There is another thread where several people are posting their problems with breaking the pen coupler on the El Grande and Churchill kits. There was a similar topic awhile back about the plastic fitting in the cap at the center-band. I have no way of relating to either problem because I have made a lot of El Grande pens, and have not had the first one break (yet).
I am wondering if the breaking isn't the result of damage or overstressing of the plastic that occurred when the pen was pressed together. It could be the result of pushing directly against the end of the plastic fittings during assembly.
A better way to assemble all plastic fittings is to screw the mating part into the threads, and pushing against that, rather than on the end of the plastic fitting where we could damage the threads or the part itself. That way the force is distributed along the threads and the entire fitting, rather than against the end of the piece. I made up a set of these "mating parts" so they can be used for nothing else.
The other caution is to use just enough force to bring the parts together when we assemble the pen. We should avoid being heavy-handed and giving it that extra pull after the fitting is seated in the tube. I don't like to use an arbor press to assemble pens because a 2-Ton capacity is overkill by several orders of magnitude, and the mechanical advantage can cause some serious damage without my even knowing it.
I am wondering if the breaking isn't the result of damage or overstressing of the plastic that occurred when the pen was pressed together. It could be the result of pushing directly against the end of the plastic fittings during assembly.
A better way to assemble all plastic fittings is to screw the mating part into the threads, and pushing against that, rather than on the end of the plastic fitting where we could damage the threads or the part itself. That way the force is distributed along the threads and the entire fitting, rather than against the end of the piece. I made up a set of these "mating parts" so they can be used for nothing else.
The other caution is to use just enough force to bring the parts together when we assemble the pen. We should avoid being heavy-handed and giving it that extra pull after the fitting is seated in the tube. I don't like to use an arbor press to assemble pens because a 2-Ton capacity is overkill by several orders of magnitude, and the mechanical advantage can cause some serious damage without my even knowing it.