Engine Valve Pens
I was board and decided to make some pens out of a couple of worn out valves I had laying around. The first one I made came out so good I decided I should share how to make it.
Here is how to build your very own:
1. Since most valves are hardened steel we will need to fatigue the metal in order to drill into it. So heat the bottom of the valve till it is glowing bright red. Then let it air cool until you can touch it. Repeat this two or three times.
2. Now you can drill your pilot hole. Use the smallest drill bit you have and drill a hole in the center of the bottom of the valve. Now continue to use one size bigger drill bits until the hole is just big enough to get the ink canister of a ball point pen in.
3. Now before you add the pen tip and ink canister you need to clean the valve if it is not all ready. I used a scotch bright pad on a die-grinder but sandpaper or a wire brush should work. All I did was get it clean enough that all the black carbon was off and made it shiny.
4. Now take the pen tip and ink canister out of a ballpoint pen and cut the ink canister short enough to fit in the hole you drilled. Then put a small amount of hot-glue on the end and stick it in the hole you drilled.
5. Now go write something with your new pen!
