Bats
Member
After far too long away from pens, I've got a request for a few that, due to some fancy work required on the rear barrel, have a frustratingly high failure rate (or low success rate) if I make them - like I've done in the past - as modified slimlines, thanks to the limited diameter allowed by the clips. So I'm looking at trying them in a fatter version this time, and I'm hoping some of you wonderful, talented, and knowledgeable people might have some wonderful, talented, and knowledgeable advice.
Ideal specs (in rough order of importance - I'll compromise where it can't be helped):
- It's a two-tube design, with a fairly straight rear barrel (a crash-taper or roundover to a smaller endcap could work) & can't have unusually short barrels (I'm looking at you, Patrizio - fond of you as I may be otherwise)
- Preferably a 0.5 - 0.6" dia rear barrel (I'd likely continue to use a narrower front barrel, for a pseudo-cap design), but nothing too huge, or requiring jumbo blanks.
- No center band, or at least a very discrete & minimal one (some band would likely be unavoidable on RB kit caps)
- A max per-kit price cap around $15, with good quality, but non-exotic, platings in the silver-to-black color spectrum (black Ti? maybe. but platinum Dayacom hardware just ain't in the cards for these)
- And ideally a Parker or rollerball (I've never liked writing with Cross refills), but... needs must when the devil drives.
I'm looking for simple/practical/straightforward solutions at this point - much as I'd love to try a kitless version, it's not viable in the timeframe. I do have a metal lathe, so simple (and internal/unfinished) mods & connectors aren't necessarily impossible, but probably better if they can be avoided.
Larger/deeper slimline clips would make for an easy fix, but I've never seen a source for them (and budget/price-point, lead time, and small batch size all pretty much rule out custom work).
Are there any fatter bandless kit options out there that I've overlooked, or that the band can be safely dropped from? Something like a cigar would be ideal but the mechanics don't seem like the center band(s) could be skipped and still maintain functionality (or am I wrong on that? I haven't made many). Or are there any handy mods/hacks I hadn't come across or remembered?
As fallbacks if I can't escape Cross territory, I've considered using a Euro (sans-band) but it's a bit narrower than I'd like - I worry that even 0.5" would be getting too tight for the clip without tapering - and I've often found the clip rings have a poor fit with the cap nut (maybe I just picked poor suppliers?). The Concava (0.52" based on bushing specs) looks like it might be a little better, but I've seen occasional complaints about the adjustable clip not properly, well, adjustablizing the clip (or is that only an issue with concave Concavas?). But I figured I should put out a call (read:desperate plea) for help before I take those paths if I don't have to.
Thank you for your assistance in this hour of great need,
-Bats
Ideal specs (in rough order of importance - I'll compromise where it can't be helped):
- It's a two-tube design, with a fairly straight rear barrel (a crash-taper or roundover to a smaller endcap could work) & can't have unusually short barrels (I'm looking at you, Patrizio - fond of you as I may be otherwise)
- Preferably a 0.5 - 0.6" dia rear barrel (I'd likely continue to use a narrower front barrel, for a pseudo-cap design), but nothing too huge, or requiring jumbo blanks.
- No center band, or at least a very discrete & minimal one (some band would likely be unavoidable on RB kit caps)
- A max per-kit price cap around $15, with good quality, but non-exotic, platings in the silver-to-black color spectrum (black Ti? maybe. but platinum Dayacom hardware just ain't in the cards for these)
- And ideally a Parker or rollerball (I've never liked writing with Cross refills), but... needs must when the devil drives.
I'm looking for simple/practical/straightforward solutions at this point - much as I'd love to try a kitless version, it's not viable in the timeframe. I do have a metal lathe, so simple (and internal/unfinished) mods & connectors aren't necessarily impossible, but probably better if they can be avoided.
Larger/deeper slimline clips would make for an easy fix, but I've never seen a source for them (and budget/price-point, lead time, and small batch size all pretty much rule out custom work).
Are there any fatter bandless kit options out there that I've overlooked, or that the band can be safely dropped from? Something like a cigar would be ideal but the mechanics don't seem like the center band(s) could be skipped and still maintain functionality (or am I wrong on that? I haven't made many). Or are there any handy mods/hacks I hadn't come across or remembered?
As fallbacks if I can't escape Cross territory, I've considered using a Euro (sans-band) but it's a bit narrower than I'd like - I worry that even 0.5" would be getting too tight for the clip without tapering - and I've often found the clip rings have a poor fit with the cap nut (maybe I just picked poor suppliers?). The Concava (0.52" based on bushing specs) looks like it might be a little better, but I've seen occasional complaints about the adjustable clip not properly, well, adjustablizing the clip (or is that only an issue with concave Concavas?). But I figured I should put out a call (read:desperate plea) for help before I take those paths if I don't have to.
Thank you for your assistance in this hour of great need,
-Bats