Two questions for a new boy.

[crazylegs]

Turned a mystery blank today just to try the pen kit,any ideas what it is ?

Second question and i expect its me . I am trying this kit for the first time, and I must say I am impressed with the quality, but I ran into a problem. I pressed it together only to find the pen insert did not protrude far enough. I took the lower section apart and made it as short as possible but it was still a good 2 to 3mm short with the point only just showing. Top section with the mechanism in was not dismantlable. I do not believe I cut the top bit that far out but could have. Anyone else had this problem?
I ended up putting a small packing piece in to extend the point. Shame because it has a lovely feel to the kit. Any help from Beaufort ink.
I will again stress I am not knocking the kit just puzzled.

 

[lignaterrae]

Can't help with the kit query but the wood is Australian She-oak. Lovely material

 

[Bammer]

Not 100% sure what the problem is. By pen insert I'm assuming you mean the refill.

Without actually holding it i'm unsure.

But, make sure you have pressed both parts correctly and far enough ........ but then you would have.

you know it's a click pen ... sounds stupid but I really can't think why it wouldn't work

maybe spring is fouled up...

sorry can't help more

Brad

 

[Morse]

Hi Kevin,
The reason you may not have had many replies is probably as Brad says "without actually holding it".
Assuming it has been assembled correctly, just recheck.
My guess would have to be one of the tubes may be to long. I've had the opposite ( nib out to far) on a Tempest, where I took to much off using the barrel trimmer. I now measure the tubes before gluing and after trimming.
Phil may be along, after his Sunday lunch to offer expert advice.

Dave

 

[crazylegs]

Thanks for the replies. I have been thinking and I am convinced I did not make the barrels overly long but maybe its critical with this kit? I just cannot see myself being out on all the ends or majorly on one.

 

[Pastor of Muppets]

Can't help with the kit query but the wood is Australian She-oak. Lovely material

Ive just been sent some Lace Sheoak from an old mate in Australia as a thank you apparently its amazingly figured i cant wait to see it!

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

Thanks for the replies. I have been thinking and I am convinced I did not make the barrels overly long but maybe its critical with this kit? I just cannot see myself being out on all the ends or majorly on one.

Critical with ANY kit... If the wood is not flush with the tube you're asking for problems. A mm here or there starts to add up quick...

 

[wm460]

Great looking pen Kevin.

 

[Bammer]

Thanks for the replies. I have been thinking and I am convinced I did not make the barrels overly long but maybe its critical with this kit? I just cannot see myself being out on all the ends or majorly on one.

If you made the blanks to fit the tubes then you won't have a problem. Too short and the pen refill will protude and wont re tract all the way in.

You have pressed the coupler in far enough right ?


Only thing I can suggest if you don't find a solution, send it to me and I'll try to figure it out.
Still can't see a reason for your issue, I've made loads of these and not had this problem.

 

[Bammer]

Just had a thought, take it apart and make sure the refill can come through the nib end.

I've had it before where the machined nib end has had swarf or something making the hole tight. if there is something a quick rub with a file will sort it allowing the refill to come through

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

Just had a thought, take it apart and make sure the refill can come through the nib end.

I've had it before where the machined nib end has had swarf or something making the hole tight. if there is something a quick rub with a file will sort it allowing the refill to come through

This is EXCELLENT advice. You turn enough pens and you run across this from time to time. It seems like gun metal plating is often just a bit thicker.

 

[Phil Dart]

A family Easter means I'm a bit late to the party here I'm afraid - sorry.

Brad's and Tim's advice to check the hole in the nib section is good advice, but I don't think it's going to solve your problem on this occasion, because you've already said that by packing out the refill it extends ar enough.

If you remove the refill and insert it into the section hole from the outside, you can see if there is any binding or interference, which can be caused primarily three reasons - sometimes if the plating is a wee bit on the thick side, sometimes if there is a little bit of swarf in the section, or sometimes if a bit of stray glue in the tubes means that pressing the components in has required a bit more force than normal, which has caused the hole to close up. In any event, if there is any binding, just widen the hole slightly with a small file, or if you haven't got one small enough you can insert a small drill bit and use the flutes of the bit as a rasp. The difference between binding and free travel is fractions of a millimetre, so it's only a 2 minute job to cure.

As I say though, although it's worth checking, I don't think that's going to be the cause of the problem, so next check that the upper and lower halves are connected fully. Again, a bit if excess pressure may have corrupted a thread, or there may be a small bit of swarf that is preventing the male and female threads from fully screwing home.

Also check the length of your barrels. As has already been pointed out, in any pen kit where the mechanism is in a fixed position the barrel lengths are critical. On a Tempest, the lower barrel should be 58mm and the upper barrel should be 45mm. The overall length of the assembled pen should be 132mm excluding the click button.

Hopefully, one of those solutions will help you get to the bottom of the problem, and to be honest, if they don't I can't really think of anything else that might be causing it. However, if after trying them you have no luck, send me a PM and I'll see what else I can do for you.

I hope that helps a bit.

 

[Penpal]

Publish the instructions,measured then it will be obvious what you missed, far to many maybees,good luck mate.

Peter.

 

[Briancerveny]

You might want to measure the length of your finished wood in case they put the wrong length tubes in your kit. Highly unlikely though, but you never know. The length should be in your lit specs.