Assembly

[BULLWINKLE]

These are on sale for a few more days. I've always used an arbor press for putting pen kits together. Mine is 1/2 ton, no longer sold by Harbor Freight. This is a one ton model. Either one of these requires very little applied pressure to fit the parts.
I find it easier to keep parts aligned vertically than horizontally when pressing. Great price on a tool that will never need replacement. I use a thin piece of wood between the parts I'm fitting and the ram to prevent scratches. Wooden paint stirrer does fine.
Price good to June 30th.
I also save by not getting an insertion tool. $15 -$20 for a tapered metal piece to insert glued tubes in the blank. I turn a few out of scrap wood. They occasionally need to be replaced but they are free.

 

[jttheclockman]

I use this to bend watch part items also and works great.

 

[leehljp]

I have the 1/2 ton and have been surprised that I use if more than for just pen assembly. I did break the anvil puck by using it on my anvil and using a 4lb hammer trying to flatten a piece of steel with an indention on it. The anvil puck is just a piece of rough cast iron and under normal circumstances should not break. I ground the edge of the mating pieces a tad and welded it back together, then ground it flat on both sides.

 

[BULLWINKLE]

It's a shame that they discontinued the 1/2 ton. I got it decades ago and it serves my purposes. I believe it was only $20 at the time.