American Flat Top - Grrrr

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DurocShark

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Anybody had the same problems I'm having with the newest Flattop kit? I got a chrome/satin kit from Woodcraft.

First I screwed up the nib. While pressing the two pieces together it kinked and jacked the upper half. (Why can't these be threaded?)

Then after using another kit I found the transmissions don't fit the upper tube. Too sloppy. Had to build up some epoxy on it to get it to function.

Am I the only one who's really unhappy with this kit? I've never done them before, but my daughter picked the kit out for her teacher. Sigh.
 
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Sorry. I make a lot of these and never had that particular problem. The small problem that I always have is putting the center band on the upper blank. I usually grind or file the tennon, brass tube, a little so the center band fits. Then I have to "bend" or ream it our a little so the bottom half goes in. I just figure on that kind of thing. Its an inconvenience, but I have had bigger problems than that with other kits.
 

DurocShark

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Interesting. I had the same experience with the CB, but I just mounted the upper tube between centers and filed the tube until it was a snug fit but didn't compress. A dab of threadlock and it's solid.

The nib is IMHO a stupid design. But the transmission not being even close to snug in the tube was what really got me. I couldn't get enough friction to extend the refill.
 
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Just a thought, Is the top half to short? I know from experience that the top half is a little fussy that way. The bottom needs to go in past the lower fitting. If its a little short it doesn't get enough friction. Let me know how you come out.
The things ya don't learn on this show huh?
 

DurocShark

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I have two, on neither did I cut into the brass tube. The bottom goes all the way in, with the cb comfortably covering the coupler.
 
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I happend to have an american classic twist handy. Its not turned or anything. I just fit the thing together. The part that neither on of us mentioned is that the fitting that the cap screws into, needs to seat in the top of the transmission. I pushed the bottom of this pen in quite hard and the cap popped a smidge. That is when that dawned on me.
 
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