Cigar twist problems

[txcwboy]

I just finished 2 cigar pens I got pick up from the place in Hawaii. When you slide the cap on and press it all the ways to the center band, you can barely turn the pen. Both pens work good if cap is insert all the way to about 1/8th inch then it binds after that. Anyone know how to fix that ? Take it apart and take off that much on the inside end piece ? It almost seems as though the tube is too short ?

Thanks

Dave

 

[DonWood]

Hi Dave - What I have found that normally is the problem is that the centerband on the open end of the cap is binding.

Take a rotary tool and ream out the opening in the centerband and this will then allow the top to go on fully without binding.

I use a rotary tool with a small grinding head and just go round and round the inside of the centerband - Just do a little at the time and try it and you will probably take care of the problem.

 

[Sylvanite]

I have had similar problems from two causes:

(1) As already noted, sometimes the inside diameter of the centerband is too small. If so, then it can bind. The solution is to ream it out a little either with a dremel tool, or with a drill bit.

(2) On some kits, the small diameter tube that slips over the transmission is longer than necessary. It slides so far down that it binds on the lower part of the transmission. The solution is to shorten the tube before assembly. I do that on my disk sander.

When I'm about to assemble a cigar kit, I check for these two possible problems before putting everything together. When I take the kit parts out of the bag, I screw the transmission onto the coupler, and slip the centerband over them. It should turn freely. If not, then I ream it out. When I'm assembling the pen, I put the lower barrel together first, and press the centerband onto the upper barrel. I put the transmission on the coupler, and screw the finial to the piece that drives the transmission. Before pressing that part in, however, I lay the three sections side-by-side and check to see how much that inner tube overlaps the transmission. If it goes beyond the halves of the transmission, I trim it back. The cigar kit is very forgiving of the length of the upper barrel, so you can trim the tube back quite a bit without jeopardizing pen operation.

I hope that helps,
Eric

 

[tweetfaip]

Dave,

I had the exact same problem last week with a pen from the same source. What worked for me was to use a drill bit and open up the top just a bit. I think the plating is just a bit too thick because it really did not take much to open it up enough to work well. Now the pen is working great (it is the black titanium, I need to post a pic).

Good luck,

Eric

 

[txcwboy]

I took the dremel and reamed around the open end of the cap, but it doesnt seem any better.I only tried one dont want to mess the other one up.How much grinding is needed ? Just a touch up here and there ? Or we talking really grinding it down ? I just touched it up all the way around.

Dave

 

[Sylvanite]

Originally posted by txcwboy

I ... reamed around the open end of the cap, but it doesnt seem any better.

If you can, try pulling the top off (separating the top barrel from the transmission). Remove the transmission and refill and see how the top and bottom barrel fit. That will tell you if the problem is with the centerband/coupler, or with the transmission/finial.

If the centerband binds on the coupler, then ream it out a little more (don't shorten the centerband - just increase its inside diameter a little). If not, check to see if threaded end of the transmission will turn freely in the centerband (it might be slightly larger in diameter than the coupler).

If the centerband turns freely on the coupler and on the transmission, then the problem is elsewhere. If you have another kit, put the transmission back on and lay the internal parts of the upper barrel out next to the upper and lower halves of the failing pen. Line everything up so you can see where the internal parts wind up. There's a little brass tube that descends from the finial and slips around the transmission. Make sure this tube does not cover so much of the transmission that it binds. If it does, you need to shorten that tube (which would require you to disassemble that part of your two malfunctioning pens).

One other possibility, is that you may have left the trim ring off the upper barrel. If so, then you've effectively shortened the upper barrel. You'd need to put it on or shorten the internal drive tube accordingly.

Good luck. I hope you manage to find the problem and fix it without too much difficulty.

Regards,
Eric

 

[txcwboy]

I did manage to fix it. One pen took A LOT of grinding and the other just took a lil. Not real impressed although company says the next ones will be fixed.
Thanks for all the help guys
Dave