The Project
My 2012 Kickstarter really got me going as a pen maker – and since then, I’ve upgraded the shop with a metal lathe and CNC lathe, which have helped me make better pens, and make them faster, and I would like to increase speeds even more. To do this I need a second CNC lathe. This will help me increase production and shorten those wait times.
To get that extra machine we need $21,000.
My goal is $33,000, which will cover the machine and a room add on – an office for Elizabeth. I’d love for her to have her own space so we can free up her current office as a bedroom for one of our boys. They’ve shared a room for 13 years and they need their space. 🙂
(shown below: slightly demented teenagers)
Here’s my machine/room parts list. (pdf)
To get that $33,000 I’ll need to raise $43-45,000, give or take, based on which pens and materials you pick, and where shipping is to.
UPDATES:
As of Feb 16, 2022 – $35,792 gross, and about $20,316 to spend.
Raised $34,172 gross, $19,254 to spend. Had to make some changes to the room add on to get the price down a bit, but will still be great once it’s finished.
December 11 10:44 – am – LAST day is the 18th – $16,603 net, $30,067 gross.
Nov 28 9:19 pm – $14,972 net, $26,994 gross.
Nov 18 8:55am – $12,201 net, $21,847 gross.
Nov 16 11:50am – 56 backers, 69 pens, and $11,871 spendable dollars raised ($21,220 gross- before fees, materials, taxes)
Nov 12 8:48pm – 49 supporters and 60 pens – And because my accountant corrected an assumption I had about how I would need to pay taxes, we’ve raised $10,067 (instead of what would be $13,423). Better safe than sorry. 🙂
Nov 12: 33 supporters, 41 pens, $8256 raised (after materials/shipping/payment processing fees)
Nov 11-2021: 22 supporters, 28 pens, and $6067 raised (after materials/shipping/payment processing fees)
This is the Tormach 15L lathe. It’s what I’ve already got and a second one would be a breeze to set up and get running. Once it’s up and running, turning out pens will go by much quicker, with the only bottleneck being how fast I can sand and buff. And that part is easy.
Every pen will come with an NN branded sleeve in high quality pen-matching colored fabrics, but for $10, you can pick an extra sleeve or 2, or 10. I’ll post material pics once we have them.
Elizabeth’s single pen sleeves are about 1 3/4″ wide and 6 1/2 – 7″ long.
Materials
These pens will come in five materials:
- Bob Dupras Belize Cenote
- D Squared Arkansas Sunset
- Nikko Autumn ripple ebonite
- Nikko Peacock ripple ebonite
- Nikko solid black ebonite (I know how much you love getting urushi on your pens)
- Nikko Amazon – a green, yellow, and blue marbled ebonite – enough for 8 pens
If you want your pen with a matte finish, let me know on the order form.
Remember – there will be some variety in colors and patterns from blank to blank and pen to pen. The pen you get might have more or less of some colors, or the pattern might be more or less mixed or swirly. I can’t control any of that, and I consider it part of the charm.
Belize Cenote:
Arkansas Sunset:
polished
Autumn Ripple ebonite:
Peacock Ripple ebonite:
Solid Black ebonite: (buffed)
(matte for urushi)
Nikko Amazon – only enough for 8 pens
It’s green yellow, a little blue, and black.
The Fountain Pens
The pens available in this sale will be the Orville C, the Elizabethan, and the Prospector.
1. Orville C – (C means cone ended):
Can be made clipless or with a clip.
These photos only show shape of the pen.
And this is the Orville C in Belize Cenote, our exclusive Dupras resin just for this project. You can’t get it anywhere else right now.
Clipless:
…
Orville C with a clip:
Can be made clipless or with a clip.
These photos only show shape of the pen.
…
Clipless only. All Prospectors will come with an ebonite feed and housing from Flexible Nib Factory.
The Nibs
All pens will be fitted with polished Jowo #6 nibs, in point sizes EF, F, M, B, 1.1 stub, or 1.5 stub. Jowo #6 in solid gold colored 18k available for $110 extra in EF, F, M, B, or 1.1 stub. I will tune every nib on every pen.
Each pen comes with a converter.
Two Jowo #6 nibs: steel and 18k.
I will NOT be offering nib grinds. I will tune every nib that goes out, but just not offering grinds.
I will send your pen to the nib grinder of your choice if you want a grind, and they’ll ship to you.
@thenibtailor on Instagram has offered $10 discounts for supporting the fundraiser
The Size of Things
I will offer the Elizabethan and Orville C pens in small size, and the Prospectors in medium size.
I measure my pens at the barrel threads, so a small is .50″ or 12.7 mm Ø, and a medium is .55″ or 14 mm Ø.
Open from tip of nib to end of barrel, small pens are 5 1/4″ long, and mediums are 5 1/2″ long,
How Many?
You can order as many pens as you like. No limit.
When?
If all goes well, I’d like to have the machine purchased before the new year, or at least mid January. After the order is in I think it’ll be a few weeks before it’s delivered. Once it’s set up, I can start turning out pens and sending them your way within a couple of weeks!
MONEY?
I will give you a total when you send in your order, and will send out invoices weekly on Fridays. They don’t have to be paid immediately.
Shipping
My focus is on the pens, not the box. If you’re like me, fancy pen boxes just take up shelf space, maybe collecting dust. So…
Shipping in the US – pens come in brown kraft paper boxes (with a cloth sleeve), wrapped tight in packing paper, then in a 12 x 4 x 4 inch sturdy shipping box. If you order more than 2 pens, the size of the shipping box will be bigger. Always insured for full value.
Shipping in the US is going to be capped at $12. I’ll offer the extra insurance on larger packages at this same rate, just for this fundraiser.
Shipping internationally, pens will come in PVC pipes (with a pen sleeve) to withstand a truck running them over, wrapped in paper, in a heavy shipping box. UPS. Most places are about $47. Canada is $35
Warranty
These pens come with an As-Long-As-I’m-Alive warranty. If you ever have a problem, please get in touch.
Thanks!
I am grateful every day that I’ve been able to do this full time for nearly 6 years now, and I have all of you in the fountain pen community from all over the world to thank for that. When I started making pens in 2012, while I was teaching, I didn’t even consider that I would be able to go full time with this, but every year I got busier and busier, and I continue getting busier now! Thank you all so much.
If you like my work, please consider sharing this so more people can see it. Thanks!
