Apex SE click pen Question

[stuckinohio]

Hello,

I bought and turned an Apex SE click pen from PSI. Assembled the pen and the click mechanism doesn't work. I know the plunger is sometimes too large and it causes the mechanism to bind (know this from searching).

I mic'ed the plunger ends and they are less than the specified bushing diameter so that shouldn't be the problem. I believe it is a problem with the click mechanism.

The directions list it as a "3 piece mechanism" and the kit only had a 2 piece mechanism. There was/is a white plastic piece with a threaded end on it that fits inside a white plastic tube. I don't know what the 3rd piece is supposed to be?

 

[dtswebb]

The kit instructions look like what I consider a standard PSI click mechanism. You have the outer white tube, with a threaded plunger inside. On the other end, there is what I can best describe as a lever that actually is what makes the mechanism function.

If I can find it, there was a thread here where a gentleman disassembled the various click mechanisms to show the internals.

 

[dtswebb]

This is the thread I was talking about. Unfortunately, it does not show the three parts that make up a PSI click.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/click-mechanism-inside-view-112862/

 

[stuckinohio]

Thank you sir for your reply. Tech support from PSI returned my e-mail yesterday. They are sending a new click mechanism. I am missing the plunger.

They sent me a diagram with detailed pictures of the click mechanism. I am going to attach the diagram and pictures tonight after work. It's good information for somebody with this same problem.

Not to mention, the instructions that are included with the Apex are lacking. They don't detail the mechanism at all. Also, since I only had two pieces I couldn't tell how to orientate the white tube since it is different on each end.

Thank you again. I appreciate it.

Lewis

 

[stuckinohio]

Here is a picture of the three piece click mechanism.

 

[dtswebb]

Lewis,

Completely different click mechanism than the one PSI uses on the Vertex and Stratus pens (and maybe others). Thank you for taking the time to post the photo - if you had an issue with the mechanism, someone else did as well and hopefully the photo helps.

PSI sometimes gets a bad name around here, but my dealings with them have all been positive. Either a telephone call or an email gets a response and they've been real good about replacing defective or broken parts, even parts that were broken by me.

Good luck with completing the Apex.

Matthew

 

[stuckinohio]

Being an amateur I'm happy to contribute with stuff like this since I can't add anything with the technical stuff!

I see PSI is not well liked, but I've had nothing but great experiences with them, plus I like several of the PSI only (I think) pens like the concava, graduate and Tec bolt action.

Lewis,

Completely different click mechanism than the one PSI uses on the Vertex and Stratus pens (and maybe others). Thank you for taking the time to post the photo - if you had an issue with the mechanism, someone else did as well and hopefully the photo helps.

PSI sometimes gets a bad name around here, but my dealings with them have all been positive. Either a telephone call or an email gets a response and they've been real good about replacing defective or broken parts, even parts that were broken by me.

Good luck with completing the Apex.

Matthew

 

[stuckinohio]

Since I think this pen turned out nicely, I'll attach a picture. Be gentle!

I hope to get the click mechanism today, so it's still a pretty paper weight right now though.

 

[dtswebb]

Lewis,

Looks like you did a fine job on the Apex. I hope the pen works with the new click mechanism.

Matthew

 

[stuckinohio]

Well, I got the clicker mechanism back from PSI. Got the part installed and the pen barely works. If you click lightly the pen works fine. If you click too hard the refill will poke out through the nib too far and stick. Not sure whats going on.

I don't see any damage to any parts, so I'm not sure what went wrong. I most likely wont buy this pen kit again, though it could easily be my fault I suppose.

I made a "long clicker" for my wife and I much prefer the click mechanism in that pen to this. Also got a vertex and I think it will be better too.

Oh well.

 

[dtswebb]

Lewis,

The problem may not be with the click mechanism, but with the tip. Unscrew the tip and take the spring off the refill. See if the refill passes through the tip with no binding. It is possible that the tip may have a small piece of "junk" inside or the opening is a little undersized. Both can be remedied easily. It is also possible that the spring is backwards on the refill. Turn the spring around and see if that solves the problem.

It's always possible that the click mechanism is the issue, but I'd check out every other possibility before giving up.

Matthew

 

[stuckinohio]

Thank you. I'll check that out.

 

[qquake]

Just curious, since I have some Apex kits to turn. Did you ever resolve the last issue?

 

[stuckinohio]

Well, I think it sorta smoothed out on its own. I took the refill out and checked the spring orientation and put it back together. I was a little rough for a while but started working better.

It's not super smooth by any means, but that could be because I had to assemble and disassemble the pen several times to get the click mechanism out and re-install before I figured out it was missing a piece of the mechanism.

I won't be buying a click pen that has a click mechanism that needs to be assembled. The other click pens such as vertex and long clicker are very nice and aren't as difficult and have very nice clickers as far as I'm concerned.