Sierra tube length

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Dale Allen

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Oct 27, 2012
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I have a pen blank that is supposed to be for a 'sierra' pen kit.
It measures 2.21" long.
However, I have checked some of my finished sierras and there are some longer tubes in different versions of the sierra. Unfortunately I do not know the specific kit names for the ones I have. I'd like to buy a kit for the blank but I am not sure which one it fits.
Can anyone tell me which kits specifically this tube length is for? Or is there a chart somewhere that I cannot find.

Thanks all.

Dale
 
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Curly

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There is a section in the Library under References that has the kit bushings and tube information. There is also an App for iPhones you can download that lets you do the same and lets you search by dimensions. Your tube fits the various Berea kits sold by many vendors among others.
 

mecompco

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Fairfield, Maine
I have a pen blank that is supposed to be for a 'sierra' pen kit.
It measures 2.21" long.
However, I have checked some of my finished sierras and there are some longer tubes in different versions of the sierra. Unfortunately I do not know the specific kit names for the ones I have. I'd like to buy a kit for the blank but I am not sure which one it fits.
Can anyone tell me which kits specifically this tube length is for? Or is there a chart somewhere that I cannot find.

Thanks all.

Dale

Dale, just checked one of my tubes--exactly 2.21". This is the standard size for the Sierra and Sierra Elegant twists. The Sierra Click pen takes a longer tube. I think you'll be all set if you're making some version of the Sierra twist pen.

Regards,
Michael
 

Dale Allen

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Massillon, OH
Thanks Michael. Would you be able to tell me what vendor that kit came from that has the 2.21" tube? I see so many variations of this that it is dizzying! I did some reviews of various vendors and discovered the info on 2 of my pens. I have a sierra elegant beauty click that is longer and a sierra elegant beauty 'twist' that is shorter.
This is the last time I will buy a blank that does not have a specific kit name and source associated with it.
And yes, I did contact the vendor and all I got was a generic response like 'it fits the Sierra pen kits'!:mad:
 

mecompco

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Thanks Michael. Would you be able to tell me what vendor that kit came from that has the 2.21" tube? I see so many variations of this that it is dizzying! I did some reviews of various vendors and discovered the info on 2 of my pens. I have a sierra elegant beauty click that is longer and a sierra elegant beauty 'twist' that is shorter.
This is the last time I will buy a blank that does not have a specific kit name and source associated with it.
And yes, I did contact the vendor and all I got was a generic response like 'it fits the Sierra pen kits'!:mad:

Dale, the tubes I have came from Sierra and Elegant Sierra kits from Exoticblanks. I believe they are made by Berea, but don't quote me on that. Really, any "Sierra" length tube should be close enough to work in any of the twist pens, be they Sierra, Gatsby, Wall St. II, Mesa, etc. Yes, the Sierra Click tube is longer, so I would assume that any pre-tubed Sierra blank you buy will NOT fit it. Tubes for the Gatsby Grande, Sierra Vista, and other variants will also be different. Hope this helps!
 

magpens

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Dale,

Is your blank tubed or not ? . If tubed for Sierra Twist, the tube I.D. should be 0.393" (and the tube O.D. should be 0.404" but you won't be able to measure the O.D. if the tube is inside the blank already).

The correct length for the Sierra Twist brass tube is 2.21" (Sierra Click is 2.42").

If the blank is not tubed, then you will have to drill a lengthwise hole and glue in a tube. The manufacturer recommends a drill diameter of 27/64" but I prefer to use 10.5mm.

Now, which kit to use ? A Sierra twist tube will fit the Sierra Twist kit from Berea, the Elegant Sierra Twist from Berea (but NOT the Sierra Elegant Beauty Twist), the Mesa Twist from Woodturningz, the Gatsby Twist from PSI, the Zodiac Twist from ExoticBlanks, the Ellipse Twist from ExoticBlanks, the "Thank You" Twist from ExoticBlanks, the Virage Twist from Berea, and possibly a number of other kits.

Yes, the matter is somewhat dizzying and confusing, but that is the way it is.

If you have a question about a specific kit that I have not mentioned, please feel free to ask.
 
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Dale Allen

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Mark, saw your reply too late, I ordered a kit already.

Mal, thank you so much. That info is what I needed. I ordered a zodiac from exotic.
The blank is a polyclay that I wanted to make for my daughter as it has a unicorn on it and it is a much nicer blank than I have been able to make.
Thanks again all.

dale
 

Ripwood

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Apr 3, 2009
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Bremerton, Washington
There is a section in the Library under References that has the kit bushings and tube information. There is also an App for iPhones you can download that lets you do the same and lets you search by dimensions. Your tube fits the various Berea kits sold by many vendors among others.

The files are missing.
 

Curly

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They be there. Click on the supplier you want the info on.

 
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