Rizheng is offering threaded slimline kits - seems like a good idea so I decided to try them.
Summary
While I like the idea the implementation is not all that good the threads glued inside the tube allows them to be off center making for difficulty in turning the bottom barrel so it mates well with the tip. The threading in the top tube for the cap is just not deep enough and too easily damaged.
The quality is just not very good the kits I have do prove the concept but making a quality kit that will do what this kit is designed to do for most turners is still a ways off. The design needs some work.
I would not buy them, especially if you are not very experienced.
Pros
When assembled the transmission is easy to change just unscrew the old and screw in the new. Makes it real easy when a transmission goes south.
The transmission seems to be excellent, Very easy to turn and very smooth. It seems to accept any cross refill so putting better than stock refills in will be easy.
The tip, cap, clip and band can be changed so turned barrels can be used easily with any finish.
Damage to blanks is avoided by not having to press fit anything.
Cons
No instructions are available with the kits...while that might seem minor for a slimline in this case it isn't - you'll see why.
The tubes require an 8mm hole through the blank. The bottom tubes have a threaded smaller tub inserted for the transmission and tip to screw into. The top tube the inside of the blank is threaded with very shallow threads.
Placed on a mandrel both tubes at a bit too loose for turning the top tube is much worse than the bottom, but it becomes very difficult to turn them round. The top tube either has to be turned between centers or an insert to fit a standard mandrel has to be made.
I finally got bushings but they are such that they won't fit on a standard mandrel and have to be used TBC...that's ok but they are not TBC bushings. And I still have to leave the turning well proud of the bushings and approach the last bit by sanding to get them round enough.
The threads in the top tube are very shallow and it is really difficult to keep glue out of them when gluing in the tubes. It is also a little difficult to clean the excess glue out if you get any in the threads.
The threads in the top tube, being so shallow also are easily damaged so the cap will not screw on.
The bottom tube is going to be very unforgiving on tube length - unlike normal slimlines you can't compensate for tube length by controling the depth of the transmission. Also taking tube when squaring can damage the threads making assembly impossible.
Summary
While I like the idea the implementation is not all that good the threads glued inside the tube allows them to be off center making for difficulty in turning the bottom barrel so it mates well with the tip. The threading in the top tube for the cap is just not deep enough and too easily damaged.
The quality is just not very good the kits I have do prove the concept but making a quality kit that will do what this kit is designed to do for most turners is still a ways off. The design needs some work.
I would not buy them, especially if you are not very experienced.
Pros
When assembled the transmission is easy to change just unscrew the old and screw in the new. Makes it real easy when a transmission goes south.
The transmission seems to be excellent, Very easy to turn and very smooth. It seems to accept any cross refill so putting better than stock refills in will be easy.
The tip, cap, clip and band can be changed so turned barrels can be used easily with any finish.
Damage to blanks is avoided by not having to press fit anything.
Cons
No instructions are available with the kits...while that might seem minor for a slimline in this case it isn't - you'll see why.
The tubes require an 8mm hole through the blank. The bottom tubes have a threaded smaller tub inserted for the transmission and tip to screw into. The top tube the inside of the blank is threaded with very shallow threads.
Placed on a mandrel both tubes at a bit too loose for turning the top tube is much worse than the bottom, but it becomes very difficult to turn them round. The top tube either has to be turned between centers or an insert to fit a standard mandrel has to be made.
I finally got bushings but they are such that they won't fit on a standard mandrel and have to be used TBC...that's ok but they are not TBC bushings. And I still have to leave the turning well proud of the bushings and approach the last bit by sanding to get them round enough.
The threads in the top tube are very shallow and it is really difficult to keep glue out of them when gluing in the tubes. It is also a little difficult to clean the excess glue out if you get any in the threads.
The threads in the top tube, being so shallow also are easily damaged so the cap will not screw on.
The bottom tube is going to be very unforgiving on tube length - unlike normal slimlines you can't compensate for tube length by controling the depth of the transmission. Also taking tube when squaring can damage the threads making assembly impossible.
