Ballpoint Pen For Xmas

[ProfessorGuy]

My First Pen!

I made a compact, 2-piece ballpoint pen for my wife for Christmas. This was made from a brass rod and an aluminum rod on my little Sherline lathe. The pen cartridge fits in the aluminum side, with a 5mm hole about 80mm deep and a 2.5mm hole the rest of the way through. Total length when assembled, about 120mm.



No tap or dies were used, this was single point threaded, both internal and external. I made the threading tools myself from standard 1/4 in HSS tool blanks. The internal one was tricky: it had to fit into the 5mm hole and thread 10 mm deep without crashing into the sides. So the cutting tip was out at the end of a long needle-like spear. Good thing aluminum threads easily with a little WD-40 as the cutting oil.


Takes a standard Fischer Space Pen refill (writes upside-down!). The chain was from cheap necklace I bought and scavenged. Notice the pen end has a compound, 2-angle cut (so the pen could be thinner).


I milled notches into both sides of the brass top, before drilling a hole through. Nice looking detail. Also, a simple chamfer on the end. These rods were threaded then screwed together before they were cut down to size. That way, the 2-pieces were connected together while being machined, leaving a perfect seam. I certain lights, it is impossible to find the join.


The pitch here is 0.5mm (about 51 tpi), so it goes together with the feel of a scientific instrument. Just wrapped it an stuck it under the tree. Happy holidays!

 

[Bill Gruby]

Very impressive, especially that thread size.

"Billy G"

 

[kev74]

That's beautiful. Nice work.

 

[kd4gij]

Great work. The better half is going to really like that. You and yours Have a very safe and merry Christmas

 

[dave2176]

She is going to love it. Beautiful job.

 

[David VanNorman]

Very good . I've not single pointed anything that small. fine job.

 

[bpratl]

Great job, it's ready for the space shuttle, nice design and machine work. Bob

 

[David S]

Professor guy is that the same cartridge that also can write under water? She can write you love notes while in the shower. Awesome and nice work.

David

 

[ProfessorGuy]

Professor guy is that the same cartridge that also can write under water?

Yes, the Fisher Space Pen writes upside-down, underwater, on greasy paper or plastic wrap, and at high temperatures. But this pen is for my wife's glove compartment of her car. Around here I've seen colder than 40 below zero and regular pens are useless at low temps, but the Fisher will still write.

In fact, the reason I chose this cartridge was because I had gotten her a plastic Space Pen and the plastic body had shattered in the deep cold. I scavenged the spring and cartridge and just made this body as a replacement. Aluminum might not be very comfortable to hold at low temp, but it doesn't turn to glass.

Since I do my New York Times crossword every week by printing it out on paper (old school!) and doing it in bed, I have my own pen that writes upside-down. That's how I first fell in love with the Fisher. Everyone should have one.

Note: I have no connection with Fisher. Just a fan.

 

[David S]

It seems like this could be a cold weather instrument. Although I hate to cover up the nice aluminum finish, you could put some heat shrink tubing over it for a more friendly cold weather feel. Some come in colors.

David