Joey's 700N mod
- Length
- 20.5 cm
- Weight
- 17.6 g
- Creator
- Joey
- Insert
- Yes
Materials
- 700N (cap): 2
- Pilot BPS-GP (grip, tip): 2
- Lion GL-530 (grip tip, grip, gripped body section, clicker, crown): 2
- Colors-in-Motion twist crayon (body): 1
- Insert: 1
- electrical tape: As needed
Steps
Step 1 Prepare the twist crayon
Empty the twist crayon and cut it to 12 cm
Step 2 Prepare the 700N
Only the cap of the 700N is used
Step 3 Take the GL-530 apart
After taking it apart, keep only these five parts, two of each:
(1) grip tip
(2) grip
(3) the gripped section of the body
(4) clicker
(5) crown
Step 4 Cut the GL-530
Prepare part (3) and part (5) as shown
Note: GL-530 plastic is hard and brittle — cut it carefully with a fret saw
Step 5 Cut the BPS-GP grip
Only the grip and tip of the BPS-GP are used. Cut the grip like this:
Cut at the 16th line counting from the front
Cut 4 mm from the back
This gives the three pieces of grip shown
Step 6 Prepare the insert and electrical tape
Insert: 9.6 cm, one sheet
Electrical tape: 5 cm × 1.1 cm, two pieces
Note: you can adjust the insert width. Paper weights differ, and the insert’s weight affects the overall centrifugal feel — if it feels too weak or too strong, change the insert width to adjust the weight
Step 7 Assemble the cap: put on the BPS-GP grip
Put the BPS-GP grip on in this direction as shown
Step 8 Assemble the cap: screw on the GL-530 plastic tip
Screw on the GL-530 plastic tip until it’s exactly flush with the front edge of the grip
Step 9 Assemble the cap: insert the middle BPS-GP grip piece
Put the middle BPS-GP grip piece into the GL-530 crown
Step 10 Assemble the cap: put the crown on the grip tip
Put the crown on the grip tip; the grip inside should hold the tip in place
If fitted correctly, it should look like the second photo from the top
Step 11 Assemble the cap: put on the GL-530 grip
Stretch the GL-530 grip in this direction and put it on
The grip stretches somewhat — stretch it as far as the first line below
Note: the front of the GL-530 grip has a seam — be very careful when widening it with scissors, as it splits easily (the second photo shows one that split)
Step 12 Assemble the cap: insert the BPS-GP tip
Put the BPS-GP tip into the cap and push it in as far as you can with a stick
Note: how deep you push it in determines the final centrifugal feel — measure carefully so both caps match, or the pen will easily be unbalanced
Step 13 Assemble the body
Assemble the body as shown
The clicker acts as a “feel adjuster” here: set a rough depth first, then decide how deep to place it — or leave it out — when you test spin
- The deeper it goes, the more it offsets the centrifugal feel — better for reversals and complex combos
- The shallower it goes, the stronger the centrifugal feel — good for big tricks
- Without it, the feel is simpler, the pen is lighter overall and the centrifugal feel is strong
Step 14 Final assembly
Put on the 4 mm BPS-GP grip piece as shown (mind the direction: cut side toward the cap)
and push the 700N caps on firmly all the way — done!
Notes
#### Notes on materials
1. Use the new 700N — the version with the longer lower edge
2. Colors-in-Motion twist crayons are the easiest to find — most stationery shops have them. Basically any twist crayon about as thick as the 700N body works, but with other brands or bodies the feel isn’t guaranteed to be similar
3. Colors-in-Motion has quality issues — you might get a bent body, so pick carefully when buying
4. Colours are up to you. The author’s red one looks smoky because it uses the rarer “grey” barrel; the materials photo shows the more transparent “silver” one
The gripped section of the GL-530 body (part 3) is very brittle and easy to crush when changing inserts. Once you’ve settled on an insert, avoid taking it apart again. (Thanks to 賴寬鴻 for the tip)
From the creator
Thoughts on the feel:
An important impression: “this pen needs a warm-up”
Because the body is long and the twist crayon is a bit slippery, there’s a good part of the day when I can’t control it well — before recording, I need to spin it for a while to get the grip back in my fingers
Once warmed up, though, it definitely feels good — I think it’s great for reversal combos and infinity-type tricks (both ends grip really well)
I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but it meets my expectations for combining the 700N with a twist crayon — which is exactly why I made it
Photos: Joey