Hopeless Situation: Twsb Eco Piston Range Extremely Limited.

[RoaldEuller]

I somehow reassembled my TWSB ECO such that the piston only has about 1/4 inch play between the full down position and the maximum up position. In other words, I can only turn the knob about 1/2 turn, so I can't even open it enough to get the wrench between the knob and the body. What did I do wrong? I think I am completely hosed now since I have no hope of disassembling the piston mechanism since I can't get the wrench in. It was a brand new pen and I hadn't even inked it! Argh.

[LizEF]

I somehow reassembled my TWSB ECO such that the piston only has about 1/4 inch play between the full down position and the maximum up position. In other words, I can only turn the knob about 1/2 turn, so I can't even open it enough to get the wrench between the knob and the body. What did I do wrong? I think I am completely hosed now since I have no hope of disassembling the piston mechanism since I can't get the wrench in. It was a brand new pen and I hadn't even inked it! Argh.

 

So, the wrench which comes with the Eco is pretty fat. Is there any gap at all between the knob and the body? If so, perhaps a flatter metal wrench will fit in there. Some TWSBIs come with a metal wrench, but I'm reasonably certain you can find something like it at a hardware store (they don't look dissimilar to wrenches used on some power tools and even self-assembly furniture). I can measure the opening when I get home in a couple hours, if someone hasn't posted more info before then.

 

My first recommendation is to not force anything. Time and pondering generally does more good than force.

 

Any chance you can post a picture of the gap with it as open as it will go?

[LizEF]

PS: As for what you did wrong, you put the plunger/piston rod too far into the knob when reassembling. What confuses me is that if the wrench won't fit, how did you get it screwed back on? Cuz you have to use the wrench both ways...

[Notgatherox]

You could try pushing the piston out from the nib end. Remove the nib and attempt (gingerly!) to push the piston out with a toothpick (or skewer, if a toothpick is not long enough).

 

If you can remove it, look at the videos that show disassembly to get it back into the original state!

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps

 

 

 

~Epic

[RoaldEuller]

Thanks for the responses so far. I am not sure what I did wrong. I was trying to reassemble the mechanism and got increasingly frustrated. Most of the time the piston protruded too far out the back of the pen so I couldn't screw the knob down entirely. At some point the gasket at the end of the piston came off and got stuck at the bottom of the cylinder. I am not mechanically inept so this entire situation is quite galling to me.

 

I am going to try to go in from the nib end and see if i can push the piston any higher. I wasn't sure I could remove the nib on the ECO.

 

Thanks!

[alc3261]

Can I offer some advice?

People are taking pens apart for no reason at all, it isn't required normally.

You don't normally need to fully dismantle your pen.

I have about 10 TWSBIs (and lots of other pens). I have dismantled 1 Eco only because the piston was sticking.

Otherwise I leave well alone.

[LizEF]

I agree no point in taking it apart without need. Also, my "thinner wrench" idea is out - the part that fits in the gap is only a hair over 1mm thick - I think you're gonna have a hard time finding anything already made that's thinner. The only idea I could come up with is to grind one end of a thin metal ruler, for example, into a wrench shape, which would give you a "wrench" about .5mm thick.

 

For the record, however, it appears that the wrench is 9/32 (which really surprises me as I thought it would be metric, but it's slightly more than 7mm on my calipers, and exactly 9/32). Also, the gap on my Eco when the piston is as close to the nib as it will go is only 2mm.

 

Here's hoping pushing from the other side works! Best wishes for a complete repair!

[RoaldEuller]

Can I offer some advice?

People are taking pens apart for no reason at all, it isn't required normally.

You don't normally need to fully dismantle your pen.

I have about 10 TWSBIs (and lots of other pens). I have dismantled 1 Eco only because the piston was sticking.

Otherwise I leave well alone.

 

Excellent advice - In my defense, the pen was new and I had seen on youtube people like Goulet lubing his pens, so I thought I would see how it worked before I inked it up. Live and learn. Also, pushing from the nib end achieved nothing I can push the plunger back about 1/4 inch, at which point the knob has spun itself tight against the body of the pen.

[FarmBoy]

Instead of buying these and then having to fix them, just buy and Esterbrook.

[LizEF]

Excellent advice - In my defense, the pen was new and I had seen on youtube people like Goulet lubing his pens, so I thought I would see how it worked before I inked it up. Live and learn. Also, pushing from the nib end achieved nothing I can push the plunger back about 1/4 inch, at which point the knob has spun itself tight against the body of the pen.

 

OK, well, at least this makes sense. I'm using my un-inked Eco to visualize what's going on here, and the closer the piston end is to the nib, the larger the gap between the body and the knob. So pushing the piston away from the nib would tighten the knob. You need the opposite.

 

I think I would contact TWSBI to see what they can do for you - assuming you can't get a sufficient gap between the knob and the body of the pen to fit a make-shift wrench in there. (And if you really can only turn the knob 1/4 turn, then I can't imagine anything both thin and strong enough to do the job.)

 

I'm sorry you have to go through this.

[PaganArcher]

Can you possibly provide some photos of the pen as it sits now?

[JakobS]

Instead of buying these and then having to fix them, just buy and Esterbrook.

You definitely cannot beat an Esterbrook!

 

As far as getting the piston fixed, I would get in contact with TWSBI. As they probably have recieved this question a bit, they can provide a few remedies. I just got an Clear Eco with a 1.1mm nib and have been enjoying it immensely, so I hope you will be able to do so soon as well!

 

My rotation is now a Estie copper dollar with 9450 nib, a red Estie J with 3968 nib, a Burgundy Estie SM with 9668 nib, and a Twsbi Eco with 1.1mm, so getting a little brand variety in there....baby steps!

Edited October 24, 2016 by JakobS

[Flounder]

I too would be very curious to see photos of the pen as it is now.

[Erik Dalton]

Don't feel bad. You're not the first one to do this sort of thing and you won't be the last.

Years ago I did much the same thing with a Montblanc 146. I was pretty angry with myself and too embarrassed to ask anybody for advice. Thank goodness for YouTube and FPN...👍

Keep at it, try not to ruin any more of those tiny 'O' rings. It will work out.

I'm not the only one with my eco apart on the table trying to figure out how you accomplished this.

Some pics would help us help you.

[Rowbo]

I just bought one of these and could not resist having a 'play' - I like to know how to take things apart and put them back together again (sometimes having to make repairs on the way!).

 

Anyway, as has already been said, how did you manage to reassemble the piston mechanism [so tightly] into the pen without using the spanner (wrench). If you only screwed it in finger-tight then it could only require fingers to screw it out again to re-adjust the stroke.

 

Do not forget - it is a LEFT-HAND THREAD, you have to turn the mechanism clockwise, with the nib away from you, to unscrew it. If you are turning it the wrong way it just gets tighter.

[Rowbo]

I've just had a thought.

 

Get a length of string, 6 inches or longer, that fits into the groove where you would fit the wrench and wrap around a turn and a half (clockwise) around the mechanism so that the last turn is on top of the first and will stop it from slipping. Wrap the end of the string around your index finger in the same direction until your finger is right next to the pen. You can then hold the mechanism while turning the body of the pen to unscrew it. The string applies the torque to the mechanism, not the filling knob.

 

I tried it on mine, even after using the wrench to assemble it, and it worked ( a little surprisingly, perhaps).

 

Careful as you go!

[LizEF]

I've just had a thought.

 

Get a length of string, 6 inches or longer, that fits into the groove where you would fit the wrench and wrap around a turn and a half (clockwise) around the mechanism so that the last turn is on top of the first and will stop it from slipping. Wrap the end of the string around your index finger in the same direction until your finger is right next to the pen. You can then hold the mechanism while turning the body of the pen to unscrew it. The string applies the torque to the mechanism, not the filling knob.

 

I tried it on mine, even after using the wrench to assemble it, and it worked ( a little surprisingly, perhaps).

 

Careful as you go!

 

Brilliant! (Hopefully RoaldEuller sees this.)

[BMG]

Can I offer some advice?

People are taking pens apart for no reason at all, it isn't required normally.

You don't normally need to fully dismantle your pen.

I have about 10 TWSBIs (and lots of other pens). I have dismantled 1 Eco only because the piston was sticking.

Otherwise I leave well alone.

 

Hear, hear! I have dozens of pens and have been using them for neigh on twenty years and have yet to take one fully apart. Why, you ask. No need, no need! I just flush them with water when I change pens or inks, let them dry nib down in a cup with a crumpled paper towel in it for a day or two, then put them away until I wish to use them again. No hassles, no headaches, no broken pistons, cracked sections, blind caps or barrels, etc.

 

I wonder how many of the TWSBI horror stories were the result of folks with little to no knowledge of fountain pens dismantling them unnecessarily and then damaging them during re-assembly. :scratches-head:

[Erik Dalton]

Can I offer some advice?

People are taking pens apart for no reason at all, it isn't required normally.

You don't normally need to fully dismantle your pen.

I have about 10 TWSBIs (and lots of other pens). I have dismantled 1 Eco only because the piston was sticking.

Otherwise I leave well alone.

lol...It's all about boys and their toys. Some guys just like to tinker. No harm, no foul.

Go easy there, it's not the end of the world.

If you think one of the old thin metal TWISBI wrenches will fit in there I'll send you one.

[Erik Dalton]

I just bought one of these and could not resist having a 'play' - I like to know how to take things apart and put them back together again (sometimes having to make repairs on the way!).

 

Anyway, as has already been said, how did you manage to reassemble the piston mechanism [so tightly] into the pen without using the spanner (wrench). If you only screwed it in finger-tight then it could only require fingers to screw it out again to re-adjust the stroke.

 

Do not forget - it is a LEFT-HAND THREAD, you have to turn the mechanism clockwise, with the nib away from you, to unscrew it. If you are turning it the wrong way it just gets tighter.

1+ Brilliant. Hope you're around next time I get stuck.