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Baron Pen Kits.

Maurice

Full Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Posts
89
Location
Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
I have recently bought several Baron Kits from T/R and I have found problems with all of them. I have found that the brass tubes have not been cut square and that they will not take the Baron bushes or the baron barrel trimmer also supplied by T/R. I have had to sand the inside of the tubes to make them fit for use. I wonder if the tubes are not truly round. Before I realised this problem I damaged a coupling and a gold trim on a fountain pen trying to insert them, so I now have a turned pen needing spares. Today after having the same problem with the roller ball brass tubes I come to fit the pen together and find there was no spring in the kit and I am now waiting for T/R to phone me back!.
Is this a common problem with these pen kits and would I therefore be better off swapping to another design.
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
I have never had any of these issues Maurice, but i have lost the spring unknowingly when opening the kit packet. Once i have realised that the spring was missing a quick minute on my hands and knees scouring my shed floor usually pays dividends .. If you have a problem with Timberbits i am 100% confident that David will put things right ... :bwink:
 

rowdyyates115

It's Showtime.....
Registered
Joined
Jun 22, 2013
Posts
2,155
Location
Portsmouth, UK
Maurice, so far touch wood I have had no issues with any kits from Timberbits. I have just received a batch (no Barons though) so I will check them out..
Cheers for the Heads Up.....:thumbs:
 

bellringer

The Young one
Registered
Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Posts
5,187
Location
Surrey
First Name
Alex
I have recently bought several Baron Kits from T/R and I have found problems with all of them. I have found that the brass tubes have not been cut square and that they will not take the Baron bushes or the baron barrel trimmer also supplied by T/R. I have had to sand the inside of the tubes to make them fit for use. I wonder if the tubes are not truly round. Before I realised this problem I damaged a coupling and a gold trim on a fountain pen trying to insert them, so I now have a turned pen needing spares. Today after having the same problem with the roller ball brass tubes I come to fit the pen together and find there was no spring in the kit and I am now waiting for T/R to phone me back!.
Is this a common problem with these pen kits and would I therefore be better off swapping to another design.

i have had trouble with t/r bushing had to take them to collage to turn down i also think the quality of the tb kit better
 

bellringer

The Young one
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Surrey
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Alex
I am also waiting for four orders from timber bit :devil: 20 barons in there so will check each one as have had tubes the wrong size before but David sorted it for me no hassle
 

Woody

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Jul 12, 2013
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12,812
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at home
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no
I have never had a problem with any T/B kits in fact exactly the opposite nothing but quality
 

Woody

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Jul 12, 2013
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at home
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Sorry Maurice got that one wrong I stopped buying pen kits from T/R years ago to expensive but if you give David a call he will eventually get back to you and I'm sure he will sort it for you
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
Guys he's not talking about Timberbits.

He talking about Turners Retreat I think.

I have never had any of these issues Maurice, but i have lost the spring unknowingly when opening the kit packet. Once i have realised that the spring was missing a quick minute on my hands and knees scouring my shed floor usually pays dividends .. If you have a problem with Timberbits i am 100% confident that David will put things right ... :bwink:

I believe i was the one who mentioned T/B's ... :whistling: Well it is a long time since i gave David a plug ... :tongue:
 

PhillH

Little Grandad
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Jun 18, 2013
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3,436
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Solihull - A Tyke in Exile
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Phill
Well I'll give them another, ordered a load of kits yesterday and emailed to see if they did spare Baron caps, couldn't see them on the site.

I lost one ages ago.

Vera very kindly said they'd put one in with the order FOC.

Can't say fairer than that can you ?

:thumbs:
 

bellringer

The Young one
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Joined
Feb 27, 2013
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5,187
Location
Surrey
First Name
Alex
Well I'll give them another, ordered a load of kits yesterday and emailed to see if they did spare Baron caps, couldn't see them on the site.

I lost one ages ago.

Vera very kindly said they'd put one in with the order FOC.

Can't say fairer than that can you ?

:thumbs:

Vera is very good at sorting problem I think she dose a lot of the work
 

Maurice

Full Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Posts
89
Location
Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Hi all, yes I was talking about kits bought from Turners Retreat not Timber bits. The problem is with the brass tubes. I could not get the bushes into the tubes even before gluing them or the barrel trimmer supplied to fit the Baron Kits The spring really was missing!
As an update I have spoken to Turners Retreat this morning and they are sending me a replacement rollerball kit for free so that I can use it as spares for the pens I had problems with. Good customer service.
Recently I bought several Seirra kits from an internet supplier I have used in the past and found that the nib assemblies were too small for the brass tubes. When he checked his stock of 100 he found the same problem and refunded me.
I think the moral of these stories is to check every component prior starting to turn anything no matter where you get them from.
So Terry you can breath a sigh of relief, your kits should be ok
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
Maurice, after reading your posts about these issues it really does prove that it is the luck of the draw. I have bought kits from just about every pen site available and never had any issues, but i will start and make regular checks as your issues proves that this can happen .. Now bushings, i have issues galore ... :down:
 

Bluefoxy

Full Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2013
Posts
173
Location
London
I have had many problems with kits from Turners Retreat in the past but never with Timberbits. TR always send replacement kits with the same design faults!

Ray
 

AllenN

Fellow
Joined
May 20, 2013
Posts
2,242
Location
Lancaster, UK
First Name
Allen
I have had a number of Barons from Turner's Retreat with no problems. I did find I needed to ream the shaft of the barrel trimmer, but once that was done everything was fine. I managed to loose a component from one of my Baron kits and Turner's Retreat sent me a replacement foc so no complaints on service from me. Whilst meaning no disrespect to Timberbits, we should also perhaps remember that Turner's Retreat are in the UK and that means UK jobs. Goodness knows we have lost enough of those. :thumbs:
Allen
 

bellringer

The Young one
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Feb 27, 2013
Posts
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Location
Surrey
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Alex
I have had a number of Barons from Turner's Retreat with no problems. I did find I needed to ream the shaft of the barrel trimmer, but once that was done everything was fine. I managed to loose a component from one of my Baron kits and Turner's Retreat sent me a replacement fox so no complaints on service from me. Whilst meaning no disrespect to Timberbits, we should also perhaps remember that Turner's Retreat are in the UK and that means UK jobs. Goodness knows we have lost enough of those. :thumbs:
Allen

The baron kit for aus is different for the turners retreat one
 
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