barrel won't turn pen

[markgum]

hi;
probably doing something stupid here; but... the last 2 pens I made (slimline, using kits from WC). the pen won't turn to extend the ball point out or turn to take it in. taking the top of the pen off; I can turn it fine by hand but slide the top piece on; and it will spin all day and not engage the ink cartidge to extend it. I was able to fix it by putting a couple of wraps of tape around the ink cartridge.
so, did I get some bad kits, or am I missing something here? I know asking a lot. I may go back to WC and take the class again; or see if I can find the guy who taught the first class I took.
No problems turning them and finishing them.
thanks for your time. I truly appreciate all your guidance. This site has been a life saver.

 

[rherrell]

First, the top cap doesn't engage the refill so I don't see how putting tape on it would have helped.
Second, does it work correctly when you turn it by hand? If so you might have the wrong tube in the cap. If not then it's a bad transmission.

 

[markgum]

Originally posted by rherrell

First, the top cap doesn't engage the refill so I don't see how putting tape on it would have helped.
Second, does it work correctly when you turn it by hand? If so you might have the wrong tube in the cap. If not then it's a bad transmission.

hmmm.. o.k. I see that now that I have pulled it apart. It does work when turning it by hand; so guess, I'm putting the wrong tube in the cap. Will have to look at them more closely.
thanks.

 

[Russianwolf]

use and extra tube from one of your other kits and see what happens.

It's possible that you've reamed the inside of the brass tube just enough that the tube isn't getting enough friction to turn the tranny. It's also possible that the tranny is sized wrong.

If you try it with a new piece of tubing without doing anything to it and it still just spins without extending the refill, then it's the tranny size. If it works correctly, then it's something you are doing to the tube.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by rherrell

First, the top cap doesn't engage the refill so I don't see how putting tape on it would have helped.
Second, does it work correctly when you turn it by hand? If so you might have the wrong tube in the cap. If not then it's a bad transmission.

"the top cap doesn't engage the refill" Suggest ye rethink that.

 

[bitshird]

Originally posted by markgum

Originally posted by rherrell

First, the top cap doesn't engage the refill so I don't see how putting tape on it would have helped.
Second, does it work correctly when you turn it by hand? If so you might have the wrong tube in the cap. If not then it's a bad transmission.

hmmm.. o.k. I see that now that I have pulled it apart. It does work when turning it by hand; so guess, I'm putting the wrong tube in the cap. Will have to look at them more closely.
thanks.

If it's a slim line then both caps are the same unless you got them on Pluto, or possibly Canada

 

[THarvey]

Take the cap off and look at the exposed portion transmission. There should be two slight bumps or ridges on the transmission to press against the inside of the tube.

I recently had a Euro from WC that was missing these bumps. Without them, the transmission will not make sufficient contact with the tube in the cap.

Since the Euro and Slimlines use the same transmission, I suspect there could have been a manufacturing error.

 

[mick]

Mark, I've run into that problem on occasion. It's seem that everynow and then quailty control was asleep at the switch and some tubes are a fuzz over size(I'd never ream em out when milling )
Anyway when this happens it's an easy fix to use a small, very small punch and slightly dimple the transmission, from the inside, in two or three places around the upper edge. This will give you contact points for the upper tube to "grab" the transmission.

 

[loglugger]

Originally posted by mick

Mark, I've run into that problem on occasion. It's seem that everynow and then quailty control was asleep at the switch and some tubes are a fuzz over size(I'd never ream em out when milling )
Anyway when this happens it's an easy fix to use a small, very small punch and slightly dimple the transmission, from the inside, in two or three places around the upper edge. This will give you contact points for the upper tube to "grab" the transmission.

I have this same probem with some slimlines.
Bob

 

[marionquill]

I've had that happen before. Luckily it was on acrylic and was able to heat it up enough to pull out the bad tube and put in a new one. It would have been easier to dimple the transmission though...will try that if it happens again.

Jason

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by THarvey

Take the cap off and look at the exposed portion transmission. There should be two slight bumps or ridges on the transmission to press against the inside of the tube......

On the SLs I've seen, there are actually three ridges to engage the cap and two little "valleys" that I think lock the operating mechanism inside the body of the transmission.

Could be those bumps are missing or not as tall as they should be. Or perhaps the ID of the cap tube is a little oversized. Regardless, there is not enough friction between the cap and the transmission to twist the pen mechanism.

The dimple repair is the "standard" solution to this problem and has been mentioned before. There is one tricky little point that you need to watch out for. To be able to dimple the transmission body, you need to remove the refill from the transmission and then twist the transmission clockwise so that the transmission is in the "refill extended" position. If you fail to do this, you will not be able to access the portion of the transmission body where the dimples need to be placed.

Another solution that has been proposed is to use a soldering iron to add thin layer of solder on the exterior of the transmission to build up its diameter just a little so it will engage the cap tube. Since most solders are relatively soft and may wear down over time, I have some concern about its long term success. It could also be a little unsightly unless done very carefully.

I do very few slimlines; and have never had the problem, myself; but think my preference would be dimples over solder if the need ever arose.

 

[jeffj13]

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

Originally posted by rherrell

First, the top cap doesn't engage the refill so I don't see how putting tape on it would have helped.
Second, does it work correctly when you turn it by hand? If so you might have the wrong tube in the cap. If not then it's a bad transmission.

"the top cap doesn't engage the refill" Suggest ye rethink that.

Frank,

I think that Rick is correct. The cap does not engage the refill (ink cartridge), it engages the transmission.

jeff

 

[markgum]

Thanks all. after very close looking there are two valley's on the transmission case and 3 "hairline" bumps. I can feel the valley's but not the bumps so as was mentioned; looks like QA was asleep.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by markgum

Thanks all. after very close looking there are two valley's on the transmission case and 3 "hairline" bumps. I can feel the valley's but not the bumps so as was mentioned; looks like QA was asleep.

Hey Mark: Feel is a pretty subjective method of determining whether the bumps on your slimline are correctly formed or not. Some folks have a better-developed sense of touch than others so the fact that you don't feel them might or might not be significant.

To that end and to satisfy my own curiosity, I got out a slimline and my micrometer and took some actual measurements. The base diameter of my SL transmission is about 0.243†and the ridges measure about 0.003†above the body. (Note that 0.003†is about the limit of what the average person can feel.) The diameter of a circle that would just touch the tops of the ridges would have a diameter of about 0.249â€. I measured the ID of my cap tube to be about 0.248†so we are only talking about a fit difference of a thousandth or two…..that’s a surprise!!

Try the following. Slip your cap onto your transmission; but only on the first half inch or so. Now twist the cap and see if the refill moves properly or not. The cap should slide on with a fair amount of force. It should not slip on with just the gentlest of pressure. If the refill won’t extend and retract properly, you know you have found the trouble……either the transmission is too small of the cap tube is too big. If you have another slimline around ( or unassembled but working kit) that functions properly, take the cap from the pen that is not working and try it on the other pen. If it works, you know the other transmission is bad. If it doesn’t work, then you know the cap tube is the problem.