slimline tranny problem

[RAdams]

I built a slimline tonight and encountered a totally new problem.

When i installed the refill, it would only partly extend. I thought it was the transmission, so i removed that trans, and got a new one. Before i installed the new one, I checked it to make sure it worked properly and it worked fine. Then i put it in and had the same exact problem? What might the problem be? I havent taken it apart again to check it out, because i got frustrated. Before i tear it up, I thought i would seek guidance!!


Thanks, Ron

 

[keithkarl2007]

Have you got it pressed in to the required depth?

 

[jaywood1207]

Is your lower barrel too long and are you pressing it in to the depth of the ring or in as far as required so the refill extends your preferred distance. I never go by that ring on the transmission and always go with what looks good when the refill is extended.

 

[mredburn]

Have you checked to make sure the refill will go through the nib? Either by poking it backwards into the nib to see if it goes cleanly or before you put the tranny in, down the barrel?

 

[bruce119]

I built a slimline tonight and encountered a totally new problem.

When i installed the refill, it would only partly extend. I thought it was the transmission, so i removed that trans, and got a new one. Before i installed the new one, I checked it to make sure it worked properly and it worked fine. Then i put it in and had the same exact problem? What might the problem be? I havent taken it apart again to check it out, because i got frustrated. Before i tear it up, I thought i would seek guidance!!


Thanks, Ron

were did you get your kits from. Was it a low cost supplier. I don't want to name anyone but I had the same thing on a batch of slim trany I bought from a low cost reseller. They felt fine before installing then after a bit they would start sticking when I took the pen apart they worked OK. It was funny something was misaligned in the manufacturing. And I had 100+ tranys.

There are a bad batch or tranys out there. You are better off buying from a more reliable seller.

.

 

[ToddMR]

Also make sure the tip of the ink doesn't have that tiny protective piece on it. Easy to miss.

 

[Smitty37]

Twist mech problem

Did you contact the seller? I sell low cost kits, but that does not mean I don't stand behind what I sell. If you got one or more bad mechanisms the seller might well just replace them for you. I would.

 

[bruce119]

I want to clear something up. I have gotten bad trannys from all the suppliers CSUSA included. Actually the batch I spoke about was from penn state I believe. I bought slims from all the suppliers over the years and I have encountered bad trannys from them all. I am only talking say 1 in 25 or 50. I buy 100 at a time I consider this not a problem it happens. I do buy extra trannys and I would buy better trannys for my spares. That way if I encounter a bad one or wreck one (It's easy to do) then I just reach into my box and grab another.

Also keep in mind some of these trannys are packed with grease and can get real tight. I give my tranny a quick clean with lacquer thinner. I am not cleaning out all the grease but a fair amount. I put a few drops in work the tranny and blow it out wit air. A good tranny will work nice and easy and smooth. A bad tranny will get worse and fell rough.

.

 

[lorbay]

I have bought 100's of slims from Canada to Smitty, never had a problem with any of them. Only what was my fault.

lin.

 

[RAdams]

Yeah, I was sure to hand check the depth of the refill before i pressed the tranny. I took the refill out and tried to stick it through the nib backwards, and it won't go through. The hole in the nib is too small. I bought 40 of these from a friend, so there is no going back to the supplier.

I am afraid to try to widen the nib hole because the plating might get messed up.

dang it dang it. what to do now...

 

[JBCustomPens]

Yeah, I was sure to hand check the depth of the refill before i pressed the tranny. I took the refill out and tried to stick it through the nib backwards, and it won't go through. The hole in the nib is too small. I bought 40 of these from a friend, so there is no going back to the supplier.

I am afraid to try to widen the nib hole because the plating might get messed up.

dang it dang it. what to do now...

Hand-ream it out with a small drill bit. 5/32" will work if I recall correctly.

 

[Smitty37]

fix nib

Yeah, I was sure to hand check the depth of the refill before i pressed the tranny. I took the refill out and tried to stick it through the nib backwards, and it won't go through. The hole in the nib is too small. I bought 40 of these from a friend, so there is no going back to the supplier.

I am afraid to try to widen the nib hole because the plating might get messed up.

dang it dang it. what to do now...

Get a small drill bit and ream the nib a tad turning it in by hand and you won't damage any of the visible finish.

 

[RyanNJ]

I had the same problem and used the 5/32 bit trick worked like a charm

 

[bruce119]

Yeah, I was sure to hand check the depth of the refill before i pressed the tranny. I took the refill out and tried to stick it through the nib backwards, and it won't go through. The hole in the nib is too small. I bought 40 of these from a friend, so there is no going back to the supplier.

I am afraid to try to widen the nib hole because the plating might get messed up.

dang it dang it. what to do now...

I have seen this also more than I would like to. A #44 drill and work it carefully by hand will clean it up just fine. The plating it too thick I just use it by hand and go in from the outside. I think you would have more of a chance of chipping if you went in though the inside.

.

 

[Smitty37]

Thank you

I have bought 100's of slims from Canada to Smitty, never had a problem with any of them. Only what was my fault.

lin.

Thanks....so many people seem to think that low price means bad product...that just isn't the case. You pay a lot less for a Toyota than a Farrari but that doesn't mean that the Farrari will get you from point A to point B any better...in fact, you'll might well have more problems with the Farrari than you will with the Toyota. The Farrari is a more luxurous car with much better materials and a lot of hand labor but that does not mean it is a better quality car. Don't confuse luxury and quality...they are two different things.

 

[ed4copies]

Smitty,

There's room in the world for more than one point of view on this. But, seems most pen turners are looking for components where the plating wears well and the "moving parts" work and move (and thread) smoothly.

Neither one seems "luxurious", to me.

 

[Smitty37]

Reply

Smitty,

There's room in the world for more than one point of view on this. But, seems most pen turners are looking for components where the plating wears well and the "moving parts" work and move (and thread) smoothly.

Neither one seems "luxurious", to me.

Judging from the number of pen kits I sell, I would say that most pen turners are looking for a lower price.

I am small potatoes in the pen kit sales world and I've sold upwards of 30,000 low priced kits in just two and a half years. My supplier provides over a million kits a year to the USA and most of them, by far, are low priced kits.

I do a lot of small wood projects and I use all square head wood screws that cost more than slot head. They are easier to install without damaging the head but they don't hold two pieces of wood together a bit better. That ease of installation is luxury (and I pay more money for it)...not quality. The square heads are made from the same materials and more than likely in the same factory by the same people as the slot heads and properly installed both do a magnificent job of holding one board to another.....

I said in a thread the other day that I have on my desk right now a click pen that (according to what i've seen and what many others have said) the click mechanism works better than any we can get in kits....that pen came from DAV to entice me to contribute....My guess is if DAV paid more than $.50 for the pen including imprinting it would be a lot, yet no one can say that it isn't a quality pen...it works and it writes. It's not very pretty though.

 

[RAdams]

Cmon guys.... Lets not turn my simple asking for help thread into a manufacturer war. Last i recall, neither of you actually work for the manufacturers, but you are their finest advocates.

Some people buy expensive kits, some people buy cheap kits. Some people have problems with either kit, and some people have no problems at all.

Like Ed said, There is room for two points of view...



BUT, Just for the record, I have never had any problems with any kits from Dayacom. The problems i have had with kits from Rhizeng have been easily repaired but do take a littel extra time sometimes. Both kits have their benefits, and both kits have their drawbacks.



PS... for those keeping score, I got the pen fixed and will be posting a pic in SOYP shortly!

 

[bruce119]

PS... for those keeping score, I got the pen fixed and will be posting a pic in SOYP shortly!

So what was the problem.

.

 

[ed4copies]

The problem was, most likely, the nib.

So the whole "tranny" conversation was "off-topic".

Operator error. (A common occurrence in the copier industry)

 

[Smitty37]

HOW

Cmon guys.... Lets not turn my simple asking for help thread into a manufacturer war. Last i recall, neither of you actually work for the manufacturers, but you are their finest advocates.

Some people buy expensive kits, some people buy cheap kits. Some people have problems with either kit, and some people have no problems at all.

Like Ed said, There is room for two points of view...



BUT, Just for the record, I have never had any problems with any kits from Dayacom. The problems i have had with kits from Rhizeng have been easily repaired but do take a littel extra time sometimes. Both kits have their benefits, and both kits have their drawbacks.



PS... for those keeping score, I got the pen fixed and will be posting a pic in SOYP shortly!

How did you fix it....sorry to intrude in your thread. Our discussion is not defending manufacturers...it is about what is quality and what is luxury. The principles involved apply to all products from all manufacturers in all countries. Not just pen kits from China or Taiwan (in alphabetical order)

 

[RAdams]

The problem was, most likely, the nib.

So the whole "tranny" conversation was "off-topic".

Operator error. (A common occurrence in the copier industry)

Yes, It was the nib. The hole was too small, and the drillbit trick worked fine! thank you everyone for the help!

The "Tranny" convo wasn't off topic. It was the starting point of my troubleshooting. It is the only moving part of the entire operation, and therefore a logical place to start with the problem that i had.

And like i mentioned above, It was the nib..... not the Operator.

 

[Smitty37]

nib

Yes, It was the nib. The hole was too small, and the drillbit trick worked fine! thank you everyone for the help!

The "Tranny" convo wasn't off topic. It was the starting point of my troubleshooting. It is the only moving part of the entire operation, and therefore a logical place to start with the problem that i had.

And like i mentioned above, It was the nib..... not the Operator.

Not an unusual problem....probably the plating was a little too thick although sometimes folks manage to get a little glue in them

 

[RAdams]

Yes Sir, I am sure it was a little extra plating. I took the parts straight from teh bag to the press, so there was little opportunity for contaminants(sp). quick and easy fix, but more importantly, now the repair is in my mental rolodex! I will check each nib for clearance now before i press the parts!!