Cap alignment... something to consider!

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Texatdurango

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I just read in another thread where the concern was over aligning the lower barrel pattern with the upper barrel or cap so they match up but there is something else to consider as well.

I just spent two days at a pen show and learned so many things, one of which was the way the clip lines up with the nib of a fountain pen when the cap is posted.

One thing many saavy customers did when looking at a pen was to unscrew the cap then post it on the lower body (if it was a postable pen of course). They checked to see that the Clip was in line with the nib of the fountain pen. This IS a big deal to some folks and I sincerely believe I lost at least one sale because the clip on the pen didn't align with the nib and I had no way of turning the bottom threaded piece at the show to make the adjustment.

Now, I realize that most kits use multi-start threads and the cap won't always line up since there are three possible positions it can finish in. All I'm saying is that you might want to make sure when pressing the kit together that at "at least" one of those spots is aligned with the nib when the cap is posted!
 
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Chasper

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Good point, and when they do align, don't forget to point it out to a potential buyer. After someone pointed out to me that the clip wasn't aligned perfectly I adjusted several clips to get them in line, not I make sure that every serious looker knows that I pay attention to the fine details like clip alignment.

What about wood grain or segmentation pattern continuation from body to cap? I've always made postables so the continuation is in alignment on a closed pen, recently a picky prospect felt that it should have been in alignment with the cap posted.
 

PTownSubbie

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Gerry brings up another good point. The last one I made I tried to align not only the cap when installed but also the grain when posted. I never thought about the final when posted though.

Man....all this alignment has me obsessing over alignment.....
 

randyrls

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Gerry brings up another good point. The last one I made I tried to align not only the cap when installed but also the grain when posted. I never thought about the final when posted though.


I wrote instructions some time ago on how to grain match a pen. The normal instructions don't address this very well (if at all!). You could also grain match the posted position of the pen but after thinking about it, the instructions will be different because although it is easy to match the CB to the lower barrel, it is very difficult to match the lower barrel to the CB. The trim ring isn't fixed to the threads and this makes it difficult to match up.

These are for a Baron or similar pen and replace section 3.
This part is important if you wish to "grain match" the pen:

a. Press a COUPLER & TRIM RING into the end of the LONG BLANK (lower blank) where it will meet the CENTER BAND.

b. Slide the black CENTER BAND COUPLER into the plated CENTER BAND and install the BLACK TRIM RING and the PLATED TRIM RING on to the CENTER BAND assembly. Now screw the CENTER BAND and BLACK TRIM RING to the (lower blank) COUPLER & TRIM RING.

c. Grain match the pen blank ends and press the CAP (short upper pen blank) onto the CENTER BAND and BLACK TRIM RING.

d. Unscrew the CAP from the lower blank. Slide the CLIP onto the CAP and install into the end of the short (upper) pen blank.

e. Press the END CAP COUPLER into the END CAP.

f. Install the SPRING into the END CAP ASSEMBLY. To keep the spring in place use a needle nose pliers to expand the wide end of the spring and push it into the END CAP with the narrow end out. You can also put a drop of thick CA (superglue) into the END CAP before putting the spring in. Let the CA out gas for a day or two before assembling the pen.

g. Screw the END CAP ASSEMBLY onto the appropriate end of the long pen blank

2. Rollerball pen: Insert the REFILL and screw in the ROLLERBALL NIB ASSEMBLY into the COUPLER.

3. Fountain pen: install the ink cartridge / pump into the back of the fountain nib and screw the assembly into the COUPLER.
 

Texatdurango

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Good point, and when they do align, don't forget to point it out to a potential buyer....

If you are in the right venue you don't have to point it out... they already know! :)

If you think about it, it's really all about comfort! I spoke with one lady who was a writer and she writes hours a day with her pen and she said if the clip is not aligned correctly it will actually dig into her hand after a while.

And another tidbit I picked up which is the opposite of pen makers on the forum... the overwhelming majority of folks I asked, prefer to post their pens while writing!
 
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