Cigar Pen - new problem / issue

[Rangertrek]

Well, I thought I had seen or experienced most of all the common problems with making and assembling pens. I now have a new issue with a cigar kit I have not encounter before, and I have made about a 100 of these.

This one happens to be a special order on a custom blank. :frown:
I pushed the top barrel on the lower part and the top tube does not engage the transmission and just spins on the transmission. It seats properly to the center band, etc. No mods to the pen kit, just standard parts. The tranny works fine.

Anyone had this problem, or better yet, have a solution for a fix?

 

[plano_harry]

You have built a lot more of these than I have, but something has to be wrong with the cap/transmisson drive tube. Is it slipping? The end of the tube should be about .73 from the bottom of the centerband.

 

[ed4copies]

Did you inadvertently use a long tube for the top? If you have your tubes all together, this can happen (DAMHIKT)!!

 

[BassBlaster]

I havnt had one that wouldnt engage the transmission but I have had many that would spin on the transmission when trying to back it off to change the refill. Lightly sanding the inside of the tube that engages the transmission will help but dosnt always fix it. You could try disassembling the upper barrel and squeezing that tube very gently untill it is compressed enough to grab hold of the transmission. Does that make since? Ive also heard of guys using a little dab of CA with a similar problem on Sierras but you risk glueing the transmission up to where it wont work at all so be very carefull if you go that route.

 

[Brooks803]

If you've got an 8mm tube laying around you could try and swapping out the internal tube that's slipping. Or maybe even taking some pliers and crimping the tube slightly to be more snug.

 

[Rangertrek]

Problem solved!

I had some time this afternoon to look into this problem a little more.
The problem was the transmission itself. I took the pen apart to check the transmission (which worked fine) and got another from stock for comparison.

I thought there might be a length issue somewhere.

When I compared the two, the problem was very evident.:biggrin:


The one I installed (upper right) had a problem with the end of the mechanism. I had not noticed this at all when I first installed it. Only after the comparison did I see the difference. Factory defect on the end was the culprit.

After a new transmission was installed, the finished pen. Works fine.
So, now I have something else to check each time I install a transmission on a cigar pen.


Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[76winger]

Glad you found the problem and it was easily fixed. Great looking pen too!

 

[Dustygoose]

Glad you fixed it. Great looking blank