Pen press and methods

A pen assembling press comprising:

• a base having spaced apart first and second legs and an intermediate section extending between and maintaining the spacing between the first and second legs, the first and second legs and intermediate section forming a base channel therebetween;
• press unit including:
• a push rod carrying a first engagement head;
• a lever connected to the push rod, actuation of the lever moving the push rod relative to the base along an actuation axis;
• a carriage carrying a second engagement head, the second engagement head being coaxial with the first engagement head along the actuation axis such that actuation of the lever moves the push rod and first engagement head toward or away from the second engagement head along the actuation axis, the carriage being movably mounted to the base, the carriage including spaced apart first and second carriage legs defining a carriage channel therebetween, the carriage straddling the base with the base positioned at least in part within the carriage channel with the first and second legs and intermediate section positioned, at least in part, between the first and second carriage legs;
• a positioning arrangement between the carriage and the base to selectively fix the position of the carriage relative to the base along the actuation axis, the positioning arrangement including:
• a slot extending through the first leg in a direction perpendicular to the actuation axis, the slot extending lengthwise parallel to the actuation axis, the slot having a constant height section having a height;
• a plurality of recesses offset along the actuation axis adjacent the constant height section;
• and
• a pin having a shaft and an a head, the pin being carried by the carriage, the head being sized to be received in the recesses, shaft having a thickness being substantially equal to the height of the constant height section of the slot, the pin being movable relative to the carriage within the slot along a pin axis that is perpendicular to the actuation axis to selectively engage and disengage the recesses, when the head is removed from the recesses, the carriage being movable along the actuation axis relative to the base, when the head is inserted into one of the recesses, the carriage being fixed along the actuation axis relative to the base.