These four JoWo #6 feeds and housings are probably the final parts I’ll make on my little Roland 4-axis mill. I’m transferring all my effort going forward to making these parts on the Mazak QTU-200MSY. Once that transfer is done, I’ll be able to offer parts in volume to pen makers worldwide.
Three sets of JoWo #6 feeds and housings in clear acrylic along with a red ebonite feed with black ebonite housing. These are on their way to a new home. The clear acrylic parts are a new design that allows the nib and feed to have any desired orientation in the pen.
Some of the final feeds and housings I’ll make on my Roland 4-axis mill. These will be made much more quickly and economically on the Mazak QTU-200MSY that will arrive early in 2017. These are  for JoWo #6 nibs, widely used in cartridge converter fountain pens.
I am excited to announce that I’ve found and rented a space in Carrollton, TX for Flexible Nib Factory LLC. The first machine will arrive at the end of January and the second in mid-February. I hope to have my first flexible nibs for beta testers shortly thereafter.
I’ve selected the Brother Speedio S700X1 with a Sankyo RT100 rotary tilt table for my vertical mill, and the Mazak QTU-200MSY for turning center. Both Yamazen, importer of Brother CNC machines, and Mazak, gave me exceptionally good pricing, which will enable me to launch my company with excellent manufacturing technology.
I am searching for factory space in the north Dallas area and hope to have a location locked down in the next few weeks.
Finished four models of ebonite feeds/collars/housings, now on their way to a new home.
Pelikan M800
JoWo #6
Pelikan M600
Pelikan M400
Finished these up yesterday, and they’ll be on their way to a new home soon…
I finished up some ebonite feeds this weekend. These will be on their way to a new home after I mill collars for each.
Yesterday, I visited the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, for the purpose of finding production machine tools for Flexible Nib Factory LLC.
My first choice for a vertical mill is the Brother Speedio S700X1, shown here with the Flex S robot loader / unloader module attached. This mill would be used for making nib forming dies, factory fixtures, and various fountain pen parts not well suited for a turning center.
My second choice for a vertical mill is the Fanuc Robodrill. This is the smaller model with a robot loader / unloader. I would need the largest Robodrill.
My choice for a turning center is the Mazak Quick Turn Universal 200MSY. Shown here is the 200MY model, which has a tailstock replacing the sub spindle. I would use this lathe to make feeds, collars, sections and other fountain pen parts, along with some factory fixtures and other miscellaneous parts.
This is the Sankyo RT100 rotary tilt table that can be added to the Brother Speedio or the Fanuc Robodrill. I would use the smaller RT080 unit.
Also, see this photo gallery of other interesting machines and rotary tables I saw at IMTS.
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