Mechanisms for twist pens

[Bev Polmanteer]

I am having trouble with the mechanisms on the slimline pens. After installing them in the pens they work just fine, then I screw the refills into them and they don't work or only rotate just a hair. What am I doing wrong? This is happening on several pens. Not only is it rendering the pen nearly useless it certainly won't sell that way and I AM GETTING FRUSTRATED! Does anyone have the same trouble?

 

[Rudy Vey]

How far do you press the mechanism in?? There is an indentation on the part to which it should be pressed in, then the refill comes out just the right length. I have a pen press especially set up for only this task and do not change it at all. All my tips come out just fine. One the other hand, your tubes/barrels might be a bit too long. Use some calipers and measure if they are ok.

Rudy

 

[jrc]

I've ran across that a few times. Take a refill and see if the tip will go into the hole it supose to come out. I think the plating sometimes is heaver in the tip.

 

[melchioe]

Some of those refills have some gunk on the ballpoint to keep the ink from drying out. I've seen it too large to fit well through the tip. You might want to make sure it's scraped off (a fingernail works well for me...)

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

Barrels are fine, I measured them at exactly 2" and the mechanisms are pressed in only to the mark. Like I said they turn and work just fine until I put the refill in. I havent checked out the end of the nib or tip yet, that may be a problem. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Doghouse]

Something that just hit me. When you pressed the transmission in, did you put a block of wood or other soft material under the tip while you pressed the back in?

It could be that you have used something too soft and pushed a peice of it into the tip?

- or -

Not used anything and slightly peened the whole closed slightly.

 

[jrc]

When that happened to me I changed the mechanism and it still had the same problem untill I checked the tip to see if the pen tip went thru the hole. Check it that is your problem.
I'll have 1 out of 500 like that. It happens.

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

Unfortunately I had 3 of them in ONE DAY!
That's why I thought It was ME

 

[Rudy Vey]

Originally posted by Bev Polmanteer
<br />Unfortunately I had 3 of them in ONE DAY!
That's why I thought It was ME

Have you tried, just as a test, to insert the tip of the refill through the nib hole to check if it is clear?? If it goes through, the mechanism might be not ok. If they go not through, use small drill bits to open up the hole, sometimes the plating can be a bit thick on the hole, these ar very fine tolerances.

Rudy

 

[debturnswood]

I noticed in this posting from JRC that you "change the mechanism" how do you get the twist mechanism out? my disassembler wont do that... i do not know how to pull the twist mechanism out without destroying it. any advice is appreciated...

 

[paleydp]

I've done this one! You need a couple of things - I took a pen with me to the hardware store to make sure everything fit. First, you need a piece of small rod stock - I think I used 1/8 in. Separate the 2 halves of your pen, find a size rod that will slide down through the center of the transmission till it bottoms out in the tip of the pen (You want the largest diameter rod that won't bind in the transmission). When disassembling, I just hold the pen in my hand, slide the rod through the xmission, then whack it with the hammer till the tip comes out. Now you need a bolt that will fit closely into the tube without binding (1/4" for a 7mm pen, get about a 3" bolt). After removing the tip, put the bolt into the end the tip was in and tap out the transmission. If you don't have the hand strength to hold the pen while you tap it, you can set the transmission end over a drilled waste blank (without a tube)and tap till the xmission falls through. Hope that makes sense.

 

[tipusnr]

Only thing I want to add (because it surprised me)is that you will probably have a dimpled pen tip when you are done that will need to be replaced along with the transmission for higher end pens. I saved mine and worked it into a gag pen for a guy who did body work. (After turning the pen all the pieces, both metal and wood, were dented and filled with body putty. Then the whole pen was sprayed with gray primer and sealed.)

 

[paleydp]

Haven't had that problem with the tips - possibly 'cause I whack at less than full-bore testosterone level

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

I've taken them out but then they REALLY don't work! At least I saved the pen. Wish we could just buy individual transmissions. Might be a thought to ask some of the suppliers.

 

[Tom McMillan]

Some do sell separately. I've purchased a pack of 5 transmissions from a Woodcraft store---but the 5 pack cost $8.50. But, it would've made more sense for me to buy 5 pen kits from Ryan for $1.70 each which would've been $8.50 and I would have had other extra parts.

Tom

 

[debturnswood]

thanks all