Princess Pen Issues

[RickLong]

I've sold a lot of Princess pens (75+) to several retail locations. Recently, I have been getting a good amount of customer service issues with the transmission getting stuck in the cap. The transmission will not screw in to the coupler when this happens. It is an easy fix to get the transmission out and fix the pen. I am trying to figure out a solution for this to prevent it from happening and to prevent CS issues. Has anyone else notice this? I tried calling PSI but they are already closed for the night..

Thanks,

Rick

 

[1080Wayne]

Have never made a Princess , but the problem you describe frequents some of the Sierra style pens . It is a tolerance issue - tube at high end of allowable diameter and/or transmission at low end of diameter . Solutions : (1) very , very slight amount of CA on transmission , but high risk if any gets into the transmission workings (personally , I don`t do this) ; (2) measure lengths carefully and glue a plug into the cap so that the transmission can`t back away from the proper position ( a real pain but this is what I now automatically do) ; (3) scuff up either the outside surface of the transmission or the inside of the tube . Good luck with whatever you choose . Some refuse to make these styles any more because of this issue , but the Sierra style is by far my most popular so I live with the fix .

 

[RickLong]

Thanks Wayne for your reply... I do the plug in my sierra tubes and didn't think about doing this in the princess.. duh on my part...

I also tried using CA glue in the past and don't like doing it because I end up messing up the transmission.. Just like you said..

Appreciate the reply!

Rick

 

[mredburn]

Isnt the real problem that the tranny becomes unscrewed because the owner turns it backwards to far when retracting the refill, causing the tranny to brake loose from the pen and eventually comepletly unscrew? Would one of the Loctite products red or blue offer a solution?

 

[1080Wayne]

Mike

You are correct on what the customer does to show up the problem , but the actual problem is inadequate friction between the tube and transmission , which allows the transmission to regress a small amount each time the customer turns the refill back a bit too far . I`m sure that red Loctite would work , but I suspect it is just as capable as CA at siezing a transmission .

 

[okiebugg]

bEND IT

When I get one of those, I bend the distal end of the chrome/silver tube. I don't like CA because of the risk.

I have a set of very good pliers that have a cutout in front of the jaws that fits right. At the top of the inner tube, I put the pliers around it. With a bright lite. I very gently deform the area at the top of the tube and mic it, then try it. If its still too loose, do it again until it works. Writing down the mic numbers helps you quantify how much help you had to give it and helps you on the next one.

Just another of those OKIE boys using pliers, baling wire and duct tape to fix anything