Check your Imperial and Lotus kits

[Monty]

Long story.
Got a few Imperial and Lotus kits on the last group buy. Picked one of each to make my first ones. Great, they use the same bushings. Took a set of tubes and the blanks to the band saw and cut the blanks to length with a little extra. Went to glue the tubes in and 3 fit but one is too long. Pull out and measure the other sets and watch which kit they ore from and one is a different OD. Here's what I measured -

Imperial -
tube 1 - OD=0.534, ID=0.516, length=1.897;
tube 2 - OD=0.451, ID=0.433, length=1.972

Lotus -
tube 1 - OD=0.480, ID=0.447, length=1.892 Just talked to CSUSA. This is the wrong tube. They are sending a replacement set.
tube 2 - OD=0.451, ID=0.433, length=1.737

Opened #1 -
tube 1 - OD=0.535, ID=0.516, length=1.655
tube 2 - OD=0.451, ID=0.433, length=1.737

Opened #2 -
tube 1 - OD=0.533, ID=0.516, length=1.897
tube 2 - OD=0.452, ID=0.433, length=1.973

I'll be calling CSUSA later today to find out what the correct tubes are.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I'm a CS fan but have to admit, they can do some strange things at times. Seems to be serious lack of quality control there. I just finished an 8 pen order for some Europeans. Of ten ordered, six had tubes too long. Better than too short, I guess.

 

[Johnathan]

Thanks for the tip. You know, I love CSUSA and order from them all the time. I normally only order big orders and in the last four or five, I've had kits/blanks missing. They have the best customer service so I never worry about it but to happen four orders in a row?! I'll keep my fingers crossed for the next one.

 

[Woodlvr]

Thanks for the heads up Mannie. I purchased some of these also. My new Jr Gent 2 bushings will not slide onto my mandrel, out of two sets of bushings 3 will not fit onto the mandrel. Whoever does there manufacturing needs some more quality in there quality control.

Mike

 

[Draken]

The bushings not fitting is normally a small flange left on the inside edge from the casting process. A couple of hand twists of a reamer bit usually will remove the flange allowing it to fit just fine. Granted, we shouldn't have to do this, but in this case, the fix is pretty simple.

 

[Woodlvr]

Thanks James. I called CSUSA first to see about replacements and they suggested the same idea, BUT they are sending replacements out anyway. I told them to let me try reaming them first and I would call them back if I have a problem, but they said no problem the would send out the new sets anyway. This is great customer service.[]

Mike

 

[Randy_]

Mannie: I checked my pen chart and the dims you posted agree with what I have except for the tube you know is bad and the tube for the Lotus body. Would you mind remeasuring one of those to confirm the figure that you posted for the LENGTH? The measurements I have were given to me.....I haven't made up either of those kits......so it is certainly possible that the figure I have is incorrect. Thanks.

 

[Monty]

Originally posted by Randy_
<br />Mannie: I checked my pen chart and the dims you posted agree with what I have except for the tube you know is bad and the tube for the Lotus body. Would you mind remeasuring one of those to confirm the figure that you posted for the LENGTH? The measurements I have were given to me.....I haven't made up either of those kits......so it is certainly possible that the figure I have is incorrect. Thanks.

Randy,
I assume you are referring to tube #2 from the one marked "Lotus". Since there is a question about these, I'll post the measurements of the replacement set CS is sending when I get it.

 

[Randy_]

That is correct, Mannie. The 1.737" measurement is the question.

 

[Monty]

Here are the measurements from the replacement set CS sent me
Tube 1 - OD=0.534. ID=0.512, length=1.656
Tube 2 - OF=0.452, ID=0.433, length=1.735
These are +/- 0.001 or so.
I too question the length of 1.0735 (or 37 however you measure it). That appears to make it too short for the clip.
Would other please check your Lotus and Imperial tubes and let me know what yours measure before I call CS again?

 

[Randy_]

Mannie: Rick Bergeron out of Idaho(rixstix) emailed me a day or two ago and he measured one or two of his tubes and agreed that the lower tube should be 1.737"±. The figure that was given to me was 1.746"; but I am satisfied that it was an error.

 

[redfishsc]

CSA is simply having some trouble apparently. Nearly every order I have made with them in the past 6 months or so has had some sort of problem.

Several of my ti gold and many of my rhodium kits from them have pitted, usually within a month of use.

I bought some of the quick-change buffing/sanding pads (2"), all four of which fell apart on me when I used them-- the hook and loop part peeled right off (was glued to the pad with a cheezy adhesive).

I had one "Pen makers choice" blank that was much softer than it should be and stank to high heaven (smelled like a triple dose of acrylic acetate, even a few months after I made the pen--- I tore it apart and remade it).

Add to all this their usual troubles in telling us which drill bit to use (which I totally ignore now and use calipers), and I have to just wonder what the heck is going on.

They ALWAYS ALWAYS make good on their guarantees and are always interested in taking care of the problems-- but not CORRECTING THEM apparently.

Honestly I have been buy more and more of the Berea offerings (which is also wrought with problems with some of their parker-style twist pens), but the Sedona, Churchill, Sierra, Streamlines, and El Grande are simply fantastic pens.