Bullet type pens

[Ron Ainge]

I don't know if I am over looking them or not but I cannot find the writting end of the pen for the bullet pen kits. Could someone please send me a address for these.

thanks for your help

[Jon Behnke]

I assume you're talking about the rifle cartridge. There are not any suppliers that sell cartridges for pens, they're usually made by the turner. I've done a number of these and there are a couple of ways to do it. Generally you have to drill out the primer end of the cartridge (a fired cartridge, don't try to drill a live primer) with a 7mm drill bit and insert a slim line brass tube. Depending on the cartridge (I use 30-06 caliber) the kit nib gets pressed in as normal. You can also use a real bullet that is drilled out but there is a little more to that process. There are tutorials for cartridge pens on the International Pen Turners Association website, do a search and you will find it. Here's a pic of one I made a while back. I used deer antler for the upper barrel.
97825

[George Morris]

Woodcraft mag. just did a article on this! G

[Greg Ketell]

There is a turner on penturners.org that is selling cartridge kits, including pre-drilled bullets.

GK

[Grant Wilkinson]

Ron: If you want to buy a cartridge kit, ready to turn a cap for, here is the link that Greg was likely referring to:

http://littlerivercrafts.home.mindspring.com/Supplies/

[Ron Ainge]

Thanks to everyone for the comments. I have plenty of the Brass (the cartridges) what I am looking for is the end that looks like the bullet.

[Greg Ketell]

Ron, It is just a bullet. Some people drill the lead (using stepped bit or two bits). Some sweat the lead out and drill the tip and put in a wood plug to guide the refill.

Grant, thanks for the link; I couldn't find it.
GK

[Grant Wilkinson]

As Greg said, most of us use real bullets. I cut the "powder" end off and melt the lead out. I used to drill them out instead, but some customers don't like the idea of even a little bit of lead in their pen. If you would prefer not to use bullets, the nibs from some kits will press fit into the end of certain cartridges.

[M Toupin]

I cut the "powder" end off and melt the lead out.

Do yourself a favor and buy a bullet puller if you open up live rounds often. http://www.midwayusa.com/Eproductpage.Exe/showproduct?saleitemid=215517. there's safer ways that reduce the risk of getting burned with hot led or from a few left over powder grains.

Mike

[Mike Ramsey]

A member of our club makes bullet pens, he said he just buys the copper
slimline pen kits from PSI, here's a pic of one he recently made.

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[Greg Ketell]

I found the tutorial for drilling bullets.
http://content.penturners.org/articles/2007/streamlinedcartridgepen.pdf

GK

[Jim Doyle]

Newbie from down here in Texas..but got a request from a fishing friend's son who was deployed to Iraq for 35 'cartridge pens' for his Apache Attack Helicopter Crew...Got about 2/3 of the way thru so far..gimme another week..LOL

I been using the .308 spent cartridges and fitting them with plain 7mm slimline 'funkits'.. I think from PSI... Tops from antler, nice woods or a few acrylics just for variety.Tip from Bobby down here at Crystal Beach...wrap the tip of the brass tube with a strip of 1" masking tape about two inches long smoothly before gluing tubes.. The tips on the funlines will line up perfectly with the ends of the cartridges.. Makes a nice lookin' pen and the guys evidently luv 'em...

Really enjoying your Board...Lots of good info on here.. I just been turning for about a year and am hooked hard on the pens..LOL.. REAL old phart with too much time on my hands now...

[Ron Ainge]

I want to thank everyone for the help they have given me I think I will try to do a cartridge pen this weekend and see what happens. wish me luck.

[Jim Doyle]

My reply to 'KickStartJoe" on a question concerning 'taping' the tubes before inserting in cartridges..Might be of use to some of the rest of you guys...


"Joe..We use the tape to make one end of the cartridge (the bullet end) fit the tubes. The 7 mm tubes are just a little too small for a good fit and the tape builds up the brass tube just a little. After putting the tape on one end of the brass tube I put the tube (tape end first..closest to the handle of the tool) on an insertion tool, drench it good with CA thick..and slide it into the cartridge from the bullet end..have to jiggle the tube a little sometimes to make it go all the way into the firing end of the cartridge but it WILL fit..lol.. Then I press the tube back in to where the tube and the cartridge are smooth at the bullet end. A small (mebbe 1/16th) piece of the tube will be sticking out of the big end of the cartridge but that can be sanded off easily on the side of the grinding wheel. A quick whirl on the squaring tool will open up the big end of the cartridge again to where it will slide easily onto the mandrel. Sometimes get a little glue inside the brass tube and gotta clean out the tube with the squaring bit by sliding back and forth, but it's no big deal.. Fire away with any more questions you may have.. I'm having a ball making them for our Heroes and they really get a kick out of them. Sent about 100 of them to a Medivac unit where the son of another of my fishing buddies is serving in the 'sandbox' , as they call it...

My hunting buddies supply me with all the .308 (best fit) spent cartridges I need for nuthin'...the kits I use are the "Fun Kits' from PSI and cost about $1.35 each in 100's...so I really ain't got no expense in them as such. Only my time...and at this point in my long life...I figger that ain't worth much...LOL

Standing by.......Jim"

[Jerry Lawrence]

This may be a silly question, but do you use any special finish on the brass to keep it from turning the user's fingers black?

[Keith Christopher]

For some reason, I really dislike these pens. *shrug* to each their own I guess.

[Paul Douglass]

This may be a silly question, but do you use any special finish on the brass to keep it from turning the user's fingers black?

Some, who have the means to do it use clear powder coat on their bullet pens. There is a brass lacquer available also, I think from CSUSA, but I haven't heard how well it holds up. I and a lot of other just polish them. I use brasso and any one I give one to i tell they will have to polish it once in a while it they want it shinny. I haven't had my fingers turn black from using them but of coarse you can get some coloration on your fingers while polishing them.