# Sharpie refill pen #2



## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

My second sharpie refill pen, this time using some DIW I got from Joe @shadetree_1 a while back. Still plenty of room to improve the procedure (I did a lot of things multiple times because I wasn't doing them in the right sequence) and I'm not 100% satisfied with the end result.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 6


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## Schroedc (Jan 19, 2015)

I like it! Did you cut the threads right into the wood or did you line it with a sleeve?


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## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

Schroedc said:


> I like it! Did you cut the threads right into the wood or did you line it with a sleeve?



No liner on this one. I tapped the wood, then applied a coat of extra-thin CA and let it cure, then ran the tap through again (technical name for that being "chased the threads").

It's not something I would do on any old piece of wood -- but I felt that ironwood would be able to hold the threads, especially after the coat of CA. Lignum vitae would probably do it too, and the rosewoods such as cocobolo, hrb, kingwood, etc. I wouldn't try it with burl -- unless it was stabilized (which reminds me, I really must get some of that lacy redwood burl stabilized.)

The advantage is that it let me make the pen barrel less fat, probably 2mm thinner than if I'd put an ebonite liner in there. I tapped it before thinning the barrel down to its final thickness, which meant that I had an escape route -- I could bore it out, glue in a liner, and start over.

Reactions: Way Cool 2


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## manbuckwal (Jan 19, 2015)

Looks good Duncan . Are they being well received by your clientele ?


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## Tclem (Jan 19, 2015)

I tries threading diw today and it didn't work. Ahhhhhhh wasted three blanks today


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## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

manbuckwal said:


> Looks good Duncan . Are they being well received by your clientele ?


Thanks. So far my clientele numbers one ... but Cliff has been very complimentary about the one I made for him

Reactions: Funny 2


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## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

Tclem said:


> I tries threading diw today and it didn't work. Ahhhhhhh wasted three blanks today


Well that sucks.

What size tap and what size drill bit were you using? I read somewhere that for difficult to thread materials, drilling a slightly larger hole can help (such as, 11.2mm instead of 11mm for threading to M12x1).


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## shadetree_1 (Jan 19, 2015)

Tclem said:


> I tries threading diw today and it didn't work. Ahhhhhhh wasted three blanks today



CA inside and outside CURED before you tap Tony SLOWLY SLOWLY

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

shadetree_1 said:


> CA inside and outside CURED before you tap Tony SLOWLY SLOWLY


I didn't do the CA before tapping, but it makes sense that it would help.

Slowly -- absolutely, I made a quarter turn forward, then back, then another quarter turn into fresh wood, then back. I think I backed it all the way out after a couple of full turns, blew out the dust/swarf/shavings with compressed air, then started in again.

Also, I clamped the blank tightly in a collet chuck to make sure I couldn't split the whole thing open with the pressure from inside the barrel as the tap cuts the threads.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tclem (Jan 19, 2015)

I didn't try the inside threads. I couldn't tap the 12x1. I'll try the ca on that also


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## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

Tclem said:


> I didn't try the inside threads. I couldn't tap the 12x1. I'll try the ca on that also


Aaaaaah ... hold on, I need to adjust my view of what you were trying to do.

Were you using a die to cut the male threads on the outside of the blank? If so, had you already drilled the blank? Were you using a die holder, and what was keeping the die holder "on axis" to prevent you from twisting it and destroying the threads?


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## Tclem (Jan 19, 2015)

Using die holder in Jacobs chuck. Blank had not been drilled. I still the blank afterwards that way I have a whatchamacallit on the male threads to prevent a blowout (even though I still get them) but the threads were all messed up. I can thread the acrylic good (if it don't blow out ) lol

Reactions: Informative 1


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## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

Gotcha ... I haven't had any success cutting male threads on wood myself, which is why I used an ebonite plug on a lignum vitae custom fountain pen I made a while back (link). I think Jonathon Brooks ran into the same problem, but he might have found a way to make it work now.


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## Tclem (Jan 19, 2015)

Ahhhhhh well I have some of that coming Thanks


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## duncsuss (Jan 19, 2015)

Tclem said:


> Ahhhhhh well I have some of that coming Thanks


You can also use acrylic acetate or alumilite (or any other material that can be glued securely to wood and threaded.)

I wouldn't try with Delrin or Nylon or PTFE -- even if you could get them to stick, they looked ugly no matter how I tried to finish them.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## rdabpenman (Jan 19, 2015)

Looks great from here.
Nicely done.

Les

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tclem (Jan 19, 2015)

duncsuss said:


> You can also use acrylic acetate or alumilite (or any other material that can be glued securely to wood and threaded.)
> 
> I wouldn't try with Delrin or Nylon or PTFE -- even if you could get them to stick, they looked ugly no matter how I tried to finish them.


Guess I should have read this before I just had to go out and use a piece of delrin. Oh well it's the learning I'm after. Lol


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## duncsuss (Jan 20, 2015)

Tclem said:


> Guess I should have read this before I just had to go out and use a piece of delrin. Oh well it's the learning I'm after. Lol


Delrin is great for making things like the threaded collar I mentioned -- I've got a few now (M12x1, M12x.75, M14x.75, M9x.75), also for making little jigs for when you can't figure out how to hold a part in a chuck.


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## Tclem (Jan 20, 2015)

duncsuss said:


> Delrin is great for making things like the threaded collar I mentioned -- I've got a few now (M12x1, M12x.75, M14x.75, M9x.75), also for making little jigs for when you can't figure out how to hold a part in a chuck.


That's what my collars are made out of. I just found out that it doesn't like to stay glued to the wood. Oh well. Another lesson learned. I have some ebonite on the way. Hope i don't mess that expensive stuff up. Lol


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## gman2431 (Jan 21, 2015)

duncsuss said:


> Thanks. So far my clientele numbers one ... but Cliff has been very complimentary about the one I made for him



If you want to up that number to 2 and do a trade let me know.

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (Jan 21, 2015)

gman2431 said:


> If you want to up that number to 2 and do a trade let me know.


... watchya got?


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## gman2431 (Jan 21, 2015)

duncsuss said:


> ... watchya got?



Watchya want?!?!!? Lol. 

I got bunches of wood my friend. Shoot me a pm with what your looking for and sizes and I'll see what I can come up with. Got pen blanks to some big hollow forms I just cut outta some nice crotch cherry. 

I've always envied your precision with your works and would be proud to own one. Itd make a perfect thing for my work everyday.


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## Tclem (Jan 25, 2015)

I tapped some diw yesterday. I forgot the ca glue but I went SLOWLY and they look good. On the sharpie. Does the cap snap on and what size hole for the cap to drill?

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (Jan 25, 2015)

Tclem said:


> I tapped some diw yesterday. I forgot the ca glue but I went SLOWLY and they look good. On the sharpie. Does the cap snap on and what size hole for the cap to drill?


Check out that thread on IAP which I linked to -- lots of people chimed in with helpful information. I did the cap the way one person on there suggested -- take the snap-cap that comes on the refill and drill a small hole through the top of it (it was #36 or #37 drill, I think). Use a #4 metal screw through that to fix it into the top end of the cap. You have to tune the length of the cap so it actually snaps into place, else the refill's going to dry out.

I used a couple of size drill bits to create a "step profile" inside the cap. I can't remember right now, I think the largest diameter was 1/2" but that's only the first 1/8" or so, just to go around the rim on the refill.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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