- Pen kits
- Bushes for pen kits
- Pen blanks
- Marlas Feathers pen blanks
- DiamondCast pen blanks
- DC Silver Series pen blanks
- DC Radiance Series pen blanks
- Divine Island pen blanks
- Gilbert House pen blanks
- Crafted Makes Spangle Series pen blanks
- Crafted Makes Braided Series pen blanks
- Crafted Makes Carbon Fibre series pen blanks
- Blankwerks abalone pen blanks
- Flower Girl pen blanks
- GPS Alternative Natural pen blanks
- GPS Ranger pen blanks
- GPS Alternative Semi-Precious pen blanks
- GPS California series pen blanks
- Kirinite acrylic pen blank collection
- Kirinite Ice series pen blanks
- Kirinite Pearl series pen blanks
- Kirinite Stardust Glitter series pen blanks
- Minerva Acrylics pen blanks
- Cullinore Acrylique - Spellbinder pen blanks
- Cullinore Acrylique - acrylic pen blanks
- Chestnut acrylic pen blank collection
- Semplicita SHDC pen blanks
- Semplicita Nastro pen blanks
- Ebonite pen blanks
- Wood pen blanks
- Choose pen blanks by colour
- Pen blanks - reduced to clear
- Marlas Feathers pen blanks
- Bowl blanks, spindle blanks & project blanks
- Fountain pen nibs
- Understanding nibs and choosing the right one
- Bock standard size 6 fountain pen nibs (type 250)
- Bock standard size 5 fountain pen nibs (type 180)
- Beaufort standard size 5 fountain pen nibs
- Bock short body #5 fountain pen nibs (type 060)
- Bock wide shoulder #5 fountain pen nibs (type 076)
- Bock standard size 8 fountain pen nibs (type 380)
- Calligraphy (italic) fountain pen nibs
- Bock twin point #5 fountain pen nibs (type 020)
- Music nibs
- Left handed fountain pen nibs
- Non-engragved fountain pen nibs
- Ready made section sleeves for kitless pens
- Ready made nib sections for kitless pens
- Refillable rollerball nibs for kitless pens
- Understanding nibs and choosing the right one
- Fountain pen ink
- Pen refills
- Pen presentation - pen boxes, pen pouches & pen stands
- Writing accessories
- Pen making tools & drill bits
- Pen tubes, springs & spares
- Mechanisms, ink converters & pencil inserts
- Ready-made nib sections and section sleeves
- Clips for kitless pens
- Thread taps and dies
- Kitless pen making - tools and supplies for custom pens & bespoke pens
- Tutorial - An introduction to custom pen making
- Collets & collet chuck sets
- Keyless drill chucks
- Engineering micro-chucks
- Tailstock die holders
- Tailstock tap holders
- Morse taper lathe centres
- Triple lead thread taps and dies for pen caps
- Section sleeves and thread sleeves for kitless pens
- Mandrels for kitless pens and custom pen making
- Single lead thread taps and dies for pen components
- Thread taps for Bock fountain pen nib housings
- Thread taps for Bock ready made nib sections
- Thread taps for kitless pen rollerball nibs
- Bock ready-made fountain pen nib sections
- Clips for kitless pens
- Refillable rollerball nibs for kitless pens
- Drill bits
- Threadable pen blanks for kitless and custom pens
- Lubricant for pen makers
- Tutorial - An introduction to custom pen making
- Casting moulds for pen blanks
- Starbond CA superglue
- Abrasives, steel wool, finishing & polishing
- Beall Wood Buff buffing system
- Versachuck wood lathe chucks
- Lathe faceplates, micro-chucks and spindle adaptors
- Shield Technology - lubrication and rust prevention
- Super Nova1 chuck key
- Special offers & clearance
Pen turning
Fountain pen nibs
Fountain pen ink
Pen blanks
Blog
Blog Search
Notes on making a section for a Bock size 5 nib housing
We frequently get requests for advice regarding the correct proceedure for making fountain pen sections for Bock nib housings, particularly regarding size 5 nibs, which appear to give more trouble than the size 6 ones.
- Standard practice when establishing the correct drill size for thread taps is to subtract the pitch from the diameter. In the case of a Bock size 5 housing, that would work out as 6.4 – 0.6 = 5.8However, the very bottom of the housing has a tiny non-threaded area which has a diameter greater than the drill size. Therefore we recommend that you use a 6mm drill, which will allow the housing to be inserted easily, without compromising the integrity of the section thread.
- Ensure that the non-threaded part of your section is marginally longer than the non- threaded part of the housing. This will allow the housing to locate on the tiny rim under the nib, and not locate by running out of thread, which could cause it to seize up.
- Run your taps through the thread as far as possible, right to the end of the cutters, to open up the minor diameter of you section thread as much as possible. Once you have cut your thread, run a tap in as far as possible by hand from the opposite end, which will also serve to open the minor and to clear any swarf or other detritus.
