i've put my .02 in about this already... but i did mark mine off, it does 3 complete turns. although after BARELY turning it goes to a completely loose feeling... to me having literally all the threads engaged it shouldn't feel loose like that.
I'm hating myself already for what follows, I already don't get responses from casey or cashmere with blunt questions in PMs like "Do you have an M-401 adapter for the protege in stock?"
Being an ex-machinist I know for a fact, eventually the end-cap to tube connection *will* fail. Having made Thousands of different parts with threads on them, FIXING threads other people screwed up, or in this case drilling, re-tapping, and inserting a bigger insert in something to put threads in something that has been stripped out (impossible to do with the protege). I can safely say I know what a bad pair of threads look like.
Seriously go open your machinists bible/handbook and look up how to make threads (every
good engineer I've met has one, and so does every machinist I've met)... the internal threads are definitely not to recommended standards. The tube would've had to have been a larger diameter, the end-cap's threads would have a larger overall diameter, the threads would be cut deeper in the tube, and a WHOLE LOT more than just the very tip of the threads on the end-cap would be engaging. The inside threads should look a lot more like the threads on the end-cap, not just a tiny Feed-Line sized anomaly on the inside of the tube.
Great Visualization of this here:
The moment the threads on the end-cap get worn that cap is going to be worthless. YES they will wear, especially with the protected batteries that the protege was "designed for". Stainless on Stainless, or Any metal on Any like metal means they will Both wear from normal use. The added stress on the threads of the longer protected battery over daily & maybe even twice daily battery changes
will take it's tole on the threads.
I don't know if they cheesed the threads on the prodigy like that, but I'm guessing they didn't... by now there would be a flood of complaints if they did.
Don't get me wrong, I love the protege - so far - but the moment those threads give out I'm gonna be one unhappy camper. Having to be oh so careful to just put the end-cap on there without cross-threading fearing I'll mess up the sharp threads of the end-cap and in turn render my protege completely useless somewhat sucks. The Protege could have been made the same diameter as the largest diameter of the adapter without having anyone fuss about the threads... or the potential for problems in the future.
I actually want to make another tube and end-cap - just to prove a point. I can EASILY make this tube on Manual Machines, and do it Right. Just because I look all pretty boy in that picture doesn't make me an idiot, or not know what I'm talking about, it's just making the time to go do it, and getting permission to borrow the machines. I could probably make it out of scrap in laying around in the shop too, solid piece of round stock would work.
If you pride yourself on "Made in America" and making something "Right" why did you break COMMON machinist & engineering lets say "Rules"?
Of course I don't really expect to be heard or get an answer, because if you can't answer if you have an adapter, you're not going to tell me why you thought cutting corners and priding yourself about it was a good idea.
Anyone who feels like it - go ahead Flame Me,
but READ up before you do.
Sorry PS, It's been on my mind for a while now... and i thought maybe this being known will make the Prodigy v2 even better. Even if you don't reply to me, I currently don't like what i see in other mods, and will probably order the other adapters for the protege & even the prodigy v2...
