Fountainbel OS "PF Tribute" plunger fill fountain pen

[fountainbel]

Hello,

As promised attached some pictures on the new "PF Tribute" plunger filler.

I really see this pen as a tribute the the plunger fill technology.

I'm a big fan of plunger fillers, they can hold more ink as any other pen.

This technology is greatly under estimated over time, mainly due to the problematic repairs inherent to the early designs.

Although Sheaffer made high quality pens in their "golden era", their plunger fillers were not at all maintenance friendly.

I think I've taken this hurdle by applying modern sealing technology and materials.

My "PF Tribute" pen can completely be dis assembled in 10 minutes, nothing is sealed with shellac, all seals are standard O rings ( except for the home made urethane piston seal)

The pen holds 2.5 cc of ink- of which 2.0 cc stored leak free when desired- filling rate is 100% (comparison: modern MB 146 holds 1.5 cc)

Note that comparing the demonstrator & HR version,I've made a few changes for both technical & aesthetical reasons.

The section was elongated to accommodate for the longer threaded Pelikan & MB nib assemblies, while still leaving the desired 0.5cc ink in the writing chamber.

The cap band was narrowed aiming for a sleeker look, which I think was obtained .

Do you agree this improves the look of the pen, or is the effect mainly to the difference in material ?

The clip was also slightly shorten.

Thanks in advance for your comments & thoughts on this new version.

Your input surely will help me in improving the design.

Regards, Francis

 

Edit, sorry but I can't attach a third picture showing the pen uncapped (with a beautifull Pellikan 800 nib)

Edited March 13, 2008 by fountainbel

[fatehbajwa]

It just keeps getting better!!!!

:clap1:

[Rapt]

Hello,

As promised attached some pictures on the new "PF Tribute" plunger filler.

I really see this pen as a tribute the the plunger fill technology.

I'm a big fan of plunger fillers, they can hold more ink as any other pen.

This technology is greatly under estimated over time, mainly due to the problematic repairs inherent to the early designs.

Although Sheaffer made high quality pens in their "golden era", their plunger fillers were not at all maintenance friendly.

I think I've taken this hurdle by applying modern sealing technology and materials.

My "PF Tribute" pen can completely be dis assembled in 10 minutes, nothing is sealed with shellac, all seals are standard O rings ( except for the home made urethane piston seal)

The pen holds 2.5 cc of ink- of which 2.0 cc stored leak free when desired- filling rate is 100% (comparison: modern MB 146 holds 1.5 cc)

Note that comparing the demonstrator & HR version,I've made a few changes for both technical & aesthetical reasons.

The section was elongated to accommodate for the longer threaded Pelikan & MB nib assemblies, while still leaving the desired 0.5cc ink in the writing chamber.

The cap band was narrowed aiming for a sleeker look, which I think was obtained .

Do you agree this improves the look of the pen, or is the effect mainly to the difference in material ?

The clip was also slightly shorten.

Thanks in advance for your comments & thoughts on this new version.

Your input surely will help me in improving the design.

Regards, Francis

 

Edit, sorry but I can't attach a third picture showing the pen uncapped (with a beautifull Pellikan 800 nib)

 

I think you could narrow the cap band more still especially on the dark material pen. It looks "heavy" and unbalanced to the rest of the pen in the HR. The wide band doesn't have so much of this effect on the clear pen. I'd go with the width of the HR pen on the clear pen and for other HR or dark material pens I'd go to something more in the ballpark of half the width shown.

 

Also I think the longer clip adds length to the look of the pen. Shortening actually reduces the "sleekness" factor for me.

 

Great pen and amazing work.

 

[aurrida]

agree, it just gets better.

 

i would add, i think a band between the pen barrel and end would tidy up the join especially if the pattern of the material cannot continue thought out.

 

the band around the cap is a little over powering or me, i find it dominating in general and i think you loose the line of that absolutely simple and elegant clip.

 

overall the shape is beautiful and i think what you have achieved is exceptional.

 

 

 

 

 

[rroossinck]

WANT.

 

Personally, I think that some of the issues that others have expressed with the width of the capband and/or clip length may resolve themselves if you did the pen in a single color plastic like black, blue, WHITE, etc.

 

Could you add a low-profile trim ring at the bottom of the ink-view window to perhaps add a little symmetry when the pen is capped? If you did the half-width trim ring on the cap and another equal-width trim ring on the bottom of the ink-view window, that might look pretty sweet because it'd frame the ink color in silver, visually drawing attention to the color you're writing with. Keep the demonstrator hood/ink-view window intact, and wrap it with color, and then you won't have to worry about staining the section when they fill it.

 

Oh Lord...white barrel, bling-bling silver trim rings framing the ink-view window? (I must go...I need a moment.)

 

The white suggestion isn't because I'm the resident iPod fanboy...but there aren't enough nice white pens in the world.

 

Where, by the way, are you thinking in terms of price-point for these? I need to find a bank to rob.

[strunkl]

Very, very nice design. I'm officially prowling FPN for the day you announce your demonstrator version is available for sale.

[steersbylitning]

I want one!

[OldGriz]

Fountainbel,

I hope you don't mind, but I Photoshoped your pen to make the cap band thinner.

I like the thinner look of the cap band... I believe it makes the pen look more balanced...

 

[Ondina]

What a bunch of talented people we have here.........I agree in the demo the cap is just right and in the other looks better as OldGriz suggested.

 

Well, I want one also, but as mentioned, I will need to find a supply of cash out of the ordinary.....

The work is amazing, as the result. Congratulations.

[Dr.Grace]

Superb! I want one, too!

 

 

[Tom Pike]

Francis,

 

You are having a lot of fun, my friend!

 

Great work!

 

Question: Which size is this pen internally - small, medium, or OS?

 

 

Cheers,

Tom

[fountainbel]

Hi Tom,

I surely don't mind, I'm even grateful for your proposal, thank you!

I really have to learn the Photo shoping thing, this looks a perfect tool to determine the optimum shape.

You surely have a point, although some people I've seen at the Cologne pen show did specifically like the wide cap ring.

Given the mechanical design & the "double bajonet" closing system its however difficult to make the ring much smaller.

The ring is now 17mm wide,I could take a few mm off from the backside but not more.

I surely could take off 10 mm from the cap entry side,making the cap shorter, but doing so I expect the length ratio between cap & barrel will be greatly disturbed.

Alternatively I could use a 4 lead closing thread fit between cap & barrel ( or section)

Then I can install any band width I want, but I'm afraid the threads in HR will probably wear & shear off after time.

Question is:are HR pens with a threaded cap & barrel fit sensible for wear on the thread fit?

Any input on this subject is greatly apriciated !

Francis

 

Fountainbel,

I hope you don't mind, but I Photoshoped your pen to make the cap band thinner.

I like the thinner look of the cap band... I believe it makes the pen look more balanced...

 

[fountainbel]

Hi rroosinck,

Thanks for your valued input.

I surely could add another stainless ring on the barrel, accentuating the ink view window.

Making the capring considerably smaller is however difficult.

Given the actual design there are several drawbacks in doing so.

Please read my reply to Old griz, who did a nice photo shopping job.

As what concerns selling these pens, I've not yet decided.

I'm having a lot of fun right now, but the pen should be perfect both in technical & aesthetical aspects before I would sell it.

One thing for sure, given the work involved it will not be a cheapy I'm afraid !

Francis

 

 

 

WANT.

 

Personally, I think that some of the issues that others have expressed with the width of the capband and/or clip length may resolve themselves if you did the pen in a single color plastic like black, blue, WHITE, etc.

 

Could you add a low-profile trim ring at the bottom of the ink-view window to perhaps add a little symmetry when the pen is capped? If you did the half-width trim ring on the cap and another equal-width trim ring on the bottom of the ink-view window, that might look pretty sweet because it'd frame the ink color in silver, visually drawing attention to the color you're writing with. Keep the demonstrator hood/ink-view window intact, and wrap it with color, and then you won't have to worry about staining the section when they fill it.

 

Oh Lord...white barrel, bling-bling silver trim rings framing the ink-view window? (I must go...I need a moment.)

 

The white suggestion isn't because I'm the resident iPod fanboy...but there aren't enough nice white pens in the world.

 

Where, by the way, are you thinking in terms of price-point for these? I need to find a bank to rob.

 

[fountainbel]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the compliment

I'm surely having a good time, from the early morning till the late evening working in my shop !

The pen is in fact an OS, being dimensionally very close to a MB 149.

Cheers, Francis

 

 

 

Francis,

 

You are having a lot of fun, my friend!

 

Great work!

 

Question: Which size is this pen internally - small, medium, or OS?

 

 

Cheers,

Tom

 

[fountainbel]

Hi rapt,

Thanks a lot for your valued input.

I've taken your point, and it looks your not the only one having this viewpoint.

Please read my reply to Oldgriz on the same subject;

thanks again, Francis

 

I think you could narrow the cap band more still especially on the dark material pen. It looks "heavy" and unbalanced to the rest of the pen in the HR. The wide band doesn't have so much of this effect on the clear pen. I'd go with the width of the HR pen on the clear pen and for other HR or dark material pens I'd go to something more in the ballpark of half the width shown.

 

Also I think the longer clip adds length to the look of the pen. Shortening actually reduces the "sleekness" factor for me.

 

Great pen and amazing work.

 

[bgray]

Great work, Francis!

 

Keep it up!

[bgray]

Great work, Francis!

 

Keep it up!

[Martius]

Sign me up for the celluloid version of one of these when you perfect the design.

[Michael R.]

Dear Francis,

 

Hopefully we will see more of your pens soon :-) I can imagine that there is a market for custom built pens which are not cartridge/converter pens.

 

The overall design and size are great.

 

Do you think all the metal trims (clip, cap band, any additional bands you should decide on) could be made from sterling silver? But I guess stainless steel would work as well. I just don't like the idea of mixing trim material on one pen...

 

If I recall correctly from the demonstrator I was allowed to hold on the Cologne pen show I remember the "double bajonet" part of the pen (not the cap) being made of some sort of plastic ?! Do you think you could match this part being made from the same material as the metal trim works?

 

Also I like the large cap band; I would not shorten it too much. Did you think about adding some sort ov engravings (like on the wide cap band Sheaffer's) ?

 

 

This is interesting to see how such a pen developes and it is great to have the feeling actually working on its final design here on the fountainpennetworl forum :-)

 

I'm curious to learn about any changes you think of next

 

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

 

[Titivillus]

...

Do you agree this improves the look of the pen, or is the effect mainly to the difference in material ?

The clip was also slightly shorten.

Thanks in advance for your comments & thoughts on this new version.

Your input surely will help me in improving the design.

Regards, Francis

 

I'm not a fan of wide cap bands so I'd say get rid of it all together and leave the clip as the metal on the cap!

 

But I know that I'd put that pen on my list of wants!

 

Kurt