Better click mechanisms.

[badgerdog]

Alright so I am fairly new to pen turning and have been enjoying it quite a bit! I use primarily the Slimline Pro kit and like the look of it a lot! But….. don't love the click mechanism. Is there a way to modify the existing click mechanism to get a more satisfying click mechanism the some of the all metal higher end pen kits come with? Any direction would be wonderful and greatly appreciated!

 

[its_virgil]

There is a Slimline Pro version using the all metal Schmidt click mechanism. Maybe it's called the Slimline Pro EDC

 

[jhiggi83]

Most of the EDC click pens come with a Schmidt all metal click mechanism, it will say in the description. I am experimenting with making kitless pens with the SKM-88 click mechanism but right now its just an idea in my head

 

[duncsuss]

Most of the EDC click pens come with a Schmidt all metal click mechanism, it will say in the description. I am experimenting with making kitless pens with the SKM-88 click mechanism but right now its just an idea in my head

Go for it! I recommend making a prototype using transparent cast acrylic acetate rod so you can see what's going on inside - the tolerances are quite tight at the nib end, it goes quickly from "not enough space to compress the spring and get the click" to "too much space and the refill doesn't make it out of the tip".

 

[badgerdog]

Most of the EDC click pens come with a Schmidt all metal click mechanism, it will say in the description. I am experimenting with making kitless pens with the SKM-88 click mechanism but right now its just an idea in my head

Now is the skm-88 the same as the schmidt duraclic? Because unlike the audible click from the slimline pro but I've tried some duraclic stuff and I just didn't like the way it clicked.

 

[jhiggi83]

Now is the skm-88 the same as the schmidt duraclic? Because unlike the audible click from the slimline pro but I've tried some duraclic stuff and I just didn't like the way it clicked.

I know of 2 all metal click mechanisms that are currently readily available, the SKM-88 and SKM-192. The PSI Duraclick EDC looks like it uses the skm-88 and the slimline pro edc just says it uses an all metal Schmidt mech but doesn't say which (guessing it's a 192). I can't really say with any certainty though if the duraclicks you tried had the Schmidt 88 mech in them. Exotic Blanks and Turners warehouse does sell the mechanisms individually if you want to experiment.

 

[jhiggi83]

Go for it! I recommend making a prototype using transparent cast acrylic acetate rod so you can see what's going on inside - the tolerances are quite tight at the nib end, it goes quickly from "not enough space to compress the spring and get the click" to "too much space and the refill doesn't make it out of the tip".

I do enjoy a challenge, and I think this endeavor will be my most challenging one yet. I probably need to fix my little harbor freight mini lathe so I can use the dro for better precision when drilling

 

[duncsuss]

I do enjoy a challenge, and I think this endeavor will be my most challenging one yet. I probably need to fix my little harbor freight mini lathe so I can use the dro for better precision when drilling

I'm doing it with a wood lathe, marking the depth to drill using a Sharpie - I'm sure it will be less trial-and-error if you use a DRO (once you have the depths figured out).