Re-finishing a pen

[sdb777]

One of the first pens I made, didn't have the bushings for it. Now I have them, but the pen is already assembled(cartridge pen to be exact).... How do I get the pen apart? It was quite hard to press it together, and I'd rather not break it. But it needs to have a better finish on it(I don't want folks to think this is my level of pen making)

Do I just pull it apart by hand?(I've tried to a certain point, not the level at which blood vessels were poppong out of my head or anything, but close----and it's still not apart)
Please don't tell me I got to buy something else...



Scott (judged by the last project completed) B

[monty]

Is this a homemade cartridge pen or the kit from PSI?

[sdb777]

Feb 8, 2010 7:56:46 GMT -6 monty said:

Is this a homemade cartridge pen or the kit from PSI?

Kit from PSI.



Scott (all in the details) B

[Doug B]

I have not taken one of those apart Scott and I'm trying to figure out how to get the click mechanism out - that could be a problem. I'll go take a closer look at the kit later on today and see if I can figure it out.

Normally, all you need is a cheap set of transfer punches from Harbor Freight, find the one that will fit inside the tube and rap it sharply with a hammer while holding onto the pen barrel with your other hand. I like to use a small piece of that non-slip shelf liner stuff to help hang onto the pen barrel without damaging the finish - it helps tremendously.

[monty]

Feb 8, 2010 9:42:48 GMT -6 sdb777 said:

Feb 8, 2010 7:56:46 GMT -6 monty said:

Is this a homemade cartridge pen or the kit from PSI?

Kit from PSI.



Scott (all in the details) B

Since I only make my own and have never seen the "guts" of these, I could only take a WAG as to how to do this, but I'd hate to steer you wrong so I'm afraid I can't help you.

[carlcivi]

I use the transfer punches from HF. I put the end inside the latex glove, grab a hold on it tightly and rap it with a small hammer, when the part lets go it is inside the glove not buried somewhere under a ton of saw dust across the shop floor or all scratched up. Once you get to learn how to take them apart,you will become more daring on modifying them.

[Doug B]

Well, it's just as I feared Scott. There is no easy way to disassemble the PSI cartridge pens. The click mechanism is trapped between two press fittings on each end. You cannot "punch" either press fitting off without serious risk of damaging the plastic click mechanism.

You would have to find a way to "pull" the press fitting off the clip end somehow without damaging anything. Maybe you can find a nut that fits the threads and pull the fitting out. Even if you get that far, the rest might be even harder. You could pull the click mechanism out I think without too much trouble, but then you have to find a way to punch the upper barrel off the lower fitting, and that is going to be tough - my transfer punches won't reach that far down the tubes to get to the nib, and the chance of damaging the nib hardware is something to think about too and there is an equal chance that the nib fitting would come off before the fitting holding the upper barrel.

Wow, I think I'm going to be extra careful now that I know how hard it will be to disassemble one of those kits

I recommend you chalk it up to experience and hang on to that pen for yourself. Unless someone else has a better idea?

[autobodyman]

I don't know what kind of finish you have on it, but if you could mask off the area's you don't want refinished, scuff lightly and spray it with poly, at least that's probably what I would do or just make another one.

~Mike

[sdb777]

I was pulling on the thing after reading some post on this yesterday night. It ain't movin'! My thoughts were to get one end(fitting) off, pull the click stuff, and push the other end off with a 'squared off' screwdriver. Turn the wood(I have the bushings now), and then re-assemble.


Guess I'll be putting that one aside for my use, out of sight from others.



Scott (day two off of work) B