SteveG
Member
The "Old Style" Lazerlinez cap threads ("Desire" components) were a problem for me and some others with whom I have communicated. I mentioned my fix for this in another recent thread and was asked to show and explain my solution. This is for the DESIRE ROLLERBALL; the fountain pen and other pen styles may require modifications to dimensions shown in this post. Here it is. The issues are twofold:
1. The cap would tend to cross thread fairly easily.
2. The cap threads (which are metal-on-metal) feel a bit rough.
These component sets are excellent in every other respect, aside from these two problems. Because of these issues, I have been unwilling to put these pens on my sales table. These issues I considered to be 'fatal flaws'. Not wanting to waste my investment on a good number of these components, I worked up a fix. This is similar to one used a few years back when the "Jr. Series" were having cap thread problems.
It is a two part fix:
1.Make and glue an appropriate sized sleeve inside the cap tube. This sleeve causes the pen front end to be in correct alignment when capping the pen, preventing the cross-threading from happening
2. Use a valve grinding cmpd. to smooth and relax the cap threads. A little dab and work the threads for a minute or two. Do it prior to pen assembly for ease of cleanup. ( You really want that abrasive paste GONE, once you have completed the thread smoothing process.)
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Notice that the sleeve ID is smaller than the OD of the pen front-end at the area near the threads. For this reason the sleeve must be positioned a bit (about .5'') into the tube so it will not interfere as the pen is capped. You have to position it so it will be at just the right location to guide the front end as the threads are just starting to engage.
All these words may make it seem complicated, but in fact it is just a matter of glueing a sleeve in place inside the tube.
After I applied this "Fix", my "Desire" rollerball pens are very smooth and a pleasure to use (and sell)! :biggrin::biggrin:
1. The cap would tend to cross thread fairly easily.
2. The cap threads (which are metal-on-metal) feel a bit rough.
These component sets are excellent in every other respect, aside from these two problems. Because of these issues, I have been unwilling to put these pens on my sales table. These issues I considered to be 'fatal flaws'. Not wanting to waste my investment on a good number of these components, I worked up a fix. This is similar to one used a few years back when the "Jr. Series" were having cap thread problems.
It is a two part fix:
1.Make and glue an appropriate sized sleeve inside the cap tube. This sleeve causes the pen front end to be in correct alignment when capping the pen, preventing the cross-threading from happening
2. Use a valve grinding cmpd. to smooth and relax the cap threads. A little dab and work the threads for a minute or two. Do it prior to pen assembly for ease of cleanup. ( You really want that abrasive paste GONE, once you have completed the thread smoothing process.)
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Notice that the sleeve ID is smaller than the OD of the pen front-end at the area near the threads. For this reason the sleeve must be positioned a bit (about .5'') into the tube so it will not interfere as the pen is capped. You have to position it so it will be at just the right location to guide the front end as the threads are just starting to engage.
All these words may make it seem complicated, but in fact it is just a matter of glueing a sleeve in place inside the tube.
After I applied this "Fix", my "Desire" rollerball pens are very smooth and a pleasure to use (and sell)! :biggrin::biggrin:
