After Assembly Problems

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fairmgr

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Aug 13, 2017
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I just made my first two Power Pen kits from PSI. Liked the design and shape. Hated the instructions they were vague and not laid out in a logical sequence of assembly.
Now after assembly the pen refill clicks out but then slowly slides up in the pen as you apply pressure to write. If you re-click it will come out and then do the same thing. The pen uses a plastic click system that looks cheap.

PSI support minimal. They want too know if I turned the blank correctly.

Any thoughts????
 
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randyrls

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Feb 2, 2006
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Harrisburg, PA 17112
Ask for a replacement. Also; When pressing in the click mechanism, never press directly on the top knot. Make a block from an off-cut. Drill a hole in the block just larger than the top knot, and deep enough so the block seats against the top of the mechanism. This will direct the pressing force against the outside of the assembly and not the internal mechanism. Hope this helps.
 

Brian G

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Jul 2, 2013
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Bloomington, MN
Can you post a picture of the assembled click end of your pen?

I have a couple of guesses based on my experiences with this kit. I speculate this kit had some QC flaws a few times based on customer reviews.

First, the longer end of the center band, which goes in the upper barrel, was purportedly too long by about 1/32. This causes the plunger coupler to not seat fully, which causes the click mechanism to slide further back into the upper barrel and the inkfill retracts on its own. To fix this problem, I sanded about 1/32 off the longer end of the center band.

A second problem I encountered was that the recess in the slotted plunger guide wasn't wide enough to fit the clip. This caused the slotted plunger guide to seat proud of the plunger coupler, which may contribute to the inkfill retracting on its own.

Perhaps later production runs fixed these issues. I, too, like the appearance of this kit, especially for modifying into a long click. Unfortunately, the QC issues I experienced and the LOUD click mechanism made this a kit too fussy for me to continue using.

Based on PSI catalogs and their website, this kit appears to be on the verge of being discontinued.
 

JWinIndiana

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May 17, 2018
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Northwest Indiana
I understand you are disappointed that your pen does not work and you feel the instructions are vague. But I teach woodturning in a High School setting to over 40 students a year. The students are always trying to cut corners and do what they think is right versus reading AND understanding the instructions before assembling their pens. When we have had problems I couldn't figure out a fix for, I have called PSI and have always talked to knowledgeable people that talked and walked me through a solution. Also, even though I buy thousands of pen kits from them, they no questions asked replace broken parts even if I tell them a student assembled it wrong breaking it in the process. I am not affiliated nor related to anyone at PSI, just my years of experience as a customer.
 

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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NJ, USA.
I do not know the kit so these suggestions are purely based on other kits that I have found to be troublesome. First make sure the refill slides in and out of the nib hole easily with no resistance. Sometimes these kits get too much plating that blocks the small hole and then you need to file it some but this can cause other problems like plating failure. So it would be better to get a new kit.

Second many times these kits come with a spring that has a small end and a large end and they must be installed properly or the refill does not preform properly so if that be the case check to make sure the small end is against the refill and while add it maybe stretch the spring some to give it more tension just in case you did set the click thing too deep. But the refill would not retract out far enough and you should see that. That is all I have. Good luck.
 

magpens

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Based on PSI catalogs and their website, this kit appears to be on the verge of being discontinued.

I cannot find this kit on the PSI website. .

They do show the bushings, spare brass tubes, and conversion parts to make a pencil, but no pen kits.

It seems the Instructions have also been removed from the PSI website ... they are not listed under the "Instructions" section of Home Page.

I would be interested in seeing the Instructions if someone can please help me out in any way. . Thanks.
 
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jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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I cannot find this kit on the PSI website. .

They do show the bushings, spare brass tubes, and conversion parts to make a pencil, but no pen kits.

It seems the Instructions have also been removed from the PSI website ... they are not listed under the "Instructions" section of Home Page.

I would be interested in seeing the Instructions if someone can please help me out in any way. . Thanks.
https://www.thewoodturningstore.com/legacy-power-pen-kit-gold/


https://www.timberturners.com/PowerPenKits-s/209.htm


https://www.packardwoodworks.com/pm-apenkit-other-powpp.html


https://woodworldtx.com/products/power-pen-kits?variant=272434962

https://www.woodnwhimsies.com/product143.html


https://store.thewoodenquill.com/product/power-click-pen-kit-chrome/
 

Brian G

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Jul 2, 2013
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Bloomington, MN
I cannot find this kit on the PSI website. .

They do show the bushings, spare brass tubes, and conversion parts to make a pencil, but no pen kits.

It seems the Instructions have also been removed from the PSI website ... they are not listed under the "Instructions" section of Home Page.

I would be interested in seeing the Instructions if someone can please help me out in any way. . Thanks.
Mal, I found a copy of instructions through a link at Turnerswarehouse Power Pen Those instructions look like a newer than the ones than I have.

Edit: Instructions from PSI PSI's Instructions from their website also are newer than the ones I have.

Edit Again: Those newer instructions indicate that the ends of the center band that insert into the barrels are the same length. My few remaining kits have different lengths of ends on the center band.

The full PSI catalog I have (Issue #212A) dropped the Power Pen; it was listed in the previous full catalog.

One more edit: The Legacy Power Pen that JT linked might be a PSI knockoff, because that website lists a gun metal plating. To my knowledge PSI didn't have a gun metal version. At one time they had a satin chrome version listed, but I never saw it listed as in stock.
 
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magpens

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@jttheclockman @Brian G

Thank you both for providing helpful info. .
This particular pen kit seems quite similar in overall design to the PSI Slimline Pro.
For some reason, I could not pull up these instructions on the PSI website, but now I don't need to make any further attempts ... LOL ! ... Thanks
*** Edit: Instructions from PSI PSI's Instructions from their website also are newer than the ones I have.

I just like to keep aware of the various pen kits that have been offered over the years.

Obviously, I don't have a hope of making all of them ... but you sometimes can pick up little ideas about design/construction that can be of interest.
 

fairmgr

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Aug 13, 2017
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Location
Upstate NY/Florida
It took some time but PSI finally contacted me and replaced the kits. They have apparently dropped the kit so it may have been with issues. I got the replacements today so I will try to salvage the turnings. I have turned a number of pens (in the hundreds) and this is the first problems other than parts missing from the kits. They are also the first that have used a plastic click mechanism with the springs in the top. I will look for the newer instructions. The ones I got are terrible.

I looked at the instructions that were listed and they are the same as I have. Could not find others so no comparisons to make
 
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