Gatsby/Sierra tubes

[mikeschn]

My Gatsby/Sierra pens always turn out too short. I'd like to buy some 10" long tubes and control the length myself. Does anyone know what size tubes the Gatsby/Sierra takes? 10.4mm? 10.5mm? Where can I get this tube in 10" long pieces?

Thanks,

Mike...

 

[Cwalker935]

Here are some

Pack of 6 x 10" 27/64" Tubes - WoodTurningz

 

[mikeschn]

That works! Thanks!

Mike...

Here are some

Pack of 6 x 10" 27/64" Tubes - WoodTurningz

 

[magpens]

I have made a couple hundred or more Sierras and never found the tubes too short for my purposes.

Sometimes when I am trimming the tubed blank to length, I leave about 5 to 10 thou of material extra beyond the ends of the brass tube ... I "get away" with doing that so maybe that would work for you if you want a little extra length and it would save you buying extra brass tubing.

To further clarify, the Sierra twist version brass tube is close to 2.21" long. I routinely trim the blank material to make the overall barrel length about 2.23" long and everything works. . I also do the same on the Sierra click version which has a tube length of close to 2.42".

 

[MTViper]

If you like longer, buy some Sierra click tubes. They will work on the Sierra twist pen and the extra length does add a nice dimension to the appearance.

 

[mikeschn]

I need about an extra .030" for the refill protrusion to look right.

I thought about leaving the plastic blank longer than the tube, but last time I tried that on a pen (with a really thin wall) the blank shattered when I was pressing in the pieces. Perhaps the Sierra/Gatsby wall thickness is enough so that wouldn't be an issue.

Mike...

 

[magpens]

Ah, yes ... the wall thickness problem !!!

To get around that, I ream out the brass tube by about 0.002" or 0.003" using an adjustable, parallel side reamer, and then glue in the endpieces.

In that way, I avoid pressing in the end pieces and avoid the risk of cracking the blank.

 

[mikeschn]

That's an idea. And HF has a 25% off coupon for NY Eve weekend... Thinking about this reamer kit...

11 Piece Adjustable Hand Reamer Set

Mike...

Ah, yes ... the wall thickness problem !!!

To get around that, I ream out the brass tube by about 0.002" or 0.003" using an adjustable, parallel side reamer, and then glue in the endpieces.

In that way, I avoid pressing in the end pieces and avoid the risk of cracking the blank.

 

[BruceA]

Mike, let me go at this from a different approach... With the Sierra pen design, the length of the tube/body can vary quite a bit (+-.125 at least) without any affect to the refill exposure. This is because the upper end of the refill mechanism can slide into the top cap of the pen, where it is grabbed by friction, and has NOTHING to do with the refill/tip exposure. Check for yourself - pull the top cap/body off the nib/tip, and you can twist the end of the retract mechanism and the refill tip extends/retracts.
What exactly makes you think the pen body is .030" too short? That should have NO effect on how far the refill tip is exposed.

 

[magpens]

Yes, Mike ... that's the style of reamer I use.

However, check the sizes ... the big ones look way bigger than you would ever use on pens.

I bought a set of 7 reamers from Busy Bee Tools in Canada for about $60.00.
The biggest reamer covers the size range 7/16 to 15/32 . (called a size 2A)
The next covers 13/32 to 7/16
Then 3/8 to 13/32
Then 11/32 to 3/8
Then 5/16 to 11/32
Then 9/32 to 5/16
Then 1/4 to 9/32 for the smallest in that set. (Called size 8A)

I also bought a couple of these individually for $20 each as the first ones wore out.
The individual ones came from kbctools.com

I use them a lot and I have found a need on occasion for all of those 7 sizes.

I also bought a 17/32 to 19/32 reamer and that's the biggest I have found a need for.

You can view the set of seven here:

Buy Adjustable Blade Reamer Set Of 7pcs at Busy Bee Tools

I find these reamers very useful for fitting brass tubes to blanks to get a better fit than using the kit manufacturer's recommended drill size which sometimes gives a sloppy fit.

 

[magpens]

Sorry, Bruce ... I am not being contentious, but I never have seen that size of variation or tolerance on any of the Berea Sierra pens (or other manufacturers' such as the Zodiac, Ellipse, Mesa, Gatsby, Napoleon, Virage, etc.) that I have made and I have made at least a couple hundred of them.

In the Sierra (and similar) design, the refill is not *gripped* by anything ... it is just butted up against a "push mechanism" at the top of the pen (twist or click).

At the same time, I have never experienced a serious shortness problem like Mike stated in his OP .... as I said above in my first post on this thread.

I have experienced a *slight* shortness in some style "Sierras", which I deal with as I stated in my first post. . I do have a preference for the nib extension to be minimized.

Mike, let me go at this from a different approach... With the Sierra pen design, the length of the tube/body can vary quite a bit (+-.125 at least) without any affect to the refill exposure. This is because the upper end of the refill mechanism can slide into the top cap of the pen, where it is grabbed by friction, and has NOTHING to do with the refill/tip exposure. Check for yourself - pull the top cap/body off the nib/tip, and you can twist the end of the retract mechanism and the refill tip extends/retracts.
What exactly makes you think the pen body is .030" too short? That should have NO effect on how far the refill tip is exposed.

 

[BruceA]

Mal, OK...there must be something lost in the translation here...! Ha! So here's a way to understand my explanation that the length of the tube has nothing to do with the exposure of the nib extension.

Take a Sierra kit (of which I have also made 200+ in the last 8 years) and assemble the lower portion with the refill installed, and the twist mechanism in place. Now, without any tube used, push on the top finial onto the twist mechanism. See how it grabs the twist mechanism? You can slide the top finial over 3/8" down onto the twist mechanism, and it will still expose the nib the same amount. There is NO relation to the length of the tube and how much the nib shows. So I maintain the discussion about tube length is irrelevant. Cheers from TN.

 

[mikeschn]

Okay, now I'm confused. Here are a couple pics of my Gatsby.

The mechanism is pressed into the top end of the tube, the refill is dropped in, and the refill cap is installed. The length of the tube controls how much the refill protrudes.

Are you assembling a different kit?

Mike...

 

[BruceA]

Different Kit, same tube

:handshake: Mike, Bingo! Different kit. The Gatsby, which I've never made, uses the same tube size/length, but uses a different mechanical design than the "Sierra". Because of the way it's made, I would highly recommend you switch to the Sierra version. Your nib exposure issue will disappear!

See how the Sierra finial is designed to press into the top of the tube?


View in Gallery

This simulates how far the finial is pressed onto the top of the twist mechanism.

View in Gallery

This picture shows how far you can push the top finial down to accommodate the variance in your tube length due to production.

View in Gallery

The Sierra is a great kit because of this design - you've got leeway to go either way for the length of the tube. I highly recommend it, too, because you can get TWO pens out of a standard 5" blank, since the tubes are 2.21".

Thanks for your pictures - helps understand the differences!
The blank is Chittum Burl, with a CA finish using the Fangar method.

 

[magpens]

Bruce,

I get your point now. . Thanks for clarifying. . I don't make many twist "Sierras" any more (because I don't like the top-end styling) so I forgot about the "closed" twist mech.
I make mainly click types where the mechanism and the refill are totally independent.

 

[KenV]

Mike,

Have not done the Gatsby, but have done quite a few of the top finial activated sierra barrell pens. I remember needing to be careful not to over seat the transmission.

The top finial is a friction fit and never seem to be very sensitive to length.

Any chance you are being a bit overly herky in the assembly process?

 

[mikeschn]

That's what I'll get then... thanks...

Mike...

You can view the set of seven here:

Buy Adjustable Blade Reamer Set Of 7pcs at Busy Bee Tools