Shopsmith Forums

Well I made my first pen today. It wasn't that hard. I had to find the right setup (gouge and chisel support height). I was trying to attach picture. How do I make it 600x800?

Navycop, download IrfanView -- it's free.

Then run the program and open the photo you want to downsize. Click on the menu item "image" and then on "resize/resample" Then simply select the new size you want for the image and then save it under a slightly different name.

Okay. Here is my first pen. I just used some minwax stain I had left from another project. I think I could of went down closer to the bushings. I know they sell extra ink refills, but do they sell extra springs for the pen kits?

I was having the same problem. After spinning out 3 in a row, I examined the tool I was using. The shank of the cutter had a larger diameter where the end trimmer was. I had it adjusted so that larger diameter entered the tube and grabbed it. That was an easy fix for that problem. I have a trimmer from PSI.

I did my second click pen today. The problem is it doesn't click. I can get it to work (both top and bottom halves) when they are apart. As soon as I put them together the ink tube does not extend out the nib. Does this mean I cut the bottom part to long? I marked it at the end of the tube.

I believe that this may be your problem. This is for the twist pens so not sure if the click pens are set up the same. If you have the brass tubes even with the turned stock I believe what your issue may be is that you didn't insert the inner section coupling far into the blank. Usually there is a line around the outside of the inner section and it is inserted into the blank to that line. I have had that happen before where I didn't press it in far enough and the tip of the pen would not extend out far enough.

Navycop;
Some of the pen kits require that the twist mechanism be pressed further into the blanks to a depth other than the scribed line on the mechanism. An example is the "cartridge bullet " pen from Rockler and Woodcraft. Download the instruction for this pen from either of these sites and you will see what I am talking about. The correct insertion of the mechanism is critical to the successful assembly and operation of the pen.
Bill V

rkh2 wrote:you didn't insert the inner section coupling far into the blank. Usually there is a line around the outside of the inner section and it is inserted into the blank to that line.

I didn't need to insert an inner section. The pen just had the brass tubes and the ink tube (woodcraft kit #127671).

i have not made any click pens, but if you ask for help at penturners.org i am sure those guys will help you figure it out.

Looking at the instructionsfor that pen kit on the Woodcraft website, did you make and use the "press block" that is called for? If not, you may have compressed the click mechanism when you pressed the pen together, damaging it and preventing it from operating correctly when it is under the tension of the spring.