New Item for Pen Makers

[Pete Simmons]

Most of my laser work is pen making related. I have wanted to somehow sign my work(pens) for sometime but have not been able to do it. I include a small paper info card with each pen but I wanted to do better.

You may have seen my new homemade laser rotary tool with the installed pen mandrel posted here recently.

Well with that rotary tool, a Slimline pen tube and a little Cermark I now have a way to ID and sign my pens.

What do you think? Think this could be a product to sell to Pen Turners?

[Frank Corker]

Wow Pete, it obviously works very well. I'm sure with your contacts you won't have any problems getting them interested. Nice job.

[AL Ursich]

Excellent work and a great use for your rotary...

AL

[Mike DeRegnaucourt]

Pete,

That is a good idea. I too make pens and have contemplated ways to personalize / serialize my pens without interfering with the look or finish on the outside of the pen. I had thought about using Cermark to mark the refills. The problem with that idea is that once the refill gets replaced, there goes the personalization.

[Mike Null]

Pete

I think Mike makes a good point. Also the marking is hidden all but a brief time. I would think a very small trademark just below the clip might be better and is always visible.

What really impresses is the rotary gadget you built.

[Anthony Scira]

Hey lets see some pics of this homebrew rotary attachment !

[Stephen Beckham]

Pete,

I like it - have you tried it on the Chrome piece of the mechanism? That piece would be exposed everytime they take the pen apart...

[Pete Simmons]

have you tried it on the Chrome piece of the mechanism?

Stephen - If you are talking about the ballpoint retract device as in a Slimline. No I have not tried it. I do mostly Baron's, Jr Statesmen, Statesmen and Emperor's.

[Stephen Beckham]

Cool - I use mostly the European and the Slimline retractable. (I say mostly, but I've only turned 4 pens since I retired).

The other thought I was thinking about (is that a double thought process?) What would it look like if you did the clear acrylic over that pen tube? Now you could put a personal message for the customer or a customer signature underneath the clear acrylic. That would be cool...

Have fun! Make some extra sawdust for me....

[Ralph Lindberg]

... I would think a very small trademark just below the clip might be better and is always visible
...

Kirk DeHeer (employee of Craft Supplies USA and last years wood turner demonstrator at the Wood Working Shows, author, etc) showed me a slick way to do something just like that.
First you need a pair of "mag-eyes" (close up lens) and a wood burner with the finest tip you can find (he suggested TreeLine's "extra small tip)

I tried it and it's how I sign all my pens. With a fine-grain wood I can put my name and year under any clip

[Pete Simmons]

Ralph - Can you post a picture?

With the laser I can go Very Small. Have not wanted to mark the outside but I might try under the clip.

[Robert Wilson]

Ok Pete I like what you have done to the tube but I am confused. Do you still glue the tube into the wood? If so how do you see your signature?

[Pete Simmons]

The pen is made normal.

The tube with the engraving on it is a slimline tube that just slides over the refill. Then the engraved tube and refill are placed into the pen.

This engraved tue can be added to most rollerballl pens.