Converting Roller balls to Fountain pens

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gtanajewski

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Occasionally at craft shows customers want the lets say Statesman roller ball you have in stock but want it in the wood you have made up as a Statesman fountain pen, or visa versa. How do you handle this? Do you try to salvage the roller ball spring by removing it and putting it in the new pen? When I try this, it tears the spring up. Alternatively, do you maintain a supply of springs?
 
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Corbitt,
this is going to be difficult to explain. but this is what I did.
remove the nib to the rollerball.
using the refill push it down into the spring and rotate it clockwise,(looking down from the nib end of the pen)
this will expand the spring and the refill will actually slip into the end of it. when you can let go of the refill and it will not fall out of the pen you know you got it stuck into the end of the spring.
now do not just pull straight out. twist the refill in a counter clock wise direction. do not pull on the refill just lightly turn it. after two or three turns the spring will either come out stuck to the end of the refill or you can tip the pen and it will fall out. I just removed and replace the spring in my statesman three times.
It is touchy and I don't really want to try it again. but it does work when you get it just right.
 
I'm not quite sure what kind of spring the Statesman rollerball has so I can't post with full authority. Some of my rollerball kits have springs that fall out when the refill is removed. For the ones that don't, I have a little dental pick that has a small hook on the end of it. I can catch the springs and pull them out of the tubes without damaging them. I got a set of these picks at Harbor Freight(?) or Northern Tool for a couple of bucks. I have also seen them in the corner hardware store.
 
Randy,
The springs in the Statesman are larger and heavier than the springs I hae seen in the other kits. It also locks into the bottom of the barrel. I actually pulled on one before I assembled the pen and it really holds on. simply pulling on it will just stretch it out.
 
Randy, I have a dental pick that I use with no luck. It tears the spring up when pulled out. The leaving the spring out idea is food for thought. Daniel, I will certainly try your method.

Thanks to you both
 
I think we need to jump on the kit suppliers. If they included a spring with every kit, no matter what type, then you could install the spring in every kit.

If it is a roller ball the spring serves a function. If it is a fountain pen, the spring would be in there but not be doing anything.

That way you could simply change the feed end and cartridge between fountain and roller ball and not worry about the spring.

I can't imagine the spring making a significant price difference in the kit.

Other option would be if the supplier would sell extra springs. Say 10 for $1.00 or something. That would help for the springs that roll under the workbench and get lost in the wood chips also. It is heartbreaking to have to order another pen kit just to get a spring.
 
Additional "parts" is where the supplier makes a killing$$$$, very much doubt that they would cut us a break and offer 10 for $1.00. Look at the cost of pen transmission (10 for $7.00). How can this be when you can purchase a complete slimline for $1.65 or so? I'm with you here Mac, "Mr. retailer sell at a reasonable and fair price..."
 
Originally posted by wood-of-1kind
<br />Additional "parts" is where the supplier makes a killing$$$$, very much doubt that they would cut us a break and offer 10 for $1.00. Look at the cost of pen transmission (10 for $7.00). How can this be when you can purchase a complete slimline for $1.65 or so? I'm with you here Mac, "Mr. retailer sell at a reasonable and fair price..."
Click to expand...

NOthing to add except ME TOO![:0]
 
Originally posted by Mac In Oak Ridge
<br />
If it is a fountain pen, the spring would be in there but not be doing anything.
Click to expand...

If you use cartridges and keep a spare cartridge in you pen (some have room some don't)a small spring keeps the spare from rattleing.
 
Some pretty good points are brought up here. I just looked at multiple Statesman Pens (since that was the example given) and on every one of them the spring came out with very little effort and none of the springs stretched or bent at all when removed. I didn't have to twist them out or anything, either- they just pulled straight out. I wonder if perhaps we had a tighter batch of springs at one point. As for including the springs in every pen, I will bring that up and see if that is an option. If it does happen, it will not be for a little while, however, since we have to order our pens months in advance. I'll also bring up the option of selling springs by themselves. If there is, then we'll certainly carry them. In the mean time, it might be a good idea to keep an extra kit or two at your shows for conversion ability. I realize that this isn't always possible but if you have a kit at home that you can bring, or even a spring from another kit, that would do the trick.
 
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