Need Help With Olympia Pen

[TonyDentino]

I just assembled one of BB's "Olympia" pens. I don't know how I screwed it up but when it was all finished the supplied refill didn't reach the end of the nib. It was short by about 1/4". I'm sure the blanks were the correct length; I barrel trimmed until the brass showed on the ends. Needless to say I pressed the transmission further into the barrel and ruined the pen. Has anyone in the group built this kit?

Tony

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

I built 10 of these as Christmas presents, no problems like you describe. Great kit.

If you take the refill out of the transmission, the length of the lower half should be ca. 101 mm or 4.5". That is measuring from the tip end of the nib to the end of the transmission.

If what you have is shorter than that then the transmission is in too far.

 

[TonyDentino]

Yep, it's 4 1/2"... but when I screw in the refil it does not reach the end of the nib. Whatever I'm doing wrong it must be something stupid.

Tony

 

[dougle40]

Could it be possible that either the transmission is defective or even the wrong one for the kit ???
I just received 5 kits from BB and 4 of the 5 had the wrong parts in them . Possibly he got a bad shipment of kits .

 

[Gary]

Could you have used the wrong tubes, i.e., too long?

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Originally posted by Gary
<br />Could you have used the wrong tubes, i.e., too long?

Don't think that could be the problem here. If the completed pen, lower half is ca. 4.5" it doesn't matter how long the tube is.

The distance from the point of the nib to the end of the transmission determines how much of the point sticks out of the pen nib.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Originally posted by TonyDentino
<br />Yep, it's 4 1/2"... but when I screw in the refil it does not reach the end of the nib. Whatever I'm doing wrong it must be something stupid.

Tony

Just as a wild shot how long is the refil? The complete pen I have has a refill that measures 116mm or slightly more than 4 9/16". Do you have the correct refil?

 

[woodpens]

Tony,

I don't know if you have turned any European ballpoints before. You do have to press the twist mechanism in substantially further than you do in a slimline pen. If the refill does not stick out, you have not pressed it in far enough. I am assuming this is the kit that takes the Cross compatible refills and not the double twist that takes the Parker compatible refills.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

I measured again and apparently I had no business using a ruler last night.

The properly assembled pen measures slightly less than 4" long from the tip to the end of the transmission, perhaps 3 31/32". If your pen is longer than that then you didn't shove the transmission in far enough.

You do have to push it further in than the groove on it. It goes in further than on a Slimline.

 

[wayneis]

With this type kit you need first make sure that the tip of the ink refill will go all the way through the nib and then a little at a time puch the transmition in until it is just right.

Wayne

 

[TonyDentino]

Thanks all for the input... I got it figured out. Yes, this was my first Euro pen and it seems that the transmission needs to be pressed in much further than the instructions indicate.

Tony

 

[Old Griz]

Tony, contact Bill and tell him the directions are wrong... I had the same problem with the new Atlas kit, only in that case the directions said to press the mechanism in tooooo far... a lot more of a problem that too little.... He will appreciate the input.. remember this designing and setting up pen kits is still a bit of a new item to him.. he does appreciate feedback...