How To Tighten An Esterbrook Cap Band.

[777]

Hey guys and gals,

 

I have a Pesky Esterbrook J with a cap band that will not stay on tight. It wiggles and spins and bugs me greatly. How do you get the band to fit better? I think you're supposed tio use heat to somehow expand the cap plastic or something.

 

Can someone help me here. I already tried epoxy but that's not working. It's to loose for that.

 

Regards,

777

[FarmBoy]

You want to swage the ring in place. Swaging is a technical term for compressing the ring radially until it fits tightly. You do need a special one-use tool to do it.

 

Your other options (which I do not endorse) are the glue of your choice and shellac. Expanding the cap to fit the band really isn't an option that works very well.

 

The other solution is to find a different cap and use the spinner as a jewel donor.

 

Todd

[777]

Thanks farmboy. Could I ask you this - Were can I get the tools for doing this properly?

 

 

I don't mind spending some good money if the tools work well and will last me. I hope it's not to hard to swag the metal band.

 

Regards,

777

[FarmBoy]

Thanks farmboy. Could I ask you this - Were can I get the tools for doing this properly?

 

 

I don't mind spending some good money if the tools work well and will last me. I hope it's not to hard to swag the metal band.

 

Regards,

777

I use a 5C collet attachment on my lathe. Sort of over kill. Search ebay for a 5C collet set. You only need by the inserts that fit your pens. Wrap the band in a thin metal strip to prevent scaring.

 

Fountainbel here on FPN put up some instructions and pictures. If I find the post I'll link it here.

 

Todd

[Rabbit]

I tried the cap expansion thing once as an experiment, and it didn't go well at all. I still want to belive that it could be done, but obviously not the way I tried it.

 

--Stephen