Where can I get longer tubes for the El Grande?

[Nickfff]

Hello, I have been experimenting with semi-kitless pens. I have been taking the centerband off the El Grande cap. The challenge is the w/o the centerband the tube for the cap needs to be longer otherwise fountain tips will hit the roof of the pen cap when screwed in. I tried cutting and joining 2 tubes together but the weak point caused a small crack.

So, does anyone know where can I get longer cap tubes for the El Grande? i.e. from another kit that has the same tubes? From a brass tube producer etc?

Thanks in advance for any help,
Nick

 

[skiprat]

If you can't find longer tubes then try cutting the tube in half. Insert one half in one end of the correct length blank and the other half from the other end. This will leave a small gap in the middle of the hole, but shouldn't be a problem on an El Grande.

 

[Nickfff]

Skip,
Thanks for the thought but I tried cutting and joining two tubes and got a small crack. I found that joining 2 tubes is problematic when it comes to pressing parts together.

Any other thoughts on this?

 

[ldb2000]

If you cut two tubes and made sure that they butt together in the center there should be no way for the barrel to crack in the center . I have done this many times and have never had problems with it . The finial twist long cigar pens I make are all done by butting the two tubes in the center . I also use half tubes and just drill deep enough from both ends to seat the tubes on a shoulder in the center for the cigar click pens I make so either method will work .

 

[toddlajoie]

My experience with the El Grande is that the wood when finished is VERY thin, so I can see where you may have problems when joining tubes in the center, as the seam would be under a very thin layer of wood. An option may be, since the tubes are on the larger diameter, drill a smaller pilot hole through the blank, then from either end, drill about 3/4 inch in on either end the correct diameter for the tube, and only tube that far into the blank. Then turn the body as you want, as there is still a fair thickness of wood, you shouldn't have problems with it cracking. When you're all done, drill out the center just enough to clear the cartridge or ink pump. It should still leave you with a lot more wood thickness than the full tube diameter

 

[Larry in Harrow]

How much of the CB have you removed? I've attached a shot of a cap I recently made for a Churchill (same tubes as El Grande). The center bands were omitted tube not altered and I still have approx. 1/8" clearance for the fountain pen nib.

 

[Nickfff]

How much of the CB have you removed? I've attached a shot of a cap I recently made for a Churchill (same tubes as El Grande). The center bands were omitted tube not altered and I still have approx. 1/8" clearance for the fountain pen nib.

View attachment 44034

Larry,
Good thought but I am recessing the clip (w/o the brass washer) so it takes a little room away from the tube as well..

 

[robutacion]

Hello, I have been experimenting with semi-kitless pens. I have been taking the centerband off the El Grande cap. The challenge is the w/o the centerband the tube for the cap needs to be longer otherwise fountain tips will hit the roof of the pen cap when screwed in. I tried cutting and joining 2 tubes together but the weak point caused a small crack.

So, does anyone know where can I get longer cap tubes for the El Grande? i.e. from another kit that has the same tubes? From a brass tube producer etc?

Thanks in advance for any help,
Nick

Hi Nick,

I'm surprised that anyone has mention any of the many pen product suppliers that sell long tubes (about 1" long) in various sizes. There are also a couple of businesses names that appear all the time as suppliers of brass tubing among other metals.

I only did found one link that I have saved for further reference, the other links are here somewhere in the machine but I don't seem to have placed them as easy to find as this one so, here we go, https://www.speedymetals.com/c-8200-round-tube.aspx

Hope they have what you need, send them an email you you want to make sure...!!!

Good luck

Cheers
George

 

[ldb2000]

Speedy metals and most others sell brass tubing with similar outside dimensions but the wall thickness is thicker so the inside dimensions are wrong . There is a musicial instrument repair supply company that has the correct wall thickness brass tubing but I'm not sure if they have the right diameter . My shop computer is down so I can't find the link right now but try to google "musicial instrument repair supplies"

 

[itzapen]

You may want to try PSI, they have tubes in 10" lengths, not sure if the have that one, but there is a pen that is almost the same, just a differant name.