Transmission recommendations

[ossaguy]

Hi All,

I'm making slimline pens,and I have been using the "create a pen kits " from CSUSA,and the basic pen kit from Rockler.It looks like these kits have the same tranny.It has some resistance,almost a hydraulic feel to it as you twist it to the writing position.

Trying to get some variety in how they look,I bought 15 less expensive kits that come with different finishes and differently shaped metal parts.The problem is that the trannies twist by themselves when you write,and I'm careful to not press them in too far,as I've read on this forum that doing so will create the same problem.

You can feel how loose they twist holding them in you hand even.I guess it's a lesson in you get what you pay for.

These say made in China,and they have no rib-like lines in the gold part like the good ones have.The ones I like are made in Taiwan,and have 2 lines in the gold part.

My question then is anybody have a good source for the good ones,so I can use these kits up?(I know I sound cheap,but I'm trying to stay in budget,and hate to waste $ ) or would it be too close to the price of new kits?
(

I also like how the CSUSA refill writes better than these cheaper pens.I'll likely keep buying those,then try to use some of these different fittings,but thought for future use,I'd ask the experts here.

Thanks for any feedback

Steve

 

[snyiper]

I have found if they twist by themselves the tranny may be in too far even the cheap trannies have a positive stop at each end. If is a occasional one it could be a bad tranny. Try backing out the tranny a bit see if it helps or put the refill in the nib backwards to be sure it isnt hanging.

 

[ossaguy]

Thanks for the reply.I tried that on the 2 that I made.That's why I tested the whole batch,and compared the actions to the CSUSA ones.They twist with almost zero effort.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[snyiper]

I purchased replacement slim trans from Woodnwhimsies and they all seem to be fine....just a way to salvage some pens.

 

[PenMan1]

One of the biggest problems with the cheapie kits is not only inferior plating, but the transmissions are of a lessor grade as well.

There are several vendors here that sell the transmissions alone. I do a lot of kitless things. Since I always replace the kit refills with Cross or Schmidt, and rarely use the centerbands or clips. It is more economical for me to buy 10 inch brass tubes (which also allows me do more to customize the pen) and transmissions.

I really like the transmissions that Ernie at Bear Tooth Woods sells. He doesn't advertise them as Schmidt transmissions, but they work as well or better than the ones I bought marked "Schmidt".

Exotic Blanks, CUSA, BTW and several other vendors here also sell quality centerbands in better finishes. You may want to shop around a bit and learn to "think outside of the kit".

 

[Smitty37]

Twist Mechanism

Hi All,

I'm making slimline pens,and I have been using the "create a pen kits " from CSUSA,and the basic pen kit from Rockler.It looks like these kits have the same tranny.It has some resistance,almost a hydraulic feel to it as you twist it to the writing position.

Trying to get some variety in how they look,I bought 15 less expensive kits that come with different finishes and differently shaped metal parts.The problem is that the trannies twist by themselves when you write,and I'm careful to not press them in too far,as I've read on this forum that doing so will create the same problem.

You can feel how loose they twist holding them in you hand even.I guess it's a lesson in you get what you pay for.

These say made in China,and they have no rib-like lines in the gold part like the good ones have.The ones I like are made in Taiwan,and have 2 lines in the gold part.

My question then is anybody have a good source for the good ones,so I can use these kits up?(I know I sound cheap,but I'm trying to stay in budget,and hate to waste $ ) or would it be too close to the price of new kits?
(

I also like how the CSUSA refill writes better than these cheaper pens.I'll likely keep buying those,then try to use some of these different fittings,but thought for future use,I'd ask the experts here.

Thanks for any feedback

Steve

Depending on where you got the pen kits you can expect to pay 50% of the price of the kit for the twist mechanism...if you bought Chinese replacements and I would be surprised if you don't pay 75% to 100% of the kit cost for mechanism made in Taiwan. Have you contacted the seller of the kits you bought? If you whole batch has a problem he/she should do something to resolve it.

 

[Smitty37]

kit selection

Hi All,

I'm making slimline pens,and I have been using the "create a pen kits " from CSUSA,and the basic pen kit from Rockler.It looks like these kits have the same tranny.It has some resistance,almost a hydraulic feel to it as you twist it to the writing position.

Trying to get some variety in how they look,I bought 15 less expensive kits that come with different finishes and differently shaped metal parts.The problem is that the trannies twist by themselves when you write,and I'm careful to not press them in too far,as I've read on this forum that doing so will create the same problem.

You can feel how loose they twist holding them in you hand even.I guess it's a lesson in you get what you pay for.

These say made in China,and they have no rib-like lines in the gold part like the good ones have.The ones I like are made in Taiwan,and have 2 lines in the gold part.

My question then is anybody have a good source for the good ones,so I can use these kits up?(I know I sound cheap,but I'm trying to stay in budget,and hate to waste $ ) or would it be too close to the price of new kits?
(

I also like how the CSUSA refill writes better than these cheaper pens.I'll likely keep buying those,then try to use some of these different fittings,but thought for future use,I'd ask the experts here.

Thanks for any feedback

Steve

I know at least one seller (mainly on eBay) who bought out a very large run of kits from a factory that were all rejects....he said what they were and sold them very cheap and someone might have bought up a bunch of them and are reselling them...they had all sorts of problems. I bought a few of them and had to replace a couple of the transmissions that worked like the ones you describe.