Help - How To Disassemble Gatsby

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vannojl

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Sep 4, 2008
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Sun Prairie, WI
I have made my 6th Gatsby pen. It looks great without the ink refill. My problem is that the ink refill doesn't go into the transmission properly, sticks out about half an inch, and does not retract at all when the barrel is turned.

How do you disassemble a Gatsby twist pen? I'd like to replace the transmission and see if that fixes the problem, but I cannot figure out how to get the current one out of the tube.

I've found directions for a Sierra by Texatdurango: http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5191, but I can't figure out how to complete step 1 for the Gatsby.
 
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sbell111

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Jan 16, 2008
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Franklin, TN
Isn't the Gatsby the very same as the Sierra and the Wall Street II and the Apprentice Classica and a couple other kits who's names escape me right now?

As such, don't you replace the transmission using the same procedure that you would use to replace the ink cartridge?

1) Pull the nib section away from the blank.
2) Unscrew the transmission.
3) Screw on new transmission.
4) Push nib section into blank.
 

vannojl

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Sep 4, 2008
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Location
Sun Prairie, WI
I've tried pulling the nib out with the transmission attached, and it doesn't budge. I can get the transmission & nib to twist if I over twist the nib, but cannot get it to come out of the blank.

In my case the transmission is not pushed to far into the blank, but how would you remove it if it were? Maybe that's what I need to do?
 

vannojl

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Sep 4, 2008
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Location
Sun Prairie, WI
I've just purchased a Wall Street II kit from Woodcraft. This kit is significantly different from the Gatsby. The transmission in the Gatsby requires a press fit where the transmission in the Wall Street II kit is very lose. In addition, the nib on the gatsby extends about 1/2" into the blank, while the nib on the Wall Street II only extends about 1/8".

Should I attempt to pound the transmission out, pushing the cap with it?
 

sbell111

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Jan 16, 2008
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That's what I would do if I couldn't get it out by other means. Of course, you will destroy the transmission and possily damage the cap, but that's why we all keep a box o' parts (and how we end up with a box o' parts).
 

Russianwolf

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Jul 13, 2007
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Martinsburg, WV, USA.
before doing anything drastic.

unscrew the nib from the finial. Just twist in the opposite direction as you normally do to extend the pen.

Now play around with the refill. Sometime I get the same problem as you when the tranny isn't aligned with the plastic part of the refill just right.

Then screw the nib back in.

You may have to fiddle with it for a minute or two, but it will be a lot less work than pounding out a tranny.
 

nava1uni

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Mar 30, 2008
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San Francisco, CA, USA.
When I had a transmission get stuck in the upper blank I used a dental pick and just pulled gently from side to side to eliminate it from becoming slanted and it came out quite easily. I then showed my find how to change the refill by pulling off the upper blank since he has now gotten it jammed by twisting to hard. Now it works with no problem. He just has a habit of playing with the top of the pen and now he can without any problem happening.
 
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