El Toro Fountain Pen Kit Assembly Instructions

REQUIRED ACCESSORIES

7mm Adjustable or Long Mandrel
Live 60-degree Tailstock or Mandrel Saver
El Toro (4 Piece) Bushing Set EKB-303A
35/64" Drill Bit
31/64" Drill Bit
Blank Size: Minimum 7/8" x 7/8" x 4"
Two Part Epoxy Glue or CA (cyanoacrylate) Glue

7mm Barrel Trimmer or Disc Sander
Sandpaper: Standard and Micro Mesh
Pen Press or Clamp
Eye, Ear & Dust Mask Protection

PREPARING THE BLANKS

To prepare the Blank for drilling, draw a line lengthwise on the Blank with a permanent marker near the cut line. This provides a visual reference to maintain proper grain or pattern alignment. Cut two sections to the length of each Tube adding 1/4" for squaring off.
Mark the center of each Blank's end. This will determine the drilling location.
Drill Wood Blanks at 2,000 – 3,000 rpm and Larger bits or Resins at 250 – 500 rpm. Drill the holes through the center of the Blanks stopping an 1/8" short of the bit exiting each Blank. This will eliminate a Blank blow out.
Drill a centered 35/64" hole lengthwise through the Upper Large Long Tube Blank. Drill a centered 31/64" hole lengthwise through the Lower Short Tube Blank. Caution: Excessive pressure will cause the drill bit to wander and/or split the Blank. Slow the feed rate and back the bit out repeatedly for chip removal.
Trim away the small amount from the ends of each Blank to expose the hole.
Roughen the length of the outside Brass Tubes with 220 grit sandpaper to clean off the oxidation. This provides better glue adhesion. Wipe the brass residue off each Brass Tube. Trail fit each Tube in the Blanks before gluing.
To keep the glue from getting into the Tubes, plug both ends of the Tubes with a material of your choice. We recommend base plate wax. Push the Tube ends into a thin section of the material to seal each end. Wipe the residue left on the Brass Tube with acetone or alcohol on a clean dry towel.
Glue each Tube into the proper Blank. Put a liberal coating of glue on one Brass Tube. Working quickly, insert the Tube halfway into the Blank with a twisting motion to spread the glue evenly inside, then remove it from the Blank.
Put a little more glue on the Tube and insert it into the opposite end of the Blank. Align each Tube lengthwise just inside the Blanks. Continue with the other Tube.
Once the Brass Tubes are glued in place, set the Blanks aside for a day or so to give the glue time to set completely.
When glue is cured, use a hobby knife to remove the plugs and glue from the ends.
Use a Barrel Trimmer or a power disc sander to trim the excess material flush with the ends of the Brass Tubes. Trim the ends of the Blanks until you can just see the bright brass ends of the Tubes. The trimmed ends must be 90 degrees flush to the ends of the Brass Tubes. Do not trim past the end of the Tube.
The faces of the ends must be perpendicular to the Brass Tubes and parallel with each other. It is imperative that the length of the trimmed blanks match the original length of the Brass Tubes and that the insides of the Brass Tubes are clean and free of any glue. Any excess glue left inside will split the Blanks during assembly.

TURNING THE BLANKS

Use a permanent marker, place a Reference alignment "MARK" ? inside the Tubes to align the Blanks grain or pattern at the original cut line.
Mount the Bushings and Blanks on the Mandrel, make sure that your reference "MARKS" ? meet at the Center Bushings. This will maintain the proper Blanks grain or pattern alignment on the Pen Mandrel.

Diagram Description: Illustrates the setup for turning pen blanks on a mandrel. Components include the Headstock, As Required Spacer Bushings, Clip, Cap Bushing, Long Cap Blank, Finished Barrel, Center Bushings, Short Body Blank, End Cap Bushing, Lock Nut, and Tail Stock, all mounted on the Mandrel. Dimensions for tube lengths and diameters are indicated.

Thread the knurled Lock Nut on to Pen Mandrel and hand tighten it to hold all the components in place.
Slide the Tail Stock up snugly against the Mandrel Shaft inserting the Live Tail Stock Center Point into the Mandrel's end Dimple. If using the Mandrel Saver insert the Mandrel into its hole. Lock the Tail Stock in place. (Do not overtighten, it could damage the Mandrel). Excessive pressure may also crack the Blanks.
Using sharp tools, turn the Blanks down to a diameter slightly larger than the Bushings. As you approach the final size, be cautious as the Blank may be very thin. (Turn them straight or to a profile of your choice.)
Turning the Long Cap Blank cut a 1/8" tenon down to the brass tube in order to mount the Center Band. Do not remove any metal.

FINISHING THE BLANKS

Sand the Blank down flush with the Bushings gradually increasing the sandpaper grits.
Sand wood Blanks from 120 to 600 grit paper. For Resin Blanks continue sanding with Micro Mesh from 1,500 to 12,000 grit. Woods and Resins require different methods to achieve better results.
Use a finish of your choice but be careful if using a CA or Polyurethane, etc. The Tubes may stick to the Bushings, and Mandrel. Use Non-stick Finishing Bushings to eliminate the sticking, as finish is applied.
Remove both Blanks off the Mandrel, lay them end to end and align the Blanks as you determined when assembled. If necessary, a light sanding of the ends on a sanding block will square the ends and improve the fit during assembly. Finish the ends of the Blanks with thin CA to seal the Blank.

ASSEMBLING THE KIT

Layout the parts as shown below. Align the kit Blanks in the same orientation as determined on the Mandrel when pen Cap and Body will be assembled. The Body of the kit should be assembled first.

Diagram Description: Shows the individual components of the El Toro Pen Kit laid out for assembly. These include the Fountain Nib, Ink Cartridge, Cap, Clip, Nib Coupler, Short Body Blank, End Cap, Small Trim Ring, Large Trim Ring, Center Coupler, Long Cap Blank, and Center Band. A "Reference alignment Mark" is also indicated.

Press the Nib Coupler and Small Trim Ring, into the Smaller turned end of the Short Body Blank, at the Reference alignment Mark ?.
Press the End Cap and Large Trim Ring, into the Larger turned end of the Short Body Blank, opposite the Reference alignment Mark ?.
Cap Assembly: Carefully place the black plastic Center Coupler, threads facing out, into the Cap Center Band.
Carefully Slide on, do not Press the Long Cap Blank onto the Center Coupler's black plastic piece.
Place the Center Band onto the Body Nib Coupler and tighten, as if you were closing the pen.
Rotate the Cap Blank until the proper grain or pattern alignment matches from the Body Blank to the Cap Blank.
Mark this alignment location with tape.
Once grain or pattern alignment is satisfactory, unthread the Center Band Coupler from the Body Nib Coupler.
Remove the Cap Blank from the Center Band Coupler, retaining the alignment.
Place a very small dab of thick CA glue in the Glue Groove of the Center Band Coupler and inside this Tube.
Quickly, align the Cap Blank grain or pattern, press this Center Coupler, unthreaded black end first into the Cap Blank, at the Reference alignment Mark ?.
Press the Center Band over the Tenon at the Reference alignment Mark ?.
Slide the Clip onto the Cap, then press these into the Long Cap Blank, opposite the Reference alignment Mark ?.
Attach the Ink Cartridge to the back of the Fountain Nib.
Thread the Fountain Nib and Ink assembly into the Nib Coupler.
Screw the Cap onto the Body and admire what you have accomplished.

Additional Information

To change the Refill: remove the Cap, unthread the Nib, remove the old Refill, replace with a new Refill, thread the Nib back on and replace the Cap.
When writing, the Cap will post onto the End Cap of the Body.
When the pen is not being used, screw the Cap over the Nib.