Retractable Fountain Pen Idea.

[Tenkai]

Yes as the title say.

 

I love tweaking stuff.

 

Seeing the Vanishing Point that my friend got as well as the Lamy Dialog 3. I got a weird idea. Why not try making one? (and also because I am a poor student)

 

I attached a rough idea of how the pen is gonna be like.

 

What I am using is a glue stick + Platinum Preppy + a PVC tubing or whatever to create the case.

 

Potential problems I see is:

• Nib will dry up
• No pocket clip
• Pen maybe too fat?
• Possible leakage
• Refilling

What do you guys think?

 

 

I don't think I'll post in the original thread (not too sure if it's necro).

 

But here's my update, currently still open to ideas.

 

I have no penturning skills so this is probably ugly, probably the pros here can do much better than I can ever achieve.

 

My idea of a retractable pen is:-

• Clicky type, must be able to be used with one hand.
• Can withstand drops somewhat. And even if it drops and the nib bends, it probably doesn't feel that bad if it's easily replaceable.

 

In addition, I used a preppy for a few reasons:-

• It's cheap and easily replaceable.
• I have a preppy at home which I am no longer using anymore, so I thought a frankenpen would save money.
• Not have pens sitting at home go to waste.

Currently this is what I have gotten so far to make it:-

Raw Materials:

 

Parts after modifying:

 

Rough Assembly:

 

My current issues are:-

• The clipped attached even with gorilla glue might not survive clipping to shirts continuously.
• I have no trapdoor, might consider using a varsity felt feed with nib to hopefully get longer uncapped life. I'm gonna try with a smaller opening to see if it helps.
• Building a trap door will be external maybe in a form of a 2ml tube with a cap joined by a hairclip spring.
• Using a retractable sharpie/highlighter doesn't seem to work.
• The current pen body is 14mm thick, but if just used for a short time, shouldn't be too annoying.
• The current pen body is rather long, I could cut a portion of the preppy barrel away then glue a cap over, but might make it very brittle.

 

At the end, I'll probably paint the body with acrylic paint so it wouldn't be that ugly.

 

Any suggestions?

[Steven]

You get an A in effort. Keep at it. I can't wait to see the finished product.

[5370H55V]

Its a very interesting idea, I never even thought of trying to make a retractable fp before. Since you mentioned your current one is too thick, something you might want to do for an improved version is buy a mini chinese fountain pen like the lanbitou cigarette pen and use that for a smaller overall product. The hooded nib should also help with any drying issues.

[thadjudkins]

Very interesting! The biggest issue I'd see is that most retractable pens don't actually move the end of the pen that much. You may be able, however, to modify the mechanism by changing the length of the slanted sections on the part that spins when you click. You'd need to keep it really smooth and put a longer button on....

 

Wait, I take it all back, this is the pen you want to use as your base (now I'm thinking about making one):

 

http://www.sharpie.com/enUS/Pages/retractable-fine-point-marker.aspx

 

The retractable sharpies are already a bit wide, they have a built in tip cover and they've solved the longer button/longer travel issue. I'd say give that a try with a really narrow pen like 5370H55V mentioned. You'll have to come up with a good way to open and close the barrel to get to the converter but that body should take care of many of the other issues.

[andybiotic]

Hey, a fellow lab rat! A 25ml pipette? those things are fat! Lol

[ShockDub]

Why don´t you try putting a ring around it to hold the clip, and fasten it. It could be removable if one wished to remove it but make it a ring. Sort of like this:

 

http://www.theofficedealer.com/mm5/graphics/product_images/1300/seo/1333123290/Pentel-P205BPK6-Sharp-Mechanical-Pencil.jpg

[dgreenwood116]

This is pretty cool! I like what you got going and i want to see how it works out! Definitely keep us updated! The trap door is a interesting problem, maybe theres a way to have a flexible trap door that would allow the nib to slid through. Though that might forge new problems .

[Tenkai]

Its a very interesting idea, I never even thought of trying to make a retractable fp before. Since you mentioned your current one is too thick, something you might want to do for an improved version is buy a mini chinese fountain pen like the lanbitou cigarette pen and use that for a smaller overall product. The hooded nib should also help with any drying issues.

 

I avoided other pens because I didn't have them on hand, kinda hard to build on something I don't have. Besides that pen takes 1 month to come @_@ Better do it while my passion is burning =x

 

 

Very interesting! The biggest issue I'd see is that most retractable pens don't actually move the end of the pen that much. You may be able, however, to modify the mechanism by changing the length of the slanted sections on the part that spins when you click. You'd need to keep it really smooth and put a longer button on....

 

Wait, I take it all back, this is the pen you want to use as your base (now I'm thinking about making one):

 

http://www.sharpie.com/enUS/Pages/retractable-fine-point-marker.aspx

 

The retractable sharpies are already a bit wide, they have a built in tip cover and they've solved the longer button/longer travel issue. I'd say give that a try with a really narrow pen like 5370H55V mentioned. You'll have to come up with a good way to open and close the barrel to get to the converter but that body should take care of many of the other issues.

 

 

I think I could cannibalise the mechanisms, now to find where in Singapore that carries them. I tried the Pentel Handy-Line S highlighter but the mechanisms are impossible to disassemble without destroying the pen. (let me know if anyone succeeds).

 

Hey, a fellow lab rat! A 25ml pipette? those things are fat! Lol

 

Yup, these are stuff to be discarded, thought I'll repurpose them =)

 

What field are you in?

 

But yea, it's the only thing I got. 14ml falcon tubes are even bigger, 15ml pippettes and 5ml falcon tubes are too small.

 

Why don´t you try putting a ring around it to hold the clip, and fasten it. It could be removable if one wished to remove it but make it a ring. Sort of like this:

 

http://www.theofficedealer.com/mm5/graphics/product_images/1300/seo/1333123290/Pentel-P205BPK6-Sharp-Mechanical-Pencil.jpg

 

Sounds interesting, though I don't have an existing clip like that =( Maybe Muji I guess.

 

This is pretty cool! I like what you got going and i want to see how it works out! Definitely keep us updated! The trap door is a interesting problem, maybe theres a way to have a flexible trap door that would allow the nib to slid through. Though that might forge new problems .

 

You get an A in effort. Keep at it. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Thanks guys =)

Edited March 7, 2014 by Tenkai

[ShockDub]

find a ring that fits, then weld the clip to it. Try designing your own clip. See how spring clips work, that would fit really well as retractable FP gives a feeling of modern, such as a spring clip.

[montserratplay]

Friend, I can't offer you any advice in the way of fabrication or design, but I can say that I greatly admire folks who do what you're doing. Even if nothing comes of this exact work, you had a fun idea and you're following through on it. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to seeing your prototype!

[Tenkai]

find a ring that fits, then weld the clip to it. Try designing your own clip. See how spring clips work, that would fit really well as retractable FP gives a feeling of modern, such as a spring clip.

 

I don't have a welder but I'll see what I can do. Mostly cannibalising stuff here =)

 

Friend, I can't offer you any advice in the way of fabrication or design, but I can say that I greatly admire folks who do what you're doing. Even if nothing comes of this exact work, you had a fun idea and you're following through on it. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to seeing your prototype!

 

Thanks =)

 

Okay, I have dismantled a Pentel Handy-line S as well as a Retractable Sharpie.

 

Pentel doesn't allow us to dismantle either the retractable mechanism nor the trapdoor. They kinda build it to fit perfectly so that the tolerance required is lower, further work might be considered if I am gonna cut through the either plastic body to see what parts can I cannibalise.

 

As for the Sharpie, the trapdoor is too small for any nib to pass through, might have to craft a similar trapdoor mechanism instead (maybe slant parts of conical tubes might work). The retractable mechanism seems difficult to cannibalise. The trapdoor mechanism unlike vanishing point is a two part system where a part holds a string to pull the door shut, while having a spring between the first part and the door to make sure the line is taut.

Edited March 8, 2014 by Tenkai

[Tenkai]

Updating the thread in a long while.

 

Was wondering if anyone experimented using the Sharpie Retractable?

 

http://blog.sharpie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/sharpie-retractable-black.jpg

 

I am trying my best to rinse the ink sponge and fiber tip off ink.

 

Looking at the internals, you could pull out the fiber tip and separate it from the sponge.

 

 

It is noted that a Hero 360 can fit well inside it, except that the aluminium barrel has to be trimmed and maybe as well as the clicky mechanism within it. The trapdoor must be trimmed as well due to the section.

 

Alternatively, I was struck by an idea, why not trim the felt/fiber tip and insert a nib? Varsity and Zebra disposable FPs have a feed like that no? However, in that case, the issue would be how to make a nib, like sharpening the fiber tip then rolling a steel plate around it or taking an existing nib and bent it somewhat (not too sure how would that work though).

 

I notice BIC has a retractable marker as well, but anyone knows how the mechanism inside is like? I can't find one over here to experiment.

 

I am currently using a Pilot G2 limited with a Hi-tecpoint V5 refill with FP ink though.

 

Any ideas?

[rezwrrd]

Alternatively, I was struck by an idea, why not trim the felt/fiber tip and insert a nib?

 

I tried this with the Handy-Line S (couldn't figure out how to get the sharpie apart). I seem to remember the standard Chinese tubular nib (from the Hero 616 and many other hooded-nib pens) was almost a drop-in replacement for the felt tip, but I could never get a feed to stay in place. That was about as far as I got. Never thought of putting the body of a thin pen inside the retractable tube.

 

I admire your ingenuity and persistence. Keep up the good work!

[Tenkai]

 

I tried this with the Handy-Line S (couldn't figure out how to get the sharpie apart). I seem to remember the standard Chinese tubular nib (from the Hero 616 and many other hooded-nib pens) was almost a drop-in replacement for the felt tip, but I could never get a feed to stay in place. That was about as far as I got. Never thought of putting the body of a thin pen inside the retractable tube.

 

I admire your ingenuity and persistence. Keep up the good work!

 

How did you take apart a Handy-Line S? D: I could never do it less unscrew the clicky and ink fill.

 

Sharpie is a pretty tough bugger. It comes off by wriggling the part where the clip sits. To make it worse, it's glued. I took 2 apart, and one broke.

 

Any pictures of your attempts? =D

 

Well, both Pilot and Lamy made a replaceable nib+feed+c/c unit, just like a retractable Pilot G2 refill.