Jr.Gent Finial Problem

[mhbeauford]

Recently finished a couple of Jr. Gent rollerball pens and the finials were smaller than the bushings. Bushing was .480 ( two different sets) finial washer was .465. Checked some of the other kits recently purchased and they were the same.

Older Jr. Gents I had done matched the .480 bushings. After checking some of the tables in the library these finials match the .460 called for the Jr.Gent ballpoint pens. Kind of looks like they packed the ballpoint finial instead of the rollerball finial, maybe?

Anyone else had a similar problem? Disassembling the pens and re-turning between centers is the pits!

 

[Seer]

On JR Gent II's the barrel has a taper so one end is smaller that might be the issue?

 

[PenMan1]

I think you may have been using Jr Gent bushings with a Jr Gent II hardware set. The bushings for these two are different. The fenial bushing for Jr Gent II is about .020 smaller than the CB or nib end bushing. The bottom bushings on my older Jr Gent sets are the same size.

 

[mhbeauford]

Checked Craft Supplies instructions, they show Jr.Gent II RB barrel bushing as .512 and .480. The Jr.Gent Ballpoint twist pen is .480 and .460. I checked some of the new batch and they run .481 and .465 almost exactly the same as the twist BP! Previously purchased ones I checked were close to the RB sizes but not exact. Looks like this batch came with sizes for the BP not the RB.

Bought at a local supplier and don't know who was the wholesaler. Be warned you may get some Jr. Gent RB's that don't match the bushings!!!

In checking these I now see why some turners just turn without bushings and caliper the parts. Quite a lot of variation in part sizes.

Thanks for your responses

 

[PenMan1]

Yep, never trust bushings. IMHO, bushings are only meant as a "suggestion", because after you use them the first time they are no longer accurate.

On a Jr Gent II set up I use 4 sets of calipers. One set for each joint that has been set to the exact diminsions of the hardware piece that fits at each joint.


If I'm making 50 of the same hardware, I'll still individually measure each set. You'd be shocked at the number of sets that are substantially different.