PSI Faith Hope and love Lower nib tube too short?

[randyrls]

I just finished and assembled my first PSI Failth Hope and love pen and the nib barrel is too short! I didn't shorten the tube as it still measures 2.119". the point sticks out far enough that you can write with the tip retracted, and I'm sure this isn't a good thing if the pen is in a pocket.

That is the good news. The bad news is that I have already glued up and preped 7 more kits. :frown:

Anyone had this happen to them? Suggestions from anyone???

 

[TonyL]

I have made 6 of them, and had all sorts of trouble with them including what you just experienced. Even PSI admits that style (there are other styles that are basically the same) has problems. All I do is shave the plastic blue tip of the refill and keep it. Ot give it away with "instructions" as to how to replace the refill.

Sorry that I don't have an answer for you. However, you are not alone.

Of the 6, 4 were fine...but I still don't like the engineering.

 

[WriteON]

I guess the best option right now would be cut a brass tube to size. Maybe you can call PSI and ask for some long blanks in exchange for the bad ones. Maybe a replacement blank also. PSI is very accommodating. The few that I made were ok. Try to work it out. I got a request for one for a decent price. From that I got more requests.
For the glued ones that you can't use.... Trim and use with a different kit.

 

[Skie_M]

Hmm .... yeah, that does kinda make it tough...

Looks like the screw-up is all on them. I hope you can salvage your blanks...

 

[TurtleTom]

I would investigate further. Your dimension of 2.119 is only 0.006 thou from the correct dimension shown by Skie M's print and well within the engineering tolerance that includes facing the blank. That should have worked. Something else is askew.

 

[papaturner]

Checked all my tubes for the Faith and the Western all the tubes were dead on.

 

[WriteON]

You didn't shorten the tube and it measures 2.119? What is the current dimension after trimming?
Is the refill sticking somehow? If you add a hint of tension to the spring will it retract properly. Switch the twist mechanism and see what happens.
What do the other kits measure after squaring or before if you did not square yet?
I have 2 kit that are dead on also.

 

[Skie_M]

I got a 30-cal copper/brass steampunk bolt action pen last month that had a tube that was 3/16ths short. I just thank my lucky stars that my customer ordered the green circuit board blank rather than acrylic or wood ... I simply cut it to the correct length and went with it.

 

[scotirish]

I have had several pens that the tube is just a bit to short (either the tube or my shorting it while squaring it off). :frown::frown: So now when I make one of those pens I leave a "smidgeon" of the blank showing past the end of the tube and the problem is gone.
Ron

 

[randyrls]

You didn't shorten the tube and it measures 2.119? What is the current dimension after trimming?

Frank; The raw tubes are 2.129". After gluing and squaring 2.119". That's .010" or about 3 sheets of copy paper.

Is the refill sticking somehow? If you add a hint of tension to the spring will it retract properly. Switch the twist mechanism and see what happens.

The refill extends and retracts smoothly and correctly. I checked the tubes and they are all the same. The transmission from a Dragon is identical. The tube is just too short for the transmission. I measured the distance to produce a correct retraction and the tube would need to be 0.045" longer (total length ~2.175") to produce a correct extension and retraction.

What do the other kits measure after squaring or before if you did not square yet?
I have 2 kit that are dead on also.

Be careful if you make these kits. The lower nib barrel will be too short. I have on occasion measured a custom barrel by putting the nib, ink-fill, brass tube, centerband, and transmission next to each other to get a length.

Interestingly, a genuine Parker ink-fill is slightly shorter that the ink-fill supplied with the pen. Genuine Parker = 3.851" PSI = 3.876"; PSI about .025" longer. The Parker ink-fill is just barely short enough that the pen works.

I suspect that this is an engineering issue where all the tolerances point in one direction and result in a failure.

Frank and Ron; My main problem is that I have 5 more kits that I have glued, trimmed and squared. I may have to put a spacer between the transmission and the centerband. I've thought of shortening the ink-fill length, but this would make the pen a "no-sale"

 

[Skie_M]

Ahh ... so you have trimmed and squared them already .... darn.

As Ron has said, when I have a barrel where I went a little overboard on one end an had to shorten it (usually my own fault), I have set it up where I could get a bit of that length back by not trimming it all the way down to the brass tube on the other end .... Say, be off by as much as 1/16th or a little more ... When pressing the pen parts, later, you won't see inside the tube from certain points, so you can get away with putting something like this down by the nib which is not removable for your customers, rather than up by the band, where they would see it when they remove the upper to access the refill. Another spot for this is right up at the top of the cap.

But, since you have already trimmed all the barrels to square them up, that's not an option .... possibly you could turn the barrels off down to the tube and try this method, but you're still out all those blanks and that's just not palatable either.


If you put spacers on, consider matching components at both ends of lower and upper barrel, to make it more of an intentionally designed aspect rather than an "oops, I screwed up and need a band-aide" kind of aspect ...

 

[WriteON]

You didn't shorten the tube and it measures 2.119? What is the current dimension after trimming?

Frank; The raw tubes are 2.129". After gluing and squaring 2.119". That's .010" or about 3 sheets of copy paper.

Is the refill sticking somehow? If you add a hint of tension to the spring will it retract properly. Switch the twist mechanism and see what happens.

The refill extends and retracts smoothly and correctly. I checked the tubes and they are all the same. The transmission from a Dragon is identical. The tube is just too short for the transmission. I measured the distance to produce a correct retraction and the tube would need to be 0.045" longer (total length ~2.175") to produce a correct extension and retraction.

What do the other kits measure after squaring or before if you did not square yet?
I have 2 kit that are dead on also.

Be careful if you make these kits. The lower nib barrel will be too short. I have on occasion measured a custom barrel by putting the nib, ink-fill, brass tube, centerband, and transmission next to each other to get a length.

Interestingly, a genuine Parker ink-fill is slightly shorter that the ink-fill supplied with the pen. Genuine Parker = 3.851" PSI = 3.876"; PSI about .025" longer. The Parker ink-fill is just barely short enough that the pen works.

I suspect that this is an engineering issue where all the tolerances point in one direction and result in a failure.

Frank and Ron; My main problem is that I have 5 more kits that I have glued, trimmed and squared. I may have to put a spacer between the transmission and the centerband. I've thought of shortening the ink-fill length, but this would make the pen a "no-sale"

Call Tony or Kim at PSI. They will help resolve technically or replace if that's the case. Their customer service is very good

 

[randyrls]

Wrap up: I cut tubes from my bulk tube supply. The finished blank needs to be 2.155" long. This allows the ink tip to both extend and retract to the proper positions.

I also modified the center band. The upper and lower surface of the center band is very rough and will prevent the blanks from seating snugly. The center coupler is a separate part from outside ring and doesn't allow the lower and upper blanks to fit tightly against the center band. Take the two pieces apart and sand the upper and lower surfaces flat. I used 220 grit sandpaper on a flat surface. Then use a deburring tool to relieve the upper and lower center holes in the ring so the coupler sleeve will fit below the surface of the ring. You will need a some kind of steel cylinder to press the coupler into the lower barrel. OD .375 ID .267 Don't use the transmission for this, as it will collapse or the threads will break.

The concept of this pen is interesting but the execution of the kit is poor.

 

[WriteON]

Wrap up: I cut tubes from my bulk tube supply. The finished blank needs to be 2.155" long. This allows the ink tip to both extend and retract to the proper positions.

Sorry you had a problem...my kits were ok. Congrats for being creative and resolving. The message I'm getting is check/measure before drilling....and produce one kit for a trial run. We shouldn't have to but were dealing with items produced and packaged by humans.
Everyone please keep in mind...PSI will cheerfully exchange any part that is not to our liking.

I do not sell my pens (only if someone breaks my arm) but if I did I would be in Phila with a hundred FHL pens when the Pope visits.

 

[studioseven]

This is good to know. I had ordered some of these kits, just haven't gotten around to making them yet. Thanks to you, I know what to look for.

Seven

 

[qquake]

The only one I've made so far had no problems whatsoever.

 

[magpens]

What a pain this all is. It wouldn't cost any more to make the kits right to start with.

But until they do ...

"I don't buy
from PSI "

 

[oneleggimp]

I had a couple of Gatsby Grande pen tubes that were too long. Out of five, two were out of spec. PSI's quality control is not catching this. Seems like too many that are out of spec - either too long or too short. I just got six more kits (four different pen "models") from PSI and I am going to check each pen tube, with a digital caliper, for the correct length before gluing them in the blanks.