Atrax Cap Disassembly

[southernclay]

Having a hard time with the disassembly of an Atrax cap. Got the finial knocked out but the plastic insert is hanging on for dear life! It's on a fountain I did a while ago and didn't line it up correctly. Have been tuning and playing with it and have it writing nicely so want it to look as good as it now writes :biggrin:

I've tried the correct sized punch and beat on it many times very hard with no budging. Any tips? Keep hitting it? Hit the gym first?

 

[ed4copies]

The last one I got out took nearly half an hour, over two days. To my surprise, I did NOT break the plastic part. I did not use WD 40 because the pen was wood and I did not want to stain it.

Good luck, it is definitely a tight fit!

 

[southernclay]

The last one I got out took nearly half an hour, over two days. To my surprise, I did NOT break the plastic part. I did not use WD 40 because the pen was wood and I did not want to stain it.

Good luck, it is definitely a tight fit!

Thanks Ed! The Wd-40 may work, it's a pinecone/alumilite so I may give the WD40 a shot but haven't ever seen that trick mentioned so double thanks!

 

[ed4copies]

IF you decide to use it, make a puddle, then take a toothpick and drip the wd40 along the side of the brass tube. It will work its way into the gap. Give it a couple hours to do its thing. Again, you are risking getting it on your blank, so think before you do this!

 

[edstreet]

I have taken many of these apart, super easy to do. No need for WD-40. I even posted about it here somewhere. Can have a full breakdown (even if using epoxy) in about 3 hours (with epoxy) or 20 mins (no glue used)

 

[southernclay]

IF you decide to use it, make a puddle, then take a toothpick and drip the wd40 along the side of the brass tube. It will work its way into the gap. Give it a couple hours to do its thing. Again, you are risking getting it on your blank, so think before you do this!

This will be a keeper either way so not too worried about the result, would be a great test to know how it responds anyway.
Thanks again

 

[southernclay]

I have taken many of these apart, super easy to do. No need for WD-40. I even posted about it here somewhere. Can have a full breakdown (even if using epoxy) in about 3 hours (with epoxy) or 20 mins (no glue used)

Hey Ed,

Haven't seen you around much, hope all is well. I've taken apart a few of the jr gents with ease but first Atrax. All parts pressed in, no additional Loctite/epoxy used.


Another thought, not sure why I didn't try this is to disassemble the body and try to realign this way. I typically assemble body and align with the cap but sure I could do the other way as well.

 

[toddlajoie]

Another thought, not sure why I didn't try this is to disassemble the body and try to realign this way. I typically assemble body and align with the cap but sure I could do the other way as well.

That was going to be my suggestion. The thread insert for the Atrax is MUCH longer than most of the other pen kits I've used, so unless there is a NEED to remove the threads (i.e. needing to re-finish or something), I would MUCH rather disassemble the body.

In my experience, since you mention you did not use any loctite or anything, after you disassemble, the second fitting is usually not as tight, since the parts have already been pressed once. So I would suggest using loctite on the second go around... Especially with the clip/finial, as that seems to me to be the most obvious place that a slight loosening shows up with the clip spinning...

 

[magpens]

Since Loctite has been recommended for the second assembly, let me ask: ... do you use the red Loctite ? ... or is the blue adequate ? Thanks

 

[toddlajoie]

Blue should be more than sufficient... If it ever comes loose after that, go red...:biggrin:

 

[southernclay]

Blue loctite on this one. Thanks folks