I have read a lot of posts on gent/statesman clips not fitting the finial and cracking due to excessive plating on the fittings. So my question is what amount of interferance makes for a good press fit and how much is too much. I took some measurements on a retro kit I am about to assemble so we can have some numbers to talk about. The clip will not slip over the finial on this kit.
Upper tube ID = 0.4620
Final OD = 0.4660
Center ring OD = 0.4645
Lower tube ID = 0.3790
butt cap OD = 0.3830
nib section OD = 0.3825
Thanks,
I have an opinion, so here you go!:biggrin:
You reference Gent/Statesman, but your numbers and the Retro reference are different. The Gent series is larger.
In my opinion, and from my hands on experience, .001-.002 makes a good press fit.
.003 and up constitutes a condition that makes parts hard to press, and damage more likely. .003 might not be so bad in some cases, but more than that is just asking for problems.
I'll question your tube i.d. measurements, though. Calipers are not the tool for this, it has been discussed before, but in short, the flat on the jaws
throws your measurement off a bit on an inside diameter.
My across the board with those tubes, many sets, has been that they are closer (not exactly..) to .464 and .381 i.d's.
Your center ring o.d. may be misleading, the delrin thread sleeve is often the larger part of that assembly.
The clip not going over the fitting you mention is not uncommon,
there was a big discussion over that inside of the last few months.
And it's the hole in the clip, I believe, not the fitting itself, that has the problem.
My 2 cents worth!