Polaris Click Pen Kits

[glwalker]

I saw these at PSI and they looked nice for a click pen. I bought a few and just put together my first one. What a pain!! Is it me or what?

The biggest challenge was pushing the mechanism nut down the pen tube using the Brass Sizing Tube provided. The sizing tube is big enough to sit on the end of the Mechanism Nut... but just barely. Also the sizing tube is quite a bit smaller that the 3/8" pen tube and while trying to push it in as instructed it kept tilting... couldn't get good, solid, even pressure. I finally got it, but I thought this can't be right. Also other instructions that came with the kit didn't seem to be too good. I fgured everything out but I think I had more time in assembling the pen then I did in turning and finishing the blank.

Just me or have some of you had these kinds of problems with this kit? Any suggestions for easy insertion of the Mech Nut into the tube? I think you have to get the precise depth or it won't click right. Any suggestions for "tweeking" the way it clicks to assure you get a solid and reliable one click operation?

Thanks for any comments.

 

[Wildman]

I install the mechanism nut before the nib. Use one of the bushing to get mechanism nut started then put the sizing tool over a wood tenon I made to complete presssing MN in the tube.

Have a picture of my sizing tenon tool in my one and only picture here. Any scrap of wood will work, no more bent sizing tools.

Assembly went a lot faster for me using that method.

 

[Dan26]

I bought one but haven't assembled it yet. Thanks for the heads up on the instructions. I'll reread this post before I start the pen.

 

[glwalker]

I install the mechanism nut before the nib. Use one of the bushing to get mechanism nut started then put the sizing tool over a wood tenon I made to complete presssing MN in the tube.

Have a picture of my sizing tenon tool in my one and only picture here. Any scrap of wood will work, no more bent sizing tools.

Assembly went a lot faster for me using that method.

Using one of the bushings to get the MN started is a great idea. Thanks a lot! I also discovered after your post got my brain working, that an 11/32 drill bit fits very nicely inside the 3/8" tub so maybe I'll try to figure out how I can use that to push it the remainder of the way. I guess it would be a good idea to get one of those punch sets (or whatever the're called) from Harbor Freight that I've seen several posts on. Thanks again.

I'm thinking the exact depth is pretty critical to the operation of the pen. Do you agree?

 

[glwalker]

I bought one but haven't assembled it yet. Thanks for the heads up on the instructions. I'll reread this post before I start the pen.

Dan, the other item it seems that I had to find out on my own is that in screwing in the plastic pen click mech it was much easier to grip it and turn it in by screwing on the Plunger and using that to tighten the CM down. If necessary you can then remove the Plunger and try to get back to the instructions.

Bottom line is I finally got it together with no disasters. The click operation seems to work O.K., but not as reliably or as smoothly as I'd like.

Good luck to you........

 

[Wildman]

Yes, exact depth of mechanism nut is critical to pen operation. If you click on my photo will see sizing tool on the little tenon made for that purpose.

Have the HF punch set, and also considered using a drill bit, just didn't have a way to install a stop collar. So made myself a wood tenon which solved my problem.