# Making a Fat Slim



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

I read somewhere that you could make a Slimline "fatter" by substituting the kit center band with your own...so I gave it a shot.
Pic 1: Blanks cut, drilled on the drill press, insides spray painted blue, tubes glued, ends milled with a pen mill.
Pic 2: Here's the centerpiece...a cutoff from a goldish acrylic blank. Cut 3/16" thick by double sticky taping to the cutoff saw...keeps the fingers away and holds the piece after the cut so it doesn't disappear into the shop somewhere. The hole is 15/64" to fit the transmission directly.
Pic 3: The mandrel setup...the new acrylic piece takes the place of the center bushing. We can make this section as fat as we want!
Pic 4: Turn to round. It is important to stop occasionally and tighten the knurled knob. As we turn down to the diameter of the pen mill, the parts may become loose on the mandrel.
Pic 5: A little shaping.
Pic 6: Almost there.
Pic 7: As I approach the bushings I get out the calipers and turn to about .335" leaving a few thousandths for sanding.
Pic 8: For sanding I exchange the bushings for a couple lengths of 7mm brass tubes. This leaves room for sanding without getting sanding dust from the bushings. I am wet sanding with 400 grit and 600 grit and then going through all 9 grades of micro mesh...down to 12000.
Pic 9: Here is the result after a bit of plastic polish to boot.
Pic 10: The assembled pen in a black ti kit.
Pic 11: Nice don't you agree?

So if you have a slimline kit and something you can replace for the center ring, give it a try...it was pretty easy and very enjoyable.:laugh:


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Frank that is a pretty pen. Just goes to show you design is in the eye of the beholder. Well done.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Frank, that is one beautiful pen and what a pleasure to see a full photo shoot, I hope it's catching!


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Yesssss.... That's *very* nice, Frank!!


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Great looking pen Frank and in the right color too. *Blue!*


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## drasbell (Feb 6, 2009)

Smart looking pen, great job


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## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Thanks fellas, it is much appreciated!
Dave, Blue is my fav too!
Harry, There will be more photo shoots as I have done before, but I can't promise every project will have one. Sometimes I am not confident enough in what I am doing to include that distraction, but it is always in my heart to share and contribute, even if it is just with the written words. Besides, some of us still have to work for a living and time in the shop is precious! :sarcastic:


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Nice pen Frank. You made it sort of like the one of the roadster pen that I've made. Like the center band where did you find it.


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## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Thanks, the centerband is just a cutoff from another piece of an acrylic blank. Nothing special, just try to cut it square, then turn it with the other pieces for a nice flush fit.


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