A New Pen Concept For A Slim, Simple, And Elegant Pen In Brushed Aluminum And Walnut

[More4dan]

At the heart of this design is a frame of 6061 aluminum for light weight and high strength. The exterior of the frame is covered in highly figured select walnut with a natural oil finish. The aluminum frame was allowed to "peek" out of final of the body. The cap and center band also reveal brushed aluminum in wonderful contrast to the dark hues of the select walnut. The cap Is also fully lined in aluminum to prevent the nib from drying out as can happen with solid wood caps. The nib is a properly tuned and smoothed Fine Peter Bock #5 in polished Stainless Steel.

 

The pen is a slim 14mm in diameter and 140mm long capped weighing a mere 28.4 grams. In writing mode uncapped the pen is 127mm long and only 19.8 grams. It's very light and nicely balanced.

 

My next challenge is to taper the body aluminum frame and wood exterior requiring a tapered drilling of the wood body. Let me know your thoughts, hope you like my new pen.

 

Danny

Edited September 4, 2016 by More4dan

[Inspector]

Good looking pen although my personal preference would be for a gloss finish on the wood.

 

Two methods come to mind to handle the changing diameter.

 

1) Step drill the hole using multiple drill bits. The pieces they fit over can have matching steps turned on them or just tapered and using a gap filling glue to make up the differences.

 

2) Make a tapered reamer to enlarge the hole. My father made one from a three corner file to make tuning peg holes for a Dulcimer he was making. He ground off the file's teeth, then put the taper he wanted along the length, and then sharpened the edge slightly for clearance behind the edge. With your metal lathe you could turn a taper into some quenchable steel. Grind as just described, harden, and finally sharpen. Or if you are unique and made of money, get some custom reamers made.

 

Pete

[basterma]

Nice Work.

[More4dan]

On tapering I was thinking of using a long boring bar on the lathe to match the taper to the frame. I will consider your suggestions. The multiple steps may be simpler. I do have a long tapered reamer that I could match on the frame taper. Two new methods to try. Thank you. And after a week of carrying and using the pen, a clear coat is called for. Left natural is requiring regular re-waxing.

 

Danny

[Nanor]

Congratulations, that's a very beautiful pen. The wallnut is a great aesthetic choice.

Do you intend to add a cap clip or roll stop to the design?

[More4dan]

The cap is made to allow a clip and one should be delivered later in the week. I have also used a roll stop on some. I currently just use a pen stand on my desk.

[rudyhou]

very nice

[mivox]

Oh, that is really lovely! I'm very curious to see a tapered version with an elegant clip, when you start working on that. :-)

[visvamitra]

I like it

[linearM]

I really like the walnut, warm with beautiful grain and I like the matte finish. For some reason I don't like metallic sections except on all metal pens. but I can see your reasoning for using the aluminum and it is a handsome pen.

 

I have a black walnut in my front yard. If it didn't give us so much shade it would be gone. Right now the leaves and nuts are falling. The nuts stain anything they sit on and I almost have to wear a hardhat to walk down our sidewalk. It is a beautiful wood though.

[bobje]

Danny, you've created a beautiful pen, with some design cues similar to the Waterman Serenite in cocobolo.

 

Here is a photograph from a 2013 FPN article.

 

[corgicoupe]

I agree with linearM regarding the matte finish.

 

I would also like to see a shorter section. The same problem exists for those who use pen component kits.

Edited September 26, 2016 by corgicoupe

[zaqdesigns]

Love the matte finish and minimalist design of the pen.