Newport pen assembly problem

[cestmoi]

I made a black titanium Newport (Rockler) pen and thought I followed the assembly instructions carefully. The pen looks fine and the cap screws on/off perfectly. However, the instructions say to drop the spring, large end first, into the lower tube then insert the ink cartridge on top of the spring before finally screwing on the tip assembly. Done this way, the ink cartridge pushes down into the tube--because of the spring it's sitting on--when you write. That doesn't seem correct. The ink cartridge shouldn't push in should it? What am I doing wrong?

 

[sbell111]

I made a black titanium Newport (Rockler) pen and thought I followed the assembly instructions carefully. The pen looks fine and the cap screws on/off perfectly. However, the instructions say to drop the spring, large end first, into the lower tube then insert the ink cartridge on top of the spring before finally screwing on the tip assembly. Done this way, the ink cartridge pushes down into the tube--because of the spring it's sitting on--when you write. That doesn't seem correct. The ink cartridge shouldn't push in should it? What am I doing wrong?

All rollerball kits have the spring behind the cartridge like that. Someone once snarkily posted that a 'real' pen maker would know why this is. I guess that makes me a hack (as if there was any doubt). I always assumed that it was to give a little cushion to the pushin'.

 

[plano_harry]

It will push against the spring to create a bit of give when writing, but it usually takes a heavy hand to push it very far. Could have the wrong spring. Let's see a picture of the spring, or remove the rear finial - the roller cartridge should extend about 1/16th inch past the threaded coupler if you have the right length tube and correct pen assembley.

 

[cestmoi]

Here are some pics of the pen without the end cap. You can see that the cartridge sticks out of the tube just a tad as it is, apparently, supposed to. The other photos show how much the tip of the cartridge extends and then how much it pushes in when writing.

I guess I'm not a "true penmaker" as I had no idea all rollerballs did this. The guy I made the pen for feels like he needs to "write like a girl" to use it. I may have to fugure out something I can stick in there instead of the spring so that he is satisfied.

 

[ed4copies]

Many hardware stores (even big boxes) have a good selection of springs available.

Find one that fits (about a quarter inch diameter) and is very stiff. (Hard to compress)
Cut to the length you need and insert into your rollerball back end.

 

[plano_harry]

Looks correct for pic #1. It shouldn't compress that easily. If you have a second spring, put it in. Otherwise, turn a small plug about 1/8" thick to put in the finial above the spring. If you like the result, glue it in.

Usually the spring is stiff enough that you have to push just to get the thread started.

 

[Smitty37]

Stretch the spring

You might be ok if you stretch the spring a little bit which should make it a tad harder to compress. If you get it the right length a plug in place of the spring might work for you as Harry said. Or a stiffer spring.

 

[cestmoi]

I took the spring out of a cheap promotional pen that I had, cut it to size, and put it into the existing spring that came with the Newport kit. It's much harder to press down now. If the guy still doesn't like it, I'll do as suggested and make a plug to put in place of the spring. I checked the other Newport kits that I have and all the springs are pretty flimsy and much too loose.

Thanks for the help!

 

[plano_harry]

:good: