HELP!!!! Acrylic 7mm round tops

[lobo3603]

I have made 10 7mm round top europeans for an order. The 7 from wood had no problems but all 3 from acrylics do not work. When the cap is put on it just keeps turning and very slowly the tip starts coming out of the nib.It takes three to four complete turns of the cap to get the pen out of the nib. Take the cap off and turn the transmision by hand and all is OK as 1/4 turn and the nib is out.
I am not having this problem with wood. What am I doing wrong with the acrylics? Acrylics look great but can't keep scrapping pens.

Help please

Lorie

 

[DozerMite]

The material shouldn't make a difference because it's the tube that opperates the tranny. If it's the pen I think it is.

 

[arioux]

Hi,

What you can do it take a little screwdriver or punch and just make a little tiny dent on the top of the tranny. Not too big or you wont be able to put it back inside the tube. This would give it more grip inside the tube (hope you understand what i mean).

This happened to me once because i mixed part from two manufacturer, and there was a very slight difference in the inside tube diameter.

 

[JimB]

Maybe the tube isn't glued in well and that is actually slipping.

 

[Billman]

What he said. ^^^

 

[thewishman]

Lorie, it sounds like the transmission is slipping in the top tube. Is there any oil on the inside of the top tube, or was it cleaned out a little too vigorously with a file or metal brush?

The tube should slide over the transmission with a tight fit.

 

[thewishman]

Just read the other responses (pulled up the page and left the room for a while). Alfred and Jim's answers sound like a good ones.

 

[wdcav1952]

Just read the other responses (pulled up the page and left the room for a while). Alfred and Jim's answers sound like a good ones.

Hey Chris,

I thought you might like something to balance the green on your monitor!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[thewishman]

Lorie, please forgive William for his inappropriate, off-topic post. William, you should de-animate your avatar as a gesture of conciliation.

 

[jedgerton]

If you confirm the tube in the top is not slipping, I have a solution that has worked for me. Clean the tranny to remove all oil from the surface that inserts into the top section. Apply a coat of thin CA to the surface (don't let it wick into the transmission!). Let it fully cure and/or hit it with some accelerator. If it's not fully cured, it will never come apart again but if it works like mine did, it adds just enough interference to eliminate the slip.

John

 

[bruce119]

Another thing to think about these 7mm slimline tranys have a thick grease in them and sometimes they are so hard to turn to operate. I make it a habit to flush them out with lacquer thiner. I don't clean it all out just give a squirt work the trany a little till it loosens up then blast it out with air. That gives me a much smother turning trany.

Just something to think about it works for me. All my customers say my pens turn so easy when they felt others that are hard and sticky to operate.

My 2 cents worth of a tip.
Bruce

 

[David M]

if it a mix up from brands , swap the cap from one of the wood pens . check if its slipping that way . if it is in the inner tube size or like others said tube slipping in acrlic .

 

[KenV]

Loose parts -- Loctite Purple -- Loose tubes, at this stage is a scary problem.

The loctite purple is the least -long-term-set-and-it-will-come -oose-with-some-difficulty-if-you-really-want-ton-dissassemble-version. Some of the loctite products will never release short of machining it out. I use a tiny amount applied with a toothpick or needle carefully.

 

[lobo3603]

Thanks to all. Advice gave me many different things to check out and added another twist ( no pun intended ) to the hobby. Turned out the tubes and tranys did not match for size O.D. to I.D. Put some CA on the inside of the cap, let it dry and voila the pen functions great.
Thanks again

Lorie