[duncsuss]

I've owned a Montegrappa Symphony fountain pen for many years, and started thinking about how I'd build one similar soon after I got into pen making. The distinguishing feature is that the barrel and cap are octagonal.


I didn't get around to starting till last weekend, then yesterday I see over on IAP there's a slew of activity around the subject of "faceted" pens ... cue the Twilight Zone music ...

Anyway, here's mine: it's Dalmatian acrylic acetate, with a cap finial of black acrylic acetate. The section is black ebonite, with a Bock #5 nib -- though I might swap it out for one made from the same acetate as the cap finial (and might change the nib type while I'm tinkering with it.) As a first attempt, I'm quite happy with the way it turned out -- though there are a few things I have to improve (as will always be the case.)

 

[preacherman]

Looks good. How did you go about finishing that if I may ask.

I saw all that over on IAP and been thinking about taking that as a challenge. Got a few other things going right now though.

 

[duncsuss]

Looks good. How did you go about finishing that if I may ask.

Thanks.

Finishing was straightforward ... began with a sheet of 320 grit sandpaper laid flat on a piece of 3/4 plywood, sprayed it with water (which also helped keep it stuck to the board) and rubbed each face in turn, adding water as needed. Then did the same to both ends, turning to "lean into" each of the 8 edges.

The "entire pen" was assembled while I did this (leaving the clip out, of course) -- meaning barrel, cap and cap finial all screwed together tightly with faces aligned.

Then I washed it down, and repeated with 400 grit. Then washed it down and repeated with 600 grit.

Then I switched over to auto rubbing compound -- first the brown one, then the white one -- rubbing each face in turn using a piece of cotton (t-shirt) cloth, and the ends. Finally hit it with Plast-X polish, again the t-shirt material, rubbing each face in turn then the ends.

Then I removed the finial and fitted the clip, fitted the section & nib, and started taking photos ... :smile:

 

[solidfab]

This must be the pen you told me about, looks amazing!

You make some awesome pens and put some serious work into them. My patience would run thin, lol.

 

[duncsuss]

This must be the pen you told me about, looks amazing!

You make some awesome pens and put some serious work into them. My patience would run thin, lol.

Thanks, Cody -- yes, this is the one I mentioned. This one required hand sanding & polishing, so it took a bit longer than some of the pens I've made from scratch. I enjoy the turning, drilling and threading -- right up to the point where something snaps off and I have to start over :laughing:

 

[robert421960]

Very Beautiful:thumbsup::thumbsup:
How did you make the flat sides?

 

[duncsuss]

Very Beautiful:thumbsup::thumbsup:
How did you make the flat sides?

Thanks, Robert :smile:

PennState Industries used to sell a product called a "lathe mounted fluting guide" -- I can't find it on their site now, they must have discontinued it. One part holds a laminate router (trim router), the other clamps to the lathe ways and becomes a fence against which you can run the jig holding the router.

I used a hinge mortising bit in the router which completely flattened the edge it was facing (as opposed to cutting a groove or flute into it.) My lathe has 24 indexing positions built in, so I used every 3rd stop to get 8 flat sides.

 

[preacherman]

Thanks.

Finishing was straightforward ... began with a sheet of 320 grit sandpaper laid flat on a piece of 3/4 plywood, sprayed it with water (which also helped keep it stuck to the board) and rubbed each face in turn, adding water as needed. Then did the same to both ends, turning to "lean into" each of the 8 edges.

The "entire pen" was assembled while I did this (leaving the clip out, of course) -- meaning barrel, cap and cap finial all screwed together tightly with faces aligned.

Then I washed it down, and repeated with 400 grit. Then washed it down and repeated with 600 grit.

Then I switched over to auto rubbing compound -- first the brown one, then the white one -- rubbing each face in turn using a piece of cotton (t-shirt) cloth, and the ends. Finally hit it with Plast-X polish, again the t-shirt material, rubbing each face in turn then the ends.

Then I removed the finial and fitted the clip, fitted the section & nib, and started taking photos ... :smile:

Thanks for that finishing process. I thought it must be hand sanded to keep those edges so defined. It looks great!

Thanks, Robert :smile:

PennState Industries used to sell a product called a "lathe mounted fluting guide" -- I can't find it on their site now, they must have discontinued it. One part holds a laminate router (trim router), the other clamps to the lathe ways and becomes a fence against which you can run the jig holding the router.

I used a hinge mortising bit in the router which completely flattened the edge it was facing (as opposed to cutting a groove or flute into it.) My lathe has 24 indexing positions built in, so I used every 3rd stop to get 8 flat sides.

The lathe mounted jig is in the New Years 2014 catalog issue #141A on pg 140 at a sale price of $ 41.45. But it is not on their website. I don't know if it is discontinued or what. But after looking at this pen I was about to order one. Maybe they have sold out.:thumbdown:

 

[duncsuss]

The lathe mounted jig is in the New Years 2014 catalog issue #141A on pg 140 at a sale price of $ 41.45.

I think that's what I paid for mine -- I figured I couldn't even assemble all the bits and pieces to build one myself that cheap (not to mention I'd never actually get around to building one) so I bought it.

Though now I have it, I'm thinking I could make a couple of adaptations which would make it easier to set up (such as a bar across the underside to register against one side of the lathe ways) or I might even make a second platform with more space between the arms ... nah, that's why I bought this thing in the first place, I'll never get around to it :laughing:

 

[Priusjames]

That's a great looking, and very unique pen...it couldn't be anything but a fountain pen. Nice.

 

[duncsuss]

But it is not on their website. I don't know if it is discontinued or what.

I just had an online conversation with the PennState designer (who also makes pens), he said they discontinued it because "it didn't sell"

 

[duncsuss]

That's a great looking, and very unique pen...it couldn't be anything but a fountain pen. Nice.

Thanks :smile:

My intention is that it won't be unique for long -- I'm planning to make a few more now that I've worked through some of the bugs in the process (hopefully before I forget how I did it!)

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Very nicely done. The material used sort of hides the facets in the photos but you get the idea on the cap and finials. I need to give this a try myself. I had shown a jig that I made for doing some of the segmenting work that I do to pens and even posted it on IAP in their segmenting section. I do not go there any more but I am sure it probably is still in the threads. The jig can easily be used for this kind of work and much more. I will be coming out with a bunch new designs hopefully soon.

Again well done and thanks for showing.

 

[duncsuss]

Thanks, John. I'm not sure if I could change the lighting somehow to improve the visibility of the shape, it's something I'll experiment with further. It may simply be a function of the material and still photography (video I think would allow me to rotate the pen and have each facet in turn catch the light.)

I remember seeing your jig (and the ones that John Lucas has made) and I'm certain it would be an easy configuration to get this type of thing.

 

[Travico]

That is not a Pen, it is ART!!

 

[duncsuss]

That is not a Pen, it is ART!!

Thanks :smile:

 

[MagGeorge]

Gorgeous pen! Like the eight sides and the black and white theme, beautiful blank with great finish. I think you got a winner there. Excellent job!

 

[duncsuss]

Gorgeous pen! Like the eight sides and the black and white theme, beautiful blank with great finish. I think you got a winner there. Excellent job!

Thanks :smile: