Giant Ballpoint Pen

Did you know - the technology in a Roll-On deodorant container is the same as that of a ballpoint pen?

Step 1: Let's Try It.

So, I figured, maybe an empty Roll-On container could serve as a giant ballpoint pen.
The procedure is quite simple: take the Roll-On apart, wash it out, then fill with ink.

In reality it's not quite that simple. Dismantling the container can be tricky. There are different sorts of containers; in some the ball is just popped into the top, in others it has a separate holder that can be unscrewed. In the ones I used, the ball popped out of the top when I squeezed the sides hard enough.

The "ink" is also a issue. I used acrylic paint for this demo, and it worked reasonably well, but one I made a few months back took a little bit of convincing before it started working today (just like a real ballpoint...)

I'm guessing other paints or inks would work better. Normal ink will be too thin I think, and will likely leak out all over the place. Oil paint might work better.

Anyway, that's just something I've been fiddling with during Lockdown, and I hope you found it interesting.