New problem for the troubleshooters!!

[sdb777]

Okay, here's the problem:

Information.....topic is usless without it!
Cartridge Pen from WoodnWhimies(sp?), they don't have instructions for whatever reason. But it is a PSI kit, and I looked at those assembly instruction(see, I knew not throwing that out was going to come in handy).
According to the instruction from PSI kit, all the pieces(tubes) are the correct lenght(I used a digital caliper).

Needing to find the cause to this problem.

Pen is fully assembled. When click mechanism is worked the refill doesn't extend quite far enough to 'look' right for writing(seems that it's about 1/16th too short). What do I need to 'tweak' in order for this to 'look' correct?
I do not have a disassembly 'thingy' tool!




Scott (pen masters, come to thee aid) B

[TDHofstetter]

MBoy. I've never done a click pen (I hate 'em deep in my soul). If it was a twist pen I'd say press the transmission another smidgen. Inasmuch as it's a click pen... I'd say you needed to do the same... except if I read the instructions at PSI correctly, you're now in an impossible spot.

[sachbvn]

Scott,

First thing - you need to get a shop binder - this can carry anything you want and be as organized or unorganized as you want - but if you are serious about pens, you need to get some of those plastic pages and keep a set of each instruction that you receive. Oh, FYI - PSI offers online printer friendly copies of everything them sell.

Hmmm.... is the plastic insert/clicker in the correct spot? Did it get shoved too far towards the top of the upper barrel? Having a hard time thinking of what could be "sorta" wrong - ya know? With clickers it's kind of like they work or they don't - not much middle ground.

Hmmmm..... - I'd be looking at that plastic insert and making sure it's installed correctly and not too far up in the upper barrel.


Zac

[Doug B]

No way to dis-assemble the cartridge pens. We went down that path once before, so the option of shortening a barrel is out. My very own cartridge pen that I use daily became mine when I added a Euro center band to the upper barrel and did not properly account for the added length . My mistake became my daily pen.

The problem was that the click mechanism did not work properly all the time. My solution was to add a tiny spacer out of a tiny dowel that when inserted on top of the ink refill made the mechanism work properly. That is a terrible fix and not something I would want a customer to have to worry about, so it became my pen. And I love it! But I have to be very careful not to lose that tiny wood spacer when I remove the ink refill for any reason. It took me several tries to get the correct thickness to make the pen work properly.

That's the only thing I can think of that might work for you Scott. A spacer (however you manage to make one that will be the right diameter and thickness) might just push the ink refill out far enough to make it look right. But it does not seem like it would be a permanent enough solution that you would want to have someone else have to worry about it. Maybe once you get the correct thickness figured out you could glue the spacer in with CA and everything would work fine from them on. In fact, I might just try that on my pen too.

Good luck!

P.S. I just thought of something else...you said the barrel length is correct, so I am wondering if maybe you got a short ink refill? Never heard of that happening, but with everything being made in China these days, I would definitely try out another ink refill and see if that was the problem. Just something else to try before you go to the trouble of doing something more permanent.

Oh, and my PSI cartridge pens have just over 2" tubes - I measured at 2.035" with the caliper.

[sdb777]

Thanks guys....still not sure exactly what to do.

Quick link to the pdf file on this pen: www.pennstateind.com/library/PFCPXX.pdf


Checked the refill lenght against the other five refills in the other kits. Seems to be actually the longest out of the bunch by 0.008" or 1/128"(not enough to matter).

Doug,
We must not be talking about the same kit...
My tube for the upper barrel(the one I turned with that pretty maple crotch from Gecko) measures 2.0312" or 2-1/32",
And the lower barrel(one piece with the brass) measures 1-.6875" or 1-11/16",

Which are both 'dead-on' for the instruction sheet.....



Zac,

The mechanism(3-pc click) has to sit against the lower plunger coupler, correct? Because that is where it is sitting.




This will be a daily writer for me. No way I'd take a chance sending this out into the world and someone having paid good money for it ending up pissed because of a problem!

Guess what I'll do is disassemble the lower section(the brass piece), trim it down on my brass trimmer(yes, I reload rifle cartridges and have more 'toys' for it then you could believe), and then trim the inner tube the same amount. Re-assemble and hope it 'looks' correct.......hope.



Thanks for the thoughts, I'll let you know what happens(after the 'one-that-must-be-obeyed' awakens.....I ain't gonna make her mad)!






Scott (wish I could sleep like that sometimes) B

[sachbvn]

Is it possible the plunger cap isn't screwed on as tightly as it could be? I'm not sure if this would make a difference - all I can think of is that the three piece click mechanism is just slightly out of place. It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong......hmmmm.....

Here - try this..... what I do to make sure the plunger cap is good and tight is get the whole pen together - minus the plunger cap, unscrew the nib - DO NOT lose the spring, remember, nothing is holding that spring in place now - in fact, take the spring and carefully lay it aside. Hold the pen in one hand and press the ink refill towards the back (or top as you may call it) of the pen. Basically - your finger is acting like the spring. Press firmly and while you are pressing it down, with your other hand, tighten the plunger cap down snuggly. This stops the ink refill from just wanting to spin as you are trying to tighten the plunger cap. This works best when the little wax ball/tip is still on the tip of the ink stick.

Let me know whats up.


Zac

[sdb777]

Zac,

Got the pen right here beside me, and I did pretty much what you said to do, i didn't want to bend the refill so I used a piece of steel rod. Didn't feel anything move?

Re-assembled with the refill and and 'click'......still short.


I think I need to shorten the entire lenght of the pen....I only need about 1/16th of an inch more of the refill to be exposed to make it 'look' correct. By making the pen shorter, I should have more of the refill exposed....correct?




Scott (guess I need a photo) B

[Doug B]

Might be time to try using your own cartridge for the lower barrel. You have to cut both ends of the cartridge go get it to the correct size, but I have done it once and only once, just to see if it was possible.

The reason I say that is that the PSI lower barrel "cartridge" is coated (probably in Lacquer) and may be damaged by trimming it. And, you have to make sure the threads on the nib coupler allow the tube to be shortened too - that would suck to shorten the casing then not be able to get the connector hardware off the lower brass tube to trim it. You might be able to get those connectors off without damaging anything, but I wouldn't count on it. So, bottom line I'd hate to lose a PSI casing from the kit if it turns out that there is some other reason that the pen is not working right - I don't think you can get replacement parts for that kit. I tried once and Woodturningz sent me a new part, but they did not have the parts for sale.

And yes, a brass trimmer is essentially the same thing as a barrel trimmer - in fact, one of the trimmers I use came from my reloading brass trimmer. So you cut the cartridge close to final size and then use the trimmer to get it exact. Chamfer both the ends too.

If you don't have a way to cut the cartridge Harbor Freight has a tiny cutoff saw that works great. PSI has the same exact one for almost twice the cost. www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42307

www.pennstateind.com/store/TUBESAW.html

It is a real cheaply made saw, but it actually works very well for cutting pen tubes.

Oh, and those kits are the same as the ones I make. I'll go check a few of the kit tubes later on and see why the one I measured was slightly long. Probably operator error.


Good luck!