Dissasemble Slimline?

[Woodchipper]

Put one together this morning and not real happy with the finish after looking closely. I could let it go but this is for the local jury challenge. Prefer to make it better if possible. Removing the clip is no problem with the punches. Concern is the transmission and nib. TIA.

 

[lorbay]

If you have the punches you need the maximum size to go through the transmission and tap the tip out.
Lin

 

[penicillin]

Here is how I disassemble a Slimline pen, using transfer punches:

1. Remove the top piece from the transmission.
2. Remove the pen band.
3. Remove the Cross pen refill.
4. Use the largest punch that fits in the top piece. Use it to remove the cap and clip from the top piece.
5. Find the largest punch that fits through the transmission. Use it to remove the tip.
6. Find the largest punch that fits through the bottom hole where the tip was removed. It is probably the same punch you used for the cap. Use it to remove the transmission.

Done.

 

[wouldentu2?]

Hold the blank with one of those grippy things from the kitchen

 

[Woodchipper]

Have a whole set of punches. Thanks- I was cautious about how to deal with the transmission.
penicillin- just what the doctor ordered!

 

[monophoto]

There is another way to disassemble a slimline transmission, but it requires making a jig.

The jig consists of a scrap of wood with a hole drilled with a bit that is one size up from the diameter of the transmission. Then, make a saw cut from the outside of the scrap into the hole such that if you clamp the scrap in a vise, the hole will become slightly smaller. In effect, the scrap with its hole and saw kerf becomes a collet that can grip the outside of the transmission without crushing it.

To use the jig, put a couple of washers on the transmission, and then insert it into the collet and clamp it in a bench vise - adjust the position of the transmission in the vise so that there is about 1/16 - 3/32" of space between the two washers, and the end of the transmission with the attached turned body is pointing upward.. Tighten the vise to increase the grip of the collet on the transmission. Then, using two flat-blade screwdrivers, slip the tips of the blades between the two washers, with the two screwdrivers coming in from opposite sides of the transmission. Gently twisting the screwdrivers to separate the washers will push the pen body off of the transmission.

 

[Woodchipper]

Thanks, Louie. Might pay to make the jig for future use. Hopefully my finishing will progress so I won't have to disassemble any pen.

 

[Woodchipper]

Hold the blank with one of those grippy things from the kitchen

I keep old innertubes and drawer liner for such things.

 

[penicillin]

I bought some rubber tubing at the industrial hardware store. They had an assortment of tubing (rubber hose, fuel lines, etc.) sold by the foot. I had them cut off 1 foot of several types of hose. That's when I found out how much specialty fuel lines cost. Eeek!

A couple of those fuel lines were $5-6 a foot. The rest were low cost. Ask for price-per-foot first.

Eventually I plan to use some of the tubing to design and build a jig that can tighten around a pen and then use a bolt or screw to crank the two parts apart. In the meantime, it helps give me a grip on the pen when I am disassembling them.

To be honest, disassembling a pen is a very rare thing for me. I would rather donate the reject to the public library and start over.