redfishsc
Member
I have found a few pen kits to be more of a pain to make than they are typically worth-- based either on a lousy quality component or on more-difficult-than-necessary assembly.
One, for example, is the european double-twist (parker, 8mm) pen from Berea. Aside from parting off for the center band (which I still think is inferior... there has to be a better way to design it), I have heard more than one person complain that the transmission is prone to failure.
Likewise is the American style pen kits from Woodcraft. I have never actually bought one of these kits but I inherited a 10-pack from the guy I bought some used equipment from. These, too, have lousy transmissions. I have had two of the 7 I have made fail. That, and if you twist the pen to extend the ballpoint, half the time the tranny begins unscrewing from the lower tube rather than twisting open. Just lousy. I haven't bothered with the last three kits b/c they are cheap 24k and are just problematic.
Anyone else have a comment on a problematic kit you have encountered? Being a bit of an "efficiency" nut, I personally find poorly designed kits to be an insult. [xx(]
One, for example, is the european double-twist (parker, 8mm) pen from Berea. Aside from parting off for the center band (which I still think is inferior... there has to be a better way to design it), I have heard more than one person complain that the transmission is prone to failure.
Likewise is the American style pen kits from Woodcraft. I have never actually bought one of these kits but I inherited a 10-pack from the guy I bought some used equipment from. These, too, have lousy transmissions. I have had two of the 7 I have made fail. That, and if you twist the pen to extend the ballpoint, half the time the tranny begins unscrewing from the lower tube rather than twisting open. Just lousy. I haven't bothered with the last three kits b/c they are cheap 24k and are just problematic.
Anyone else have a comment on a problematic kit you have encountered? Being a bit of an "efficiency" nut, I personally find poorly designed kits to be an insult. [xx(]