# Kitless Tutorial, part #1 - making the nib grip section for a JoWo #6 nib unit



## duncsuss (May 22, 2019)

Every pen maker does it differently, so I'm not going to claim this is "how to do it" - just that this is "how I do it (sometimes)". I use a collet chuck, never had any success doing it with a 4-jaw scroll chuck.

Usually I start by turning the blank round if it isn't already, then putting it in whatever size collet it needs, with about 35mm poking out. I turn down a 30mm length to the diameter of the cap/barrel threads - for M12 x 0.8 x 3 I make it just under 12mm, though I suppose I could go straight to 11.2mm to save work later - and part it off. I aim for 28 to 29mm total section length including the threaded tenon. Scratch a mark 21mm from the front, the 8mm or so remainder will be the threaded tenon that screws into the barrel.

Switch to a 12mm collet, chuck the piece so there's about 10mm sticking out, and then turn down the tenon area to 9mm. With the tip of a skew, make a dimple in the end of the tenon.

Thread the tenon with a M9 x 0.75 die. I have a die holder that fits in the tailstock so I don't have to worry about it going on crooked.

Screw on a threaded collar which I made earlier from Delrin, this helps keep the tenon from exploding during the next step, which is drilling through with a letter E (or 1/4") drill bit for the nose of the cartridge/converter.

Flip the section end for end in the collet, I only leave a very small amount sticking out at this point.

Drilling from the nib end, I drill the following:

Bit S to a depth of 2.5mm
Bit M to a depth of 13.5 mm (as in, "an additional 11mm")
Bit I to a depth of 20.5mm (an additional 7mm)
Tap that Bit I hole with the JoWo #6 tap - mine is M7.4 x 0.5, though I have seen some folks use M7.5 x 0.5

That should be a functional section - from here it's all a matter of aesthetics.

Reactions: Informative 2


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## Tony (May 23, 2019)

I moved this here Duncan. This is good stuff, thanks for doing it! Tony

Reactions: Like 1


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## Karl_TN (May 23, 2019)

This is great stuff, but I feel a little lost without some pics. This is WB after all.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rdabpenman (May 23, 2019)

Would make a great tutorial if process had photos.

Les

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Mike Hill (May 23, 2019)

I'm taking notes. A kit-less is in my future. I bought some taps and dies to do the job last year.

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (May 23, 2019)

Karl_TN said:


> This is great stuff, but I feel a little lost without some pics. This is WB after all.





rdabpenman said:


> Would make a great tutorial if process had photos.



I have an idea ... just try following the words and take photos as you go, if you get stuck post a question and I'll try to help you out. Then we can add your photos to my words and call it a collaboration

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Karl_TN (May 23, 2019)

duncsuss said:


> I have an idea ... just try following the words and take photos as you go, if you get stuck post a question and I'll try to help you out. Then we can add your photos to my words and call it a collaboration



Just as soon as you mail the triple tap & dies and corresponding drill bits so I can follow along with you steps. 

Seriously, it might help generate interest if you at least posted a finished pen pic with the instructions.

I was surprised to see how much those triple tap dies, taps, collet holders cost. Did it take you long to earn your money back considering the time and pen parts needed? Do you find a big demand for this style of pen?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Mike Hill (May 24, 2019)

Karl,
At times the International Penturners forum have a group buy for the triple taps, etc. Still not like going to harbor freight, but less than usual.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## duncsuss (May 24, 2019)

Adding to what Mike said - you don't need triple start tap & die to make a pen. The first 4 or 5 I made, I used a vanilla 12mm x 0.75 thread (tap and die from Victor Machinery).
The only weird tap you need is the one that matches the housing for the nib and feed.


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## Karl_TN (May 24, 2019)

Duncan,

Try my best to spend money wisely because I'm supporting 6 kids and a happy wife all one income. Just means there's not a lot of extra money to spend frivolously on my hobby, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Anyway, several turners have recently gotten out of pen making which made me wonder if the payback when using the standard pen kits is no longer worth the effort for the average turner. I suspect there's still a good payback in the high-end fountain pen market (i.e. rich clientele who don't mind spending $1,000 on a fountain pen made with a 18k gold nib), but this requires a bit of upfront money too. 

Your instructions above piqued my interest because this pens style is different from the standard pen kits many turners use, but it sounds like there's a lot more work involved. What your thoughts are on the pen market for making pens like these and the payback for the time involved over buying kits? 

Btw, we're still curious what these pens look like.


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## duncsuss (May 24, 2019)

Karl_TN said:


> Btw, we're still curious what these pens look like.


Well, okay. I sometimes hesitate to post these, because mostly they aren't wood - but since you insist ...

Fordite and black ebonite, rollstop is a pearl stud earring:



Some wood! Curly Koa and black ebonite, hand-made titanium alloy clip:



Vintage galalith ("casein"), black ebonite nib grip section and finials, "watermelon chunk" acrylic acetate:



Parker Pen Company "Blue marble" resin, black ebonite nib grip section:



Red and black ebonite "piston fill" pen with ink window:



Parker Pen Company "Red Marble" resin, handmade clip of titanium alloy:



Elforyn "ivory substitute" and pink chunk acrylic acetate, roll-stop of tourmaline:



Jade green acrylic acetate, clip hand-made from titanium alloy:

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 4


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## duncsuss (May 24, 2019)

Karl_TN said:


> I suspect there's still a good payback in the high-end fountain pen market (i.e. rich clientele who don't mind spending $1,000 on a fountain pen made with a 18k gold nib), but this requires a bit of upfront money too.


I'm not playing in that league (but I know people who are). I don't make many pens, and if I divide my mark-up over cost of materials by the number of hours I put into each one -- well, it probably works out around minimum wage if I'm lucky. That's not why I do it.



> Your instructions above piqued my interest because this pens style is different from the standard pen kits many turners use, but it sounds like there's a lot more work involved. What your thoughts are on the pen market for making pens like these and the payback for the time involved over buying kits?


The really good pen makers I know through groups on Facebook that are specifically for custom (as in "no kit parts, not even pre-made clips" - which rules out a few of the ones I pictured above) seem to do well. They sell at pen shows, not craft fairs, and of course they sell through on-line outlets. The best of them seem to make a good living at it -- but every pen they make is different, special in some way, and they are more talented and dedicated than I am.

I encourage anyone to try their hand at making pens this way -- but try to do it with a minimum of investment, using off-the-shelf tools where possible until you've decided whether it's something you want to pursue. I think a tap for a specific nib unit costs below $40 (JoWo #6 is probably the most popular nib unit, with Bock #6 a close second -- the smaller size #5 are not as popular for some reason). A tap and die for the cap/barrel -- such as M12 x 0.75 -- and a tap and die for the section/barrel -- such as M9 x 0.75 -- can be bought from Victor for less than $10 each piece. I bought a set of 115 drill bits (letter sizes, number sizes, and fractional) for about $60 just so I had all of them in one box. Die holder is very useful for keeping the die square to the workpiece when cutting threads, for taps I use my tailstock drill chuck.

Hope this helps.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Karl_99 (May 25, 2019)

Thanks for posting this tutorial! This is very helpful. I have been gathering the taps and dies through several group buys. Kitless pens are on my pen making journey. I am currently at a fork in the road and either start casting or kitless. Decisions, decisions!

Reactions: Like 2


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## Karl_TN (May 25, 2019)

Thanks Duncan. The extra information is very helpful.

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (May 25, 2019)

Karl_99 said:


> Thanks for posting this tutorial! This is very helpful. I have been gathering the taps and dies through several group buys. Kitless pens are on my pen making journey. I am currently at a fork in the road and either start casting or kitless. Decisions, decisions!


I recommend you just pick one and go with it for a while, then do the other as well. Seems pen buyers like a story, if you can tell them you found a splinter from the handle of Carrie Nation's axe and embedded it in translucent alumilite the color of Jim Beam then made it into this fountain pen ...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## ripjack13 (May 27, 2019)

duncsuss said:


> a splinter from the handle of Carrie Nation's axe


That's too funny. We had a bar here that was named after her. (ironically funny)

Reactions: Like 1


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