How To Make A Reservoir For Your Dip Pen Points

[The penner]

What do you do when you don't have quite as many reservoirs as you do pen points? You grab a pop can and cut it up to make some.

 

Now this is easy and fun and what not, but it is also very dangerous, as the edges of the cut-up tin are very sharp and easy to hurt yourself with. Before starting to make your reservoirs, wear steel-toed boots, special moogle-made gloves and visors. If you think that's silly, then don't do it. If you wear all that protection and still manage to injure yourself, then you can start to think about holding me responsible.

 

Anyhoo, let's start, shall we?

 

1. Cut a rough square of metal from your can. It's easy to poke a hole through the dent that runs around the top to start cutting.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5961949364_2c1750a8da.jpg

 

2. Cut this shape. I've placed it against a ruler to give a rough idea of the size. I will be referring to the two protruding flappy things as the 'wings' and the rounder part as the 'tongue'.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5961949368_b8d02325d5.jpg

 

3. Fold the wings upwards.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5961949372_c05a9f0fe9.jpg

 

4. Cut the wings to less than half of their former size, and bend them inwards. Cut around the tongue so that it's thinner and about 5/8s of it's former length. Ensure that the tip is more or less flat. Curve the tongue upwards.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6027/5961949386_826d98ed47.jpg

 

5. Slip 'er on! I've achieved best results whenever I've had the reservoir tip this far from the point.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6013/5962051756_c8c46c22dd.jpg

 

There we go. Good luck! BE SURE to be careful, as you'll have quite a few metal shards lying around. I just put them back into the can I cut the metal from. If you make some, tell me what you think of them.

 

Missed a detail in one of the steps.

Edited July 21, 2011 by The penner

[jbb]

Interesting idea. Thanks for sharing. I normally make a dip pen "feed" out of bees wax for my nibs.

[kenmc]

Great work! But I'm just wondering, ya reckon a beer can would work too? :roflmho:

[The penner]

Whatever floats your boat, kenmc :L I think that if you're efficient with the metal, you might be able to make about 22 of those from a standard sized beer can.

[jbb]

http://bestsmileys.com/drinking/17.gif 1 beer can might work but 5 might not. But I digress, how long can you go on one dip with your reservoir? Edited July 21, 2011 by jbb

[The penner]

Depends on the size of the edge. For the sake of getting clear, not at all goopy lines, I fill my reservoir only very little for calligraphy. I don't quite know how long it would take the larger edged nib to run out after a complete fill. Without the reservoir, I could only ever manage a stroke or two.

 

The smaller (almost italic) one, when filled fully, goes oooooon and oooooooooooon and ooooooooooooon until you get sick of doodling.

[Chevalier]

I only used self made wire reservoirs so far. This is really strange, because I made like 100 folder pens, but making a reservoir out of a can never crossed my mind. Thanks for sharing, I don't have many nibs without fitting reservoirs, but I still have a couple and running out of ink is annoying.

[The penner]

Chevalier, what are folder pens?

[Chevalier]

Ruling pens made of a can or metal plate. Just like those sold by JNB (or those from Tim). I am using ruling pens made of thicker plates (brass aso) too, but the thin can material gives pens that are more flexible.

 

I'll take a picture later.

Edited July 23, 2011 by Chevalier

[ihtzazqamar]

I cut a straight piece of the blister pack (tablets for headache), then cut it like a wedge, insert it with the nib in the holder (under the nib), shape it a bit and viola!. It works on the same principle as suggested in this thread.

I hope it helps. I do not drink beer, you see.

[jbb]

I cut a straight piece of the blister pack (tablets for headache), then cut it like a wedge, insert it with the nib in the holder (under the nib), shape it a bit and viola!. It works on the same principle as suggested in this thread.

I hope it helps. I do not drink beer, you see.

That sounds like it might be quite quick & easy to do. Thanks!

[The penner]

It does, I just don't like sticking other things in the holder :3

[dorothylim]

I used a bunch of 3mm jump rings, tied them loosely with a piece of silver wire, and attached it to the nib hole as a reservoir. It held and distributed ink very well, and one dip in the sumi ink lasted me over 5 lines. Just thought I'd share this idea. It can be removed and cleaned fairly easily too.

 

 

[dorothylim]

I used a bunch of 3mm jump rings, tied them loosely with a piece of silver wire, and attached it to the nib hole as a reservoir. It held and distributed ink very well, and one dip in the sumi ink lasted me over 5 lines. Just thought I'd share this idea. It can be removed and cleaned fairly easily too.

 

 

[CameronB]

Interesting idea. Thanks for sharing. I normally make a dip pen "feed" out of bees wax for my nibs.

 

What do you mean by a dip pen "Feed"?

[MercianScribe]

I used a bunch of 3mm jump rings, tied them loosely with a piece of silver wire, and attached it to the nib hole as a reservoir. It held and distributed ink very well, and one dip in the sumi ink lasted me over 5 lines. Just thought I'd share this idea. It can be removed and cleaned fairly easily too.

 

 

 

Oh my dodgy Lord Odin, I couldn't use one of those! Considering I'm normally the ultimate pragmatist I'm quite surprised at how visceral a reaction I had to that! Congratulations on that beautiful writing coming out of a pen with a junk yard stuck on it!

[Incongruent]

I use a slightly different shape to make a more conformal ink cage and bend the aluminum such that it flexes with the pen (and stays out of the way of the page). I have not found it to spread the tines, though the Zebra G nib that I use it with is rather stiff. Ink capacity is decent; Id estimate it at around five times that of a stock nib (more is possible, but then blobs).