# "sprung" Fountain Pen Build



## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

@Sprung @ripjack13 

On the box of wood give away we had a few months back I included any pen that the winner would want in my box. All the winner had to do was send me a blank of choice back and choose a pen style. Sprung took my box and also wanted a pen for his wife as well so we traded some wood for another pen (somehow this giveaway started to benefit me). Both he and his wife decided on a Jr Gent fountain pen in chrome. In the thread ripjack asked for a build thread and sprung agreed. Matt sent over a nice piece of amboyna burl and curly satinwood. Here is my process but everyone is different just liking skinning a dog.

First 2 pics are the blanks and setting the tubes out and marking them.

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## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

The next pics are getting them on the lathe and drillign them out for the tubes. I cut my blanks a little long so there is some wiggle room

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## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

Next I rough up the tubes using 220 grit paper so the epoxy will have something to bite into. I then put play-do in the ends of the tubes to keep epoxy from gettign in them. I twist the tube in and out of the blank to get the epoxy to cover the inside of the blank. Then let dry at least 4 hours but I tend to wait over night just in case. Also got the foot shot

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## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

After the epoxy dries I then take them back out the lathe to square the ends. First I put them o nthe lathe and round them over and take the blank down a bit. I used to use pen mills to square, but I always had trouble having the mill rip apart the burl end. Finally, my buddy @longbeard showed me a better way. I took my faceplate screwed a block of cherry on the end. Then use self adhesive sand paper and square them down to the tubes. No more cussing

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## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

On this blank there was a small interior check on the end. I took the blank down a bit further and filled the check/crack with some thin ca and charcoal embossing powder. This is where I am at so far. questions/comments are welcome

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## Schroedc (Jan 11, 2014)

That is slick, what are you using to hold the pen body in the chuck while you sand it?


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## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

Schroedc said:


> That is slick, what are you using to hold the pen body in the chuck while you sand it?




Hey Colin... I use a transfer punch set I bought at harbor freight for less than 10 dollars. Just tighten it down in the Jacobs chuck and voila. The set also doubles as a disassembly tool for those oops pens.

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## Sprung (Jan 11, 2014)

Awesome! Enjoying seeing the steps/progression/how to, and definitely looking forward to receiving the pens!

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## ripjack13 (Jan 11, 2014)

Thank you.

I love seeing how things are made. This is popcorn worthy. Looks like it's coming along great. Do you also make the ink well? Or is the pen going to use cartridges?

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## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

ripjack13 said:


> Thank you.
> 
> I love seeing how things are made. This is popcorn worthy. Looks like it's coming along great. Do you also make the ink well? Or is the pen going to use cartridges?



Marc I haven't got into custom pens and that's usually where you see the ink wells. These will be cartridges since that's what Matt wanted, I can do them with a pump where you suck the ink thruh the nib

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## Wildthings (Jan 11, 2014)

What is this charcoal embossing powder you speak of? and where do you get it?


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## Bean_counter (Jan 11, 2014)

Wildthings said:


> What is this charcoal embossing powder you speak of? and where do you get it?



Hey Barry, it's a powder with the consistency of sand... Charcoal is just the color I chose, but I have it in other colors as well. Got it hobby lobby I'll post a pic on my next round of photos and I'll tag you so you will know what it looks like. I love using it and it's cheaper than other fillings that I've seen.

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## JR Parks (Jan 11, 2014)

Michael,
Love the class! What type of chuck are you using?


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## ironman123 (Jan 11, 2014)

Nice, thanks for sharing.

Ray

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## Bean_counter (Jan 14, 2014)

JR Parks said:


> Michael,
> Love the class! What type of chuck are you using?



Jim which photo? The one where I am sanding is just a good ol Jacobs drill chuck


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## Bean_counter (Jan 14, 2014)

Matt both pens are complete and have been for 2 days. I will get pics hopefully tomorrow, I've been working pretty late this week. The amboyna turned out to be a blood red and the satinwood is by far my favorite (very curly). I'm still waiting for my nibs to get here and finish the other thing we talked about.

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## Sprung (Jan 14, 2014)

Awesome, Michael! We're looking forward to receiving them! No rush either - when it's all done, it's done.

And, yeah, that is a ridiculously curly piece of satinwood, isn't it? When I was presenting further blank options to my wife, I knew that it was curly enough to pop even on something small like a pen. I've got some more of it too! Gotta wait and see what I want it to eventually become. Time will tell.

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## JR Parks (Jan 15, 2014)

Bean_counter said:


> Jim which photo? The one where I am sanding is just a good ol Jacobs drill chuck


When you are drilling the blank-


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## Bean_counter (Jan 15, 2014)

JR Parks said:


> When you are drilling the blank-



Oh okay, that's a pen drilling chuck that I got from woodturningz.com... I didn't have a drill press and it had great reviews. I absolutely love it


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## ripjack13 (Jan 15, 2014)

Bean_counter said:


> Also got the foot shot
> 
> View attachment 39272



ok...fine, I'll say it first...nice foot.

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## Sprung (Jan 15, 2014)

I showed the pics to Katy today. She enjoyed seeing the process pics that you've posted thus far and can't wait for us to get our pens!

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## Bean_counter (Jan 16, 2014)

I'll have more progress is tonight for y'all... Then the finished pics before the first of next week

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## JR Parks (Jan 16, 2014)

Great Thanks Michael.

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## Bean_counter (Jan 17, 2014)

Ok to pick up where I left off. The first pic is the amboyna where I started filling the crack with the embossign powder. Once it is filled I start turning it down to size. I lost my Junior Gent 1 TBC bushings during the move so I just mic'd it down with calipers to final size. This is a bit time consuming but works if you dont have the bushings for a particular kit. The 3rd pic shows the embossing pwder turned down to size. On the 4th and 5th pic is both the amboyna burl and curly satinwood starting to get its CA finish. I'm not going to go over my way of CA finish because everyone's is different. Up next will be pics of the finished pens.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1


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## Bean_counter (Jan 17, 2014)

@Wildthings 

Barry this is the embossing powder that I was talking about. I got it at Hobby Lobby for around 5 bucks and there are multiple colors.


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## Sprung (Jan 17, 2014)

Oh, my! Awesome!

And, WOW! Holy smokes, that curly satinwood really popped! Both look awesome so far!

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## Bean_counter (Jan 17, 2014)

Ye


Sprung said:


> Oh, my! Awesome!
> 
> And, WOW! Holy smokes, that curly satinwood really popped! Both look awesome so far!



Yeah I love the satinwood... I need to find a few pieces of it for myself

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## Sprung (Jan 17, 2014)

Bean_counter said:


> Yeah I love the satinwood... I need to find a few pieces of it for myself



Marcus is who I got that from, so you could always ask him if he has any more. If he doesn't and you still want some, we could always work out another trade for some of what I've got left.

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## Bean_counter (Jan 17, 2014)

@mja979 you got any satinwood


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## Bean_counter (Jan 17, 2014)

mja979 said:


> I think I am all out...


 to bad there isnt an unlike button hehe


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## Schroedc (Jan 17, 2014)

Bean_counter said:


> to bad there isnt an unlike button hehe




I've got a block 3 1/2 x 6 x 2 on the shelf if you wanted to trade for something......

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## Bean_counter (Jan 17, 2014)

Schroedc said:


> I've got a block 3 1/2 x 6 x 2 on the shelf if you wanted to trade for something......
> 
> View attachment 39891


 
Colin what do you have in mind? Kits, blanks??? Have you made anything out of it to know of it really curly?


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## Schroedc (Jan 17, 2014)

Bean_counter said:


> Colin what do you have in mind? Kits, blanks??? Have you made anything out of it to know of it really curly?



The curl seems a little more Subtle than the piece you have there for the pen. Here is a top I made with the piece I cut off that block (It was 6x6 originally)


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