Berea Rollerball Issue

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Pjohnson

Pjohnson

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Joined
Feb 16, 2012
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Location
Plympton, MA
i am in the process of making a few of the Berea Rollerball Screw Cap and am having significant issues with the center band.

Series 2000™ - Flat Top American - Screw Cap Rollerball Pen Gold Pen Kit Making Supplies Berea HardWoods

When trying to assemble the centerband I crushed the brass tube. I thought that I may not have clean the barrel enough after cutting the tenon. As I was retracing my steps, I tried assembling a kit straight out of the bag. The center bands do not align and it is a struggle to press on.

All other components assemble with ease.

Is this symptomatic with the kit? Any hints or suggestions would be appreciated.

PJ
 
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Have not made one of those for a long time -- I remember having to make sure there were not sharp edges or burrs on the end of the tube before pressing the center band onto the cap. It did not take much of a bevel to get it started smoothly.
 
Would recommend getting a chamfering tool like the one used by folks when reloading ammo. Run the tool on the outside of the brass tube to remove any burrs or edges. It will also provide a small bevel, making pressing on the center band easier.
 
Thank you for the tips. I have never seen this with any other kits. It seems to be an issue with the entire batch that I have (10).

I may call Berea to hear their thoughts.
 
I use an xacto knife to deburr and chamfer all my tubes prior to assembly. Same result, one less tool to misplace
 
chamfering tool --

Chamfering Tool: Arizona Silhouette

Or these are available at any store that sells reloading supplies for shooters. (Cabelas, etc)

They are hardened steel and last decades


I have a couple of old bridge reamers that I use for reaming the bur off the inside of the tubes. Lots of ways to get it done, but makes assembly much more successful and repeatable without many problems other than the human factor.
 
Exchanged notes and had a great phone conversation with Joe at Berea. I am going to send him a couple kits so he can investigate. I may be working with knock off kits and not kits offered through Berea.

More to come ...
 
I will spare you the gory details of the issue ... All I will say is Berea and in particular Joe was FANTASTIC.

Quick response, educational conversation, and an over the top resolution. I am tremendously impressed!!!!

PJ
 
I found a MUCH EASIER WAY to make all of the Berea pens that cut a tenon down to the bare tube.

The slightest nick of the tube with the parting tool will cause the tube to cocke over to the side when pressing the components together. This is simply NOT an efficient way to go about making a tubed pen.

My way is quite simple- DON'T CUT A TENON AT ALL! Simply cut your top barrel blank SHORTER than the top tube by the length of the center band that will pressed over the bare tube.

Not ONLY does this method save time AND material, it insures a perfectly square fit at the center band, EVERYTIME. Also it eliminates the possibility of cutting into the tube when making a "bare tube" tenon cut. It also insures the "tenon" is THE EXACT LENGTH, EVERYTIME.

That's really my only complaint about Berea products, their instruction are bassackwards! If you tried to make a Perfect Fit according to Berea's instructions, I doubt you'd EVER get one that actually worked.

"Climbs down from soap box".
 
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I use a Vargus deburring tool. The curved tool rotates in the handle, and as you roll it around the end of a tube, it just naturally rotates to present the cutting edge to the inside. It also telescopes out for deburring down inside a part. Maybe just a tad overkill for pen tube deburring, but an absolute pleasure to use. (Yes, it is that good!)
 
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