Patent ID: 7232304

Claim:
A hobbyist-useable apparatus for fabricating decoratively shaped writing instruments having a plastic casing, said apparatus comprising: a heater unit comprising a heat source, and a heating compartment having an opening for inserting and removing the casing, said heat source providing heat to said heating compartment; and a shaper unit comprising a platform having an elongated slot, an exterior mold assembly attachable to said platform and manually moveable by a user in said elongated slot; an exterior shaping surface coupled to said exterior mold assembly; and an interior mold insert having an interior shaping surface, said interior mold insert being attachable to said platform such that the movement of said exterior mold assembly in said elongated slot moves said exterior shaping surface towards and away from said interior shaping surface; wherein the casing is heated in said heating compartment, then the heated casing is placed on said platform and is compressed between said interior shaping surface and said exterior shaping surface by movement of said exterior mold assembly in said elongated slot, then the casing is allowed to cool.