the drill and used it for my mandrel to turn the body (and cut off a section of the plastic outer barrel of the pens for a O.D. sizing bushing) - everything but the extra long drill bit (sourced from Mcmaster-Carr) I already had laying around the shop (3 boxes full of promotional Bic pens from when I was an Echo/Shindaiwa dealer.. enough to make somewhere around 150 pens...) You can also use Papermate pens - Box of 100 for like $20 on Amazon, something like that.. - (I believe Mike Peace has a Youtube Video on that.) In my area, doing pen kits would be a very hard sell (No way folks around here would consider paying $15 to $25 for a pen!!) so I had to get creative if I wanted to use pen blanks for anything but finials..
Upshot is, I don't think you'd need any specialized tools or stuff if that is where you are heading.. (I know of no other kitless pens..?)
Upshot is, I don't think you'd need any specialized tools or stuff if that is where you are heading.. (I know of no other kitless pens..?)
Thanks Brian!
I've been turning kitless for awhile. In terms of tool, you can be making pens from bic refills for pennies, with no investment except for the drill bits. However, If you really want to get into (I did!). A metal lathe is helpful, for threading and turning center rings.I use a milling machine for clip making. Cap'n Eddie has a good video on the bic version. If you want to really get into it, plan on spending some money. You'll need taps and dies, all kinds of odd drill bits etc.
Below is a pen I made for my beekeeper son. The barrel is hexagonal, The cap is etched aluminum and te clip nickel silver. In general all wooden parts need an internal sleeve, either of resin, or in this case Aluminum.
Below is a pen I made for my beekeeper son. The barrel is hexagonal, The cap is etched aluminum and te clip nickel silver. In general all wooden parts need an internal sleeve, either of resin, or in this case Aluminum.