Twist mechanism alignment

Sometimes the simplest things are assumed to be known and practised by all. For many months when I made the Euro pen (I didn't start making "slimlines" [I still don't as I enhance the kit with a streamline centre band] until about a year ago) I used to struggle with the location of the twist mechanism. The mark on the twist mechanism was a bit arbitrary depending on the twist mechanism supplier and if you had inadvertently shaved a bit off the tube (I use a disk sander to trim the end of the blanks) then the nib used to stick out too much.

Thinking from an engineering perspective there is a dimensional relationship between the end of the nib and the end of the twist mechanism that sticks out of the pen, there should be no reliance on the length of the twist mechanism left protruding, this assumes the tubes and nibs are always a fixed length. I used to get fed up with inserting the refill, testing the length of the nib exposed, taking it out, pushing the twist mechanism in a bit further.

So I marked off guidelines on the pen press, this saved a bit of time but wasn't reliable and was dependent on the type of pen. However a cross refill is always the same dimension, regardless of the type of pen. I found that the best dimension that suited the look of the pen was 100.4 mm from the end of the nib holder to the back of the twist mechanism so got a piece of ally tube and cut it then finely ground it on my grinder until it was spot on. This works every time, is simple and I am about to find out that everybody else has been doing this or similar for ages!

Step 1 Insert the twist mechanism so that it is in by a few mill.

Step 2 Remove it from the pen press and put the pen into the tube

Step 3 Put the tube and pen back into the pen press (The tube in this case is the exact same dimension as the piston, and colour)

Step 4 press the pen together until the tube will not let you compress it any further. This produces the same results over and over.

Nice idea, Neil! Will adopt it ...

Thanks for this info Neil. A very simple but clever method and something I shall be adopting!!!!!!

I have found it a chore to get the twist mech inserted to the right depth each time ; your method is the way to go !!

Cheers Neil,

Love the solution, will be making one up ASAP.

Clever idea Neil, i will be needing two, as i use both long and short tubes for my slimlines ....

Morning people,

Love your method for me because sometimes I have short tops and sometimes short bottomed blanks every pen kit I press because the total distance depends on how far you press in the winding mechanism. In an ideal world and by constant repitition I wish you every success. Always in an Ideal world all manufacturers winding mechs will be exactly the same (not so in my experience) the biro itself has its own mind as well (how deep the thread sometimes faulty threads). Some brasses are smaller thus tighter so I trial measure and check by caliper to prevent breakages, cracking etc perhaps this is why I try not to mass produce at the turning stage treating each pen individually. I try to avoid surprises and prospective failures at the source. Sure it takes longer. The total length inserted of the biro to the tip is critical for me.

Gave a lot of thought to answering you cause I do love success and wish you all success in your methods.

Kind regards Peter.