Alpha Pen Base Station

Home base for your Alpha pen collection...

...Or any pen with a 1/2" (or less) diameter 

Now available in original Elecroless Nickel and our Black Marble

Version 3: Black Marble (Wabi Sabi)

Wabi Sabi is the Japanese tradition of imperfection. In this third version of the Base Station, I attempted to achieve perfection by embracing the lack of it. This finish is our traditional Electroless Nickel plating over aluminum, oxidized black, and then vibratory finished...by far my favorite to date. We retain the luster of nickel, the contrast of darkness, and an imperfect finish that compliments the character your pens develop through individual use. 

This is a pet project that has been on the books for ages. I finally got around to producing a small batch because I was tired of pens piling up on my desk! The Base Station is a worthy home for your precision writing instruments. The Base Station is machined in-house from a solid round of 6061-T6 domestic aluminum.

The bottom of the Base Station is fitted with a pad of Brown Chromexcel Horween leather that is die cut in-house and hand embossed with the Prometheus Logo. The holes are 1/2" in diameter and will fit any pen that has a diameter less than that measurement. Bear in mind, this is specifically designed for the Alpha pen, but most pens machined the the US are cut from 1/2" stock (like ours) and the final measurement is about .490" for a perfect fit in a .50" hole.   

The entire top surface is slightly domed. The dome and edge of the holes are "3D" machined, where the CNC is moving in the X, Y, and Z axis at the same time while performing the cut. This type of tool path takes a long time, but it sure is awesome! This design is partly an exercise in taking advantage of the crazy things a modern CNC can do. It also creates a beautiful pattern and a smooth rounded edge to each pocket. 

The design is actually inspired by glass "frogs" used in flower arranging. Over the years I've picked up a few at antique shows, and that is exactly what I've been using at home. However, glass frogs are hard to find and the pens never fit quite properly...not being a flower stem and all. So, I decided to make my own interpretation! #fixedit