Problem with Gatsby twist mechanism

[Lew]

I made 2 Gatsby pens both out of Acrylester blanks, one black the other white. The kits were from Woodturningz. I sent them to my son and dil in Ohio just over a month ago and they both report problems with the twist mechanism. For those unfamiliar with the kit, the cartridge extends and retracts by twisting the cap of the pen. My son has to remove the cap to twist the mechanism and the pen my dil uses is becoming harder to twist.

Two questions: 1) what did I do wrong so it won't happen again and 2) can anything be done to fix the problem?

Sorry, no pictures of the pens.

 

[magpens]

@Lew
Being a Gatsby from Woodturningz, that would be a PSI pen kit .... with a finial twist to extend/retract refill.

I don't think you did anything wrong ... both probs seem related to probable variations in the manufacture of the respective parts.

In your son's case, it sounds like slippage of finial around the twist mechanism ... a little bit of blue Loctite would help ... between finial and mechanism.
The semi-permanence of this "fix" should not be a problem for refill replacement because the nib unscrews to do that.

In your dil's case, I'd suggest replacing the twist mechanism.

 

[Lew]

@Lew
Being a Gatsby from Woodturningz, that would be a PSI pen kit .... with a finial twist to extend/retract refill.

I don't think you did anything wrong ... both probs seem related to probable variations in the manufacture of the respective parts.

In your son's case, it sounds like slippage of finial around the twist mechanism ... a little bit of blue Loctite would help ... between finial and mechanism.
The semi-permanence of this "fix" should not be a problem for refill replacement because the nib unscrews to do that.

In your dil's case, I'd suggest replacing the twist mechanism.

Thanks. I'll suggest the blue locktite. They're coming for a visit next week, and I'll ask that they bring the pens with them so I can "fix" them.