First Comfort pen and question

[stevebuk]

hi
did my first couple of Comfort pens today, really loved it, came out better than expected really. I have noticed that the centre band seems a little loose to me, could someone please say whether this is normal, or how to make it tighter.

Thanks for looking..

 

[ed4copies]

The centerband can be nice and tight, until you open the pen once.

THEN, it becomes loose. This is a symptom of all (that I can think of) "Cross mechanism" pens.

You CAN glue it to the pen body if it bothers you enough, but be careful not to glue the transmission.

I just "leave it alone". Customers RARELY comment on it. We are attuned to ANYTHING that is wrong with the pens we make - others, "not-so-much".

Nice job, by the way!

 

[karlkuehn]

Ed nailed it. I, too just leave them be, not much help for it, unless you mean that it's sloppy like, sideways-wise? If it's loose as in it slides up and down the shaft a bit, I think that's just going to happen, but if it hangs off out of round like the hole's too big, that's a different story, and it shouldn't do that.

Great looking pens by the way!

 

[Dalecamino]

Really nice pens ! Hope you get that issue resolved , thanks to Ed & Karl ! [8D]

 

[Ligget]

Great work Steve, same as a Slimline the Comfort has a floating centreband, as said previously it shouldn`t be a problem but I sometimes put little dots of thick CA on the underside of the CB to stick it to the bottom barrel!

Nice photography too![8D]

 

[stevebuk]

thanks guys, the CB doesn't wobble side to side, but it does move slightly up and down, may take marks route and stick it down, then again...

 

[bitshird]

I like the wood in the top photo, nice pens, I like to cut the wood a bit long, and forget the center bands and the rubber tips, I've got the same 12 that I started with 6 mo. ago, but the ones that I just did with wood lower barrels have all sold, [B)]I thought they would be good sellers due to the comfort thingy.
I've had several customers tell me they look cheap, pretty but cheap, (not to be confused with inexpensive) try leaving the lower barrel the width of the center band long, and turn both barrels to the size of the mid bushing, I think you'll like what you get.[)][)]

 

[stevebuk]

Originally posted by bitshird

I like the wood in the top photo, nice pens, I like to cut the wood a bit long, and forget the center bands and the rubber tips,

try leaving the lower barrel the width of the center band long, and turn both barrels to the size of the mid bushing, I think you'll like what you get.[)][)]

Sorry for being dense, but how does one square the blank with the tube if the blank is longer, or do you use your own tubes..

 

[Mather323]

Very nice looking pens!

 

[bitshird]

Originally posted by stevebuk

Originally posted by bitshird

I like the wood in the top photo, nice pens, I like to cut the wood a bit long, and forget the center bands and the rubber tips,

try leaving the lower barrel the width of the center band long, and turn both barrels to the size of the mid bushing, I think you'll like what you get.[)][)]

Sorry for being dense, but how does one square the blank with the tube if the blank is longer, or do you use your own tubes..

I don't think you're being dense at all, after all many of us newbies are here to learn, I suppose you could use either a pen mill, or one of Lee's sanders, or even a belt/disk sander, I just use my lathe chuck. there have been several threads about using a bench sander and making a jig, my first few pens were done with just a V block and a disk sander, [8D] Never thought about using or cutting my own tubes, thanks for the idea.

 

[ed4copies]

Ken,

Buy the Father Sing pen, the lower barrel is already longer by the amount you are currently using

 

[randyrls]

Originally posted by bitshird


I've had several customers tell me they look cheap, pretty but cheap, (not to be confused with inexpensive) try leaving the lower barrel the width of the center band long, and turn both barrels to the size of the mid bushing, I think you'll like what you get.[)][)]

Ken; I turn the pen tapered without the rubber gripper, but I don't use the center bushing while turning. This makes it easier to make the tapered sweep even and even a small amount off is very pronounced. I size the center portion with digital calipers. The comfort is my best seller. I don't do any of the gold plated ones. Only the Titanium Gold or better.