Hex pen project

Post date: May 14, 2017 11:09:02 PM

From top to bottom: 2 kickstarter pens, Karas Kustoms "The Bolt", Parker Jotter, prototype Hex Pen by Jeff Walsh

I appreciate the effort that goes into machined pens, so I have backed a few Kickstarter campaigns. Unfortunately I have never found a pen that I really liked. Most pens come with a cap, which prevents one handed operation. The one that I do have is a bolt action, separates in the middle, due to the threading, while you are pushing the pen out of the body.

Prototype versions of the Hex Pens on my development notes

Fortunately, I put a 3D printer together last year! (See my Rostock Max V2 build journal) Making a bolt action pen only requires a few tries to calibrate the spring compression, then voila! I have a pen designed by me. To keep the pen parts as few as possible the barrel of the pen is in one piece, the end plug is held in with a 0-80 screw, and there is a small spring at the front. Overall, following the principal of K.I.S.S. for manufacturing, making sure that all parts can be printed easily and machined as well (the body and end cap are sized for 3/8" hex material.

The tools and components that are required to make one pen

What comes out of a 3D printer is not a finished product. Support material, to keep the part stuck to the printer bed, needs to be removed. Also, my printer does not produce holes to the drawn diameter, so a bit of reaming is necessary, and the end cap needs to have a hole threaded for the actuation bolt.

One disassembled pen

One Hex Pen assembly

My goal is to have enough time to set up a campaign to bring this printed pen and possibly a machined version to a few people, through Kickstarter or some other means.