Getting closer to my first PIF

I've been thinking of an idea for a PIF and wanted to run my idea through the forum for some fine tuning and/or suggestions.

I just got back to turning a couple of pens recently. I took a break for several weeks due to a bent mandrel (rod that holds pen blanks for turning) and trying to learn how to turn some other projects. I want to make a fountain pen as a PIF as I promised a couple of months ago. My thoughts are to make a fountain pen and 5-10 ballpoint pen kits and put them in as a PIF. I figured I could get a list of people and randomly choose 6-11 members (depending on how many pens I'm able to make). My idea would be to randomize the list and then send all of the pens to the first person. They would get to choose one of the ballpoint pens and then send the rest on to the second person. This would continue until the last person, who would get to keep the fountain pen.

Since I know practically nothing about fountain pens I have one big question. Would it cause a problem for the fountain pen to have ink put into it so that everyone could try it before the last guy gets to keep it? The pen kit I am going to buy has an ink cartridge as well as an adapter for bottled ink.

This is just my rough plan. I would appreciate any and all suggestions. It may still be several weeks until I putting together all of the pens and get everything set up. I can usually make 1-3 pens in a weekend; maybe more depending on the level of freedom granted by SWMBO. Thank you in advance for the ideas and suggestions.

This thread is NOT for starting a list of people interested in the PIF.

I've never shipped a FP with ink in it before, but have read a couple of horror stories about ink leaking.

No Ink !!!!!

I would say no to inking it. I can only imagine how much boxes get tossed around in shipping and if they put it on a plane that could lead to even more linking.

Regards
Dave

brianw said:

No Ink !!!!!

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Unless, of course, you're sending it to Brian!

Thank you. That was one of my fears. Is it realistic to allow the FP to be inked as long as it gets flushed before shipping?

I want to do this PIF to show appreciation for all of the help and generocity I have received while a member of B&B. I also want to get feedback on the quality of the pen kits I'm using. I'm not worried about my craftsmanship because, for the most part, I can evaluate that myself. I want to get comments on the quality of the pen kits themselves. I have spent so many years writing with cheap plastic pens that I have a difficult time evaluating the writing quality of the pens I'm making.

jzuzphreek said:

Unless, of course, you're sending it to Brian!

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Or there is a cat in the box.

Why don't you tell everyone to dip the pen and write a short note with it and include them in the package as they pass it on!

Tom

Let me be the first to say "I'm in."

I went and picked up the pen kits for this PIF after work this morning. I ended up getting different kits than I originally planned. Under closer inspection, some of the ones I originally planned to get were cheap pieces of junk. I opted for some with a little better quality. I was originally going to PIF 10 regular pens and one fountain pen. I am going to do a few less regular pens to keep my same budget. I will post a new thread this evening or tomorrow morning with the info and to start a list of interested members.

The writing sample request would make for a cool thread--what if you wrote with one on the same page, posted a photo on here, and passed the page and remaining pens forward?

You can send it with ink in it but only to James and only if it is Baystate Blue