Longwood pen question

[Geo in Winnipeg]

I'm new to pen turning and have only turned a couple of pens. My DIL wants me to make her a Longwood pen (from POC). I looked at the instructions from PSI and it looks like there is no brass tube in the lower 1" of the upper barrel. If there is just the wood with no tube might the upper barrel be fragile and susceptible to cracking when changing refills? How is it under normal use? Have any of you come across any problems or am I worrying about it for nothing.
Thanks, George

 

[ryannmphs]

I have only made one of these, but this was my impression. There are 2 short pieces of tube, in addition to the long upper piece. The space on the upper blank is taken up by one of the short tubes, it's just not glued in.

You will put a short tube on each side of the center band, press in the transmision, then the upper tube will fit on the transmision just like a normal slimline.

Here is a pic of my longwood:

Hope this helps

Ryan

 

[laspringer]

Ryan is correct on how the parts go together. I was a little concerned myself George when I put together my first longwood. I made mine out of a corn cob, so maybe I should call it a longcob. Nice looking pen Ryan. Alan

 

[Geo in Winnipeg]

Thanks Ryan, Alan. I guess I'll try a couple of Longwoods for my DIL. I hope mine turns out as good as yours Ryan. Will try to post a pic when I do them. It will take a while - the mail service is crappy through Cdn. Customs.[]
Thanks again for the reply, George

 

[ryannmphs]

Thanks Alan. What you can't tell from the pic is how I had to modify the pen to get it to work. When the directions call for the upper blank to be 3", they mean 3"(and that is after the squaring and trimming to tube length). I was just a hair sort and when I assembled it the pen would not go completly together. SO I removed the transmision, shortened the short tube on the upper side of the lower blank, reinserted the transmision, being careful not to go too far now (note, you can see the "line" on the transmision where it is supposed to be inserted to), then the pen went together as it should.

Ryan

 

[RPM]

I've made and sold a bunch of these. You definately what to err on the long side of the 3 inches for the upper tube. You do have a bit of slope to play with there. I really like the kit and have made them about 50/50 comfort/non-comfort grip. They both seem to sell equally.
Richard

 

[write-n-style]

I make them from a slim line kit with a custom centerband.If you don't use a centerband,a 3&1/4"length for the top section works well.Put both halves together and turn as one.