Bullet pens

[kevin nee]

I would like to make some bullet pens for the holidays.
Are all bullet pen kits created equal? Where is a good sorce
for pen kits? I will be making at lease 12. Cost is also a factor.
Thanks in advance, Kevin

[Jim Burr]

PSI, Berea hardwoods and Arizona all have them. I like the kits from Berea so far.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Jim said. Berea's kits are great.

[Tim Leiter]

I buy mine from Rockler or Woodcraft, they are the better kits that I have bought. I tried some from CSUSA (cheaper) and didn't like them. They have no metal covering the bottom of the blank and leaves it open to damage. The Rockler and Woodcraft kits have a metal ring on the bottom of the blank and I think it protects them better. JMO.
Tim.

[Billy Tallant]

I like to use real rifle casings instead of the kits. You can buy the .30-06 casings with tubes preassembled from Wood-n-Whimsies for $2.49. You will need the copper nibs, transmissions, upper brass tubes, & clips of your choice. Or you can buy the .30-06 rifle casing preassembled for $7.80 each if buying 10 or more. The kits do look nice though. I started out buying the assembled rifle casings to save time. Now I'm trying to do them myself to save a little profit on my sales.

[James Combs]

+1 I do the real ones like Billy.

I like to use real rifle casings instead of the kits. You can buy the .30-06 casings with tubes preassembled from Wood-n-Whimsies for $2.49. You will need the copper nibs, transmissions, upper brass tubes, & clips of your choice. Or you can buy the .30-06 rifle casing preassembled for $7.80 each if buying 10 or more. The kits do look nice though. I started out buying the assembled rifle casings to save time. Now I'm trying to do them myself to save a little profit on my sales.

[Andrew Raymond]

Wood N Whimsies has the real thing.....reasonably priced also.

[Paul Douglass]

Very easy to make our own, also fun. There is a great tutorial over at IAP in the library. Also show how to use real bullets for the nib. The down side to making your own, they won't stay shinny for ever. The owner will have to polish them up once in a while unless you can powder coat them. Some like to keep them polished some don't.

[Greg Bolton22]

I have been getting kits from B&G supply (penkits.biz) with real casings and all of the needed hardware and have been pleased with them. You can get extra clips or nibs if you want a brass nib and gold clip which looks better for some woods IMHO. The casings are not polished at all but it only takes a minute on the mandrel with some fine sandpaper and Brasso. Don't sand the nickel plated casings, just use the polish! DAMHIKT

Greg

[John Lifer]

Made a couple of 50 Calibers from PSI recently. real fired bullets, but they are BIG!. I do like real casings, knockoffs just don't cut it.