Berea Round Top European

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Paul Russell

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I just picked up my first Round Top European kits. After reading the instructions and looking over the kit, I have a couple questions.

#1
The bushing for the pen tip has the thinnest wall I have ever seen. Since I am going to be using Trustone I am a little worried that inserting the tip will be more prone to cracking the thinner material. Has this been a problem for others and should I be thinking about a different profile which leaves the material thicker?

#2
The instructions give 2 different methods for cutting and turning the top cap. One is to cut the material to finish length and turn it and the other is to cut it to tube length, turn it and part off to finish length. Which has given you the best success?
 
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Paul in OKC

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Are they the 7mm or 8mm kits? I have done many of the 7mm. The tenon is not cut to the brass tube, like on a flat top kit. If it has to go to the tube, I would do it like I do an American flat top style, which would be to cut to tube length and part to size. If I cut it to finish length, I would still leave a little to skim so the face is true for the center band. HTH
 

Old Griz

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I have made more of these than I care to count.. [:p][:p] They sell well for me because of the Parker refills...
As for the nib end, I have never had a problem with any material cracking, wood, acrylics, etc., just turn to a nice curved shape. I have never considered the nib end all that thin... it has definately more meat than a slimline..
As for the top end, I part off the material for the center, I find it easier than trying to make sure the end of the blank is perfectly square while leaving just the right length of tube for the center band...
I also have one of the Berea Cap guages... it is a real nice accessory... I do a lot of the RT Euros and PF's and it makes life easier to judge the parting off length..
 

Rifleman1776

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I have made quite a few Europeans and had to go look at some and my bushing to try to understand what you are asking. Sorry, I still don't know what your quandry is. The tip bushing is quite meaty, not thin as you describe. And, I'm not sure what you mean by "top cap". Are you referring to the finial or center band? With the 7mm kit you part down to the bushing and use the movable bushing ring as a test and guide for parting down the barrel. For the finial just turn down to the bushing.
 

Paul Russell

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The Round Top European Style Ballpoint Double Twist uses the 3B bushing set, a Parker refill and requires no tenon.

The #5 bushing for the tip has a wall thickness that looks to be about half that of a slimline. So if your profile is to match to the tip, the material left is going to be pretty thin. Now I could make it a bit thicker and round over the material to meet the tip.

Or it could just be my paranoia showing through.[:)]
 

Rifleman1776

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Originally posted by Paul Russell
<br />The Round Top European Style Ballpoint Double Twist uses the 3B bushing set, a Parker refill and requires no tenon.

The #5 bushing for the tip has a wall thickness that looks to be about half that of a slimline. So if your profile is to match to the tip, the material left is going to be pretty thin. Now I could make it a bit thicker and round over the material to meet the tip.

Or it could just be my paranoia showing through.[:)]

You are right, it's the paranoia. [:p][:)] I think when we are talking about European kits, it is important to specify which/whose kit. Tom likes the ones from Berea/Bill Baumbeck. I buy from PSI for two reasons. I like to keep things simple and don't want to have to purchase new tools (mandrels, bushings, widgets, whatevers) so I stay with what I started with. Also, I find that the European with theme clips, especially the cross as very popular. To order kits from one source then clips from another would be costly for the shipping. Ten clips probably weigh half an ounce but PSI, like others would charge more than a 37 cent stamp for those. I don't mind cutting the tenon for the Euro center band, not a big deal. Tom uses a cap guage for his. I don't even understand the purpose of a 'cap guage' and choose to remain blissfully ignorant of that thingy. [:)]
 
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