Home Made Montblanc 139 Replica Demonstrator

[fountainbel]

Hi all !

And here, just ready, a few pictures my "home made" Montblanc 139 demonstrator.

I had a "user"grade 139 on which the barrel was warped and the cap had severe cracks, so I decided to make a demonstrator from it.

The project took me over 40 hours: take measurements , make sketches, make dedicated holding tools , manufacture the parts, polishing obtaining a perfect transparency, and assembling

Since I don't have taps nor dies, all threads had to be cut on the lathe.

The cap/ body thread has 4 leads, and each lead is cut using five cutting operations, progressively deepening the groves, obtaining a perfectly smooth and backlash free threading.

As you see I just used the filling system, the original cap top ,the clip and the nib and feed

A delicate operation is the dismantling and re-assembly of the three cap rings.

Both silver rings are only 0.7 mm wide with a 0.2 mm wall thickness, very fragile and easily deformed!

The only way is to shave the material of the cap till just facing the ring, so one can slip the ring from his seat groove.

As the rings had been swaged into grooves , one needs to expand the rings prior to installation in the new cap ...

Not directly a problem for silver rings, I annealed these with the flame for easy expansion avoiding the risk they will crack.

On the other hand, the central and relatively thick gold plated brass ring is not easily deformed, and I was afraid to anneal the ring avoiding the risk the gold plating would come off.

Initially I was planning to make a dedicated expansion collet, but being a one time operation I looked for a simpler solution

Finally I expanded the ring 0.4mm in diameter by driving it on a conical spindle with a small cone angle.

Then came the operation to swage the rings into the grooves of the cap, not easy,because the silver rings are only 0.7 away from the central GP ring, but in the end it went well

Only dismantling / re-fitting rings took me four hours ...

But I'm rather happy with the final result, the pen fits beautifully in my MB collection !

Francis

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Repaired%20Vintage%20fountain%20pens/P1000998.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Repaired%20Vintage%20fountain%20pens/P1010001.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Repaired%20Vintage%20fountain%20pens/P1010003.jpg

[usk15]

JUST beautiful??? NO! Amazing job, well done!

[eliweisz]

Awesome. And quite surprising. Bravo!

[Michael R.]

So wonderful!

 

I'm afraid we have to talk...

 

Cheers and a happy new year

 

Michael

[Nanor]

Exceptional work and great to insight into the process.

[carlos.q]

Wow! Absolutely beautiful!!!

[piscov]

Fantastic again Francis!!

 

Is the barrel and cap body casted or extruded acrilic?

[fountainbel]

Fantastic again Francis!!

 

Is the barrel and cap body casted or extruded acrilic?

Gear Piscov,

What do you think ?

Logically I've used cast acrylic….

Francis

[piscov]

Should have known that that perfect transparency is only obtained with cast acrilic. Thanks.

[CS388]

Masterpiece! In the true sense of the word.

 

Thanks for sharing.

Edited January 6, 2016 by CS388

[zaddick]

A "highlighter" 139 to highlight your collection. Fantastic and amazing work. Worth the effort.

 

Should you ever decide to sell it, I would be honored to be considered as the next care taker.

[Blade Runner]

I'll take one.

[fountainbel]

Thank you all for your stimulating comments !

Francis

[Michael R.]

Could you make one in transparent green (like on the Conid ink window) as well?

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[kawuska]

Francis, WOW!

As usual..

[meiers]

This made my day. Thanks for sharing your work with us.

[KAC]

If only the current designers at MB could create pens like that....

 

Your pen is a masterpiece. I'd buy one of those in a flash.

[jcastro1975]

Impressive!

[fountainbel]

I've enjoyed making this pen, thank you all for your kind words !

Francis

[Chrissy]

Fountainbel, as usual your work is awesome and the pen is truly a Masterpiece. Thank you for sharing it with us.