My first Havana series

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txcwboy

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I bought a ball point and roller ball CS Havana. Had to search long and far for the drill bits but I found them.The instructions dont have the bushing sizes on them. ?? That was a pain trying to figure it out.Turned the pen , used a CA glue finish and I ended up with a cloudy results.Put it back on the lathe to fix it.Long story short 3 trips back on the lathe to fix this and that and it still doesnt go together that good( the trim ring on bottom of cap wont go on straight or flush, poor design IMHO). I DO NOT LIKE this series of pens. Anyone else have issues with them ?

Dave
 
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Skye

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I'm not familiar with making one, but the CA problems arent due to the kit, so you cant blame the kit for that. Speaking of refinishing, are you sure there's no extra CA hanging onto the edge keeping the trim ring from going on straight? Again, I've never used one of these kits so I'm just taking a stab in the dark.
 

ctEaglesc

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I have not used this kit but I do have a theory on cloudiness in a CA finish.
I believe it is moisture trapped in the wood.
I have noticed when taking a mandrel out of the headstock the sdapter is usually warm to the touch.
One of the things we like about making pens is the"instant gratification" of creating something in an afternoon or evening.
We cut,drill,tube,mill, turn and sand knowing in a few short minutes we will gaze upon a shiny piece of wood with a beautiful smooth as glass CA finish showing the beauty of the figure, grain and color of a piece of wood that we will assemble with beutiful components to make a one of a kind writing instument.
Here's where that warm, sometime hot mandrel comes in.
While we leave it in the headstock the heat built up from the bearings is transferred by conduction to the M@ adapter and down the legth of the mandre.The heat has no where to dissapate the through the tubes into the blank we have just turned.We then encapsulate it in a layer of plastic(CA).
AS teh heat continues to dissapate it drives the moisture to the surface just under the CA.
Again this is a theory of mine.I don't know why it doesn't happen to all woods or everytime I use a CA finish after I have just completed a pen.
I do know since I have started using more than one mandrel and having more than one pen going at one time I don't need to rush.I can let the "just worked on" pen sit and cool before proceding to the finishing stage.
My.02
 

TBone

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Eagle, I've always suspected moisture for cloudiness and your theory makes sense to me. I like you wonder why it's not more often. But that could be the moisture content of the wood or less heat buildup due to technique...ie turning the lathe off to cross sand may cause less heat buildup.
 
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I've not had any issues with the ball point in this series.. can't remember if I've ever done a roller ball, but I've done two fountain pens and three or four FP's in the "little Havana" series... nothing but problems.. the tolerances must be absolutely critical. The little fountain pens go together fine, but when I test the cap on the end, it won't screw on.... absolute must to be long enough to write with.
 

gerryr

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I've made a few Havana ballpoints and sold them all. I've also made quite a few El Presidente rollerballs and El Toro fountain pens and sold all of them as well. The El Presidente and El Toro are Berea's version of the Havana. I always file the end of the tube before pressing on the CB. It doesn't take much of a burr to cause problems there. I've never had any problems with these kits and found them to be pretty straight forward to make and assemble. My only complaint about them is the clip, too short and way too stiff. They aren't great sellers, but they are consistent sellers. The kit also offers a lot of possibilities for modification.
 

txcwboy

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Originally posted by ozmandus
<br />Dave,
Also if you bought your kits through CSUSA, they usually sell the drill bits along with the kits... should have been listed just below the kit on line.
Its the bushing sizes not the drill bits that wasnt labeled.It just says Tip bushing etc but its not labeled that way either.

Dave
 
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