PSI's Executive Pencil kit problem

[CSue]

Today was the first day I've made these pencils - PSI's Executive . . . When it's done you are supposed to be able to twist the top one way or another to advance and retract the lead.

Well, I thought the first one I did wasn't working well because I didn't read all the directions first. It advanced the lead when twisted, but wouldn't retract.

But the second one I made isn't doing well retracting the lead either. Matter of fact, the movement isn't easy or smooth at all.

Has anyone done these before - can you give me an idea of what I'm doing wrong?

The pens go together so easily and I really like the twist mechanism in the "cap." I have 8 pen and pencil sent to do.

 

[Smitty37]

Today was the first day I've made these pencils - PSI's Executive . . . When it's done you are supposed to be able to twist the top one way or another to advance and retract the lead.

Well, I thought the first one I did wasn't working well because I didn't read all the directions first. It advanced the lead when twisted, but wouldn't retract.

But the second one I made isn't doing well retracting the lead either. Matter of fact, the movement isn't easy or smooth at all.

Has anyone done these before - can you give me an idea of what I'm doing wrong?

The pens go together so easily and I really like the twist mechanism in the "cap." I have 8 pen and pencil sent to do.

Ran into similar problem with PSI executive pencil. Never did find a fix for it but it seemed to me that the end of the pencil mechanism that is held to allow the lead to be advanced when the mechanism is turned was too small hence the mechanism just spun or didn't turn at all.

 

[oldtowncanoe]

I have made a few of them and have never run into that problem but that was some time ago but i will keep my eye on this, because i still have a few kits left.

 

[Mack C.]

Today was the first day I've made these pencils - PSI's Executive . . . When it's done you are supposed to be able to twist the top one way or another to advance and retract the lead.

Well, I thought the first one I did wasn't working well because I didn't read all the directions first.

It advanced the lead when twisted, but wouldn't retract.

Hi Cathy; I don't think a twist will retract the lead itself. When you twist it, holding the twist open if you will (for want of better words), press the lead on your thumb nail. That's the retractable way!

 

[CSue]

fyi update

Hi Cathy; I don't think a twist will retract the lead itself. When you twist it, holding the twist open if you will (for want of better words), press the lead on your thumb nail. That's the retractable way!

Well, after further study and a few more kits to mess up :bulgy-eyes: I found that the twist mechanism in PSI's Executive Pencil kit is actually made to both extend and retract the lead. It DOES NOT retract the lead as most other mechanical pencil mechanisms do and as Mack mentions above.

Sometime the trasmission isn't put on completely and a few times I had made the tube/blank too long because I measured out a store bought white tube to cut and miscalculated.

When assembled correctly, its a great twist pencil mechanism.

 

[scotian12]

Its a nice looking kit but I gave up on it years ago for the reasons you mention. I figured if I couldn't get it to work I couldn't expect my customer to fathom it out. There are few pencil kits out there that work well. The only one I work with now is the pentil mechanism and build my own case. Darrell Eisner

 

[PenMan1]

I really like the look of this kit (especially the "arrow" clip design) and after 6 complete and utter failures with this pencil set, I just quit making them. In fact, I have yet to get one of the PSI pencils to work as claimed.

I finally just chunked them all, started buying the Schmidt pencil mechanisms from Bear Tooth Woods and started making my own (using the cool "arrow" clip, of course). Unfortunately the PSI pencil mechanism is of very low quality.