Better clicker

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stuckinohio

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Here is something I started a while ago and never got around to finishing until now. This is a slimline pro click pen kit from PSI. It uses 8mm tubes, a parker refill and a "less than desireable to me" plastic click mechanism.

I threaded the upper adapter to accept the Schmidt click mechanism which is all metal and very smooth. I also deleted the center band. The aluminum piece you see in the picture is simply a spacer to the correct length of the blank. The nice thing about using this clicker is that you can make the body longer than normal and just make the spacer longer.

The blank is Flexigran from Richard Greenwald. I originally made two of these pens with an 8mm circuit board blank which looked great but one developed minute cracks in the resin as a result of the slightly larger diameter of the upper adapter after threading. I'm sure if I sanded or filed the ID of the tube down before pressing the parts together I wouldn't have had any cracks. I've included a pic of those as well along with a pic of the top adapter.
 

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stuckinohio

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This is simply the best clicker you will find. Bar none. You can't break it or jam it when you drop it on the floor like a lot of people do.... I pretty much quit making kit clickers.

The reason I came up with this idea is because making a nose cone and top adapter out of stainless steel is extremely labor intensive so the final cost is a little pricey. This is so simple and much easier!
 
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magpens

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Very nice work, Lewis !!! ... I forgot to comment when I viewed this earlier today.
 

stuckinohio

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I'm trying to get more people to try these clickers. I think everyone will love them! I've got a few more ideas for different pen kits. All very simple.
 

Gregf

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May 22, 2010
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Richwood, OH
Ordered a few to try. Am I right that the spacer is glued to the end of the clicker?
Was the length determined by trial and error?
 
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stuckinohio

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Ordered a few to try. Am I right that the spacer is glued to the end of the clicker?
Was the length determined by trial and error?

No, the spacer is not glued to the clicker. I drill a hole slightly larger than the post on end of the clicker and it slides onto the clicker.

You can determine the spacer length by aligning all the parts as if they were installed (refill and all) to determine the length of spacer you need. Once I do that I make the spacer a little longer than needed and sneak up on the correct length by drilling either end until it is correct or trimming some off the spacer.
 

VA Jim

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Charlottesville VA
They do look nice. Looks like you used the brushed satin. Do you think the Schmidt would go with chrome (or as a contrast to black Ti)?
Thanks for the post!
 

stuckinohio

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It looks OK with chrome and black Ti, but it's all personal preference unfortunately. FWIW, Richard Greenwald now sells black schmidt mechanisms too, as another option.
 
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