Can my computer pen be saved?

[cbb007]

I turned one of Bruce's computer pens tonight and I think I did quite a good job...but when I assembled it there was a tiny gap between the blank and the center band. The gap is about 1/2 mm. I guess I trimmed off just a smidgen too much.

I pressed the transmission further into the tube as far as it would go without the tip of the refill sticking out. I thought this would do it, but it didn't.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Clay

 

[ldb2000]

Which pen did you make , Sierra , cigar , slimline ? You could always segment in a thin piece of veneer or pick guard material to one or both ends to make up for the difference . If it was a sierra you might have a problem with assembly because the tube length isn't very critical for them .

 

[Greg O'Sherwood]

If I understand the problem, the tube is a bit longer than the blank?

If so, can you just run that end in an end mill to take off the excess tube?

 

[cbb007]

The kit is a Sierra. The tube must have been exact, I didn't think I took anything off of the tube when I squared it, but maybe I did.

Maybe I can turn a black center band and put it on.

Clay

 

[cbb007]

Sorry Greg, I didn't answer your question. The tube must have been the proper size - when I squared it, maybe, just maybe I took some off.

 

[ldb2000]

Ok , so I'm missing something , how did you push the transmission in further . The transmission on the sierra pens is attached to the nib/lower section and screws in place . The barrel/blank presses onto the finial/clip end and just slides on to the transmission . The length of the barrel/blank is not very critical . Are you sure that there is nothing in the tube like glue or a burr that is keeping the barrel from going all the way to the centerband ? is this a twist pen or a click?

 

[el_d]

Hi Clay,
When you Square the ends with the trimmer you should try to "kiss" the shine onto the tube, Nice and gentle to ensure that both the blank and the tube are square...

 

[cbb007]

Butch, it is a twist Sierra. The transmission comes attached to the tube that screws in.

I never tried to press it in further before, because there was no need to do so, but now I figured, what the heck, and it does press in. It takes quite a bit of pressure, but it will go in...and it still works.

Clay

 

[cbb007]

Tomorrow I will take the pen apart and check for glue in the tube.

Stay tuned....

 

[nava1uni]

Sounds to me like you might have some glue on the inside of the tube at the end and it is causing it to not slip in easily. This could be on either end. If there was some on the end of the tube that you pressed the clip end into then it could also be interfering with the end of the transmission.

 

[bkersten]

Sorry if the below description had you puzzled looking at the Sierra kit, it did me too because it's for the WallStreet 2 style. I went back and checked my kits and saw it was for the WS2. Not sure how I would do the Sierra if that happened to me. Bob




I had that same problem and it took a while to see what was going on, but saw what was stopping the top and fixed it. On the tranny just below the top where the lubricated internal part is, there is the top of a sleeve. That sleeve stops on the cap when it is slid together with the top. I punched out the cap, and ground down the distance I was short where it starts into the top of the blank on the cap itself under the clip. You will see on the cap where there is a smaller diameter lip so it starts into the tube. That's what I ground off, and then filed off the sharp edge so it fed back into the tube easily -also chamfered the tube ID. Becareful grinding near the clip. This way you will not loose the length of the top half of the pen more than you may have. If needed, use only the kit parts and put the tranny to the bottom part and then slide the cap on top of it and you will see where it stops against that sleeve. I hope this helps and is clear.

 

[cbb007]

Wow! Thanks for the info, Bob. I will try this tomorrow.

Thank you, also, to everyone else who tried to help.

Sorry for the confusion, I was confused too.

Clay