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Parker Vacumatic Nib Seating


Cryptos

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Okay, title more or less says it all. I have a user grade Vacumatic (Golden Pearl varietal) and it is an absolute joy to write with! However, when left overnight I noticed a slight pooling of ink in the top of the section that froms a small drop when writing for the first time that day. After that, while in use, there are no other issues.

 

Now, I looked on the Web and it seems that sometimes the nib and feed are not correctly seated. So, taking a deep breath I grabbed both and applied some gentle pressure. The nib and feed went further into the section. Now, I don't know if there is a stop on the back end of the section so I do not know whether I have done something harmful here (it's all a learning process).

 

The pen still writes brilliantly, and perhaps marginally wetter - though that could be my imagination. I have not noticed the seeping... yet. Will see what it looks like tomorrow morning.

 

Anyway, I am sure the more experienced here (i.e. everyone else) is probably sucking air through clenched teeth and shaking their head in disapproval.

 

Please tell me I haven't done something irretrievably bad!

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Nope, there shouldn't be a stop on Vacumatic sections; they just have a plain cylindrical opening. On two of mine the feed goes slightly beyond the end of the section and it does not cause a problem.

 

You haven't done anything bad and the good news is that if you, for whatever reason, want to line the feed up with the top of the section all you have to do is reposition it.

 

However, if there is a slight leak at the section threads I would be more worried about whether or not it is properly sealed (i.e. water-tight).

Edited by Tylerjordan
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Okay, thanks for the reassurance! Need that :)

 

There is no leak at the section threads. The slight build up ink was where the nib/feed insert into the section. Could be just creep I guess. Not a major problem, but I thought it would be best to ask.

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Just be aware that the Vac uses a breather tube & that there must be sufficient clearance between the end of the breather tube & the diaphragm when the plunger is pushed down all the way. Usually there is minimal clearance, in honor of the god of enormous ink capacity. Depending upon the geometry at play, if the feed is pushed too far in, there could be interference between the breather tube & the extended diaphragm, which could lead to breakage of the tube (resulting in less ink capacity), premature failure of the diaphragm due to abrasion &/or a shorter plunger stroke if the tube stops the plunger from fully extending the diaphragm (more strokes required to fill).

 

On a translucent barrel the required clearance can be visually verified particularly if a strong backlight is applied while the plunger is fully depressed.

 

With an opaque barrel, it might be possible to check for interference by very slowly & gently depressing the plunger until the slightest resistance is felt, & then applying a tad more pressure to see if it'll go down further. I'm thinking that if the breather tube is flexible it will bend slightly. I've never had to try this "test" so I cannot opine on its effectiveness.

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And now I am all worried again. Will check that when i get home from school today.

 

Even in the worst case scenario there wouldn't be any major damage, breather tubes & diaphragms are easily replaceable.

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And now I am all worried again. Will check that when i get home from school today.

 

Cryptos,

 

I know you better than that! Nothing to worry about. Just check the clearance when you can. Nothing bad will happen till you do. Keep enjoying your vac. In the future, however, warm the section a little (carefully with a hairdryer or heat gun to about 120 degrees F- use your fingers to feel how hot) before you push the nib into the section. It does two things; 1) it makes it easier to adjust, 2) it minimizes the chance that the section will crack from stress on cold plastic.

 

I'd bet your leak is gone- :) Clayton

"Not a Hooker Hooker, but rather a left-handed overwriter."

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  • 4 weeks later...

Resurrecting this. Still getting annoying bit of leakage from where the nib/feed slots into the section. It writes and writes and eventually enough ink builds up in the mouth of the section to blob onto the page. This is getting damned frustrating as it is one of my favourite journalling writers.

 

So, does the nib/feed pull straight out? And if it does would putting silicone grease in the section help?

 

Bit desperate to save the pen from the bin and cannot afford a restorer right now.

 

Cheers.

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Normally the friction-fit nib/feed assembly is pretty tight in the Vacumatic section, probably by design in order to avoid seepage (recall that the ink reservoir is the barrel). So if you can pull them out with your fingers, that may be the problem. In my experience I've always had to drive out the nib/feed using a hollow rod over my removal block after unscrewing the section, the latter generally entailing a good dry heat application to loosen the section sealant.

 

Always check the roundness of the section hole for starters. It may have taken a "set" such that it mates with the nib/feed assembly at a particular location.

 

Don't use silicone or any other sealant on the nib/feed, rather decrease the inside diameter of the section by "painting" it with shellac. After the first coat dries, try re-inserting the nib/feed assembly, add a second coat as warranted etc. You can always remove a bit of the dried shellac using a small object as a dowel such as a drill bit with a bit of very fine sandpaper. This operation is best done with the section unscrewed from the pen. When removing the section, ensure that the nib/feed assembly is in place so as to prevent the section from being squished.

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Too complicated for me - I am not that quick in learning stuff unfortunately.

 

I think it will have to go in the bag of other pens heading to Mr Fudge.

 

It's crushing at times. I don't want museum pieces. Decent user grades are all I ask and now I have been disappointed with several from sellers who claim to be expert repairers. Bloody annoying.

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post-92613-0-84694800-1410840435.jpg

 

Cryptos,

 

Here's a picture of what it looks like when the section has taken a 'set.'

 

Pull the nib and look very carefully at the mouth of the section and see if it looks sort of oval. The nib may only fit well in one spot. just make sure you use a little heat and position it where it fits best into the section. You can do this, Make sure the nib and feed are very snug in the section and ink it up again and test, I would bet this will solve your challenge. If it doesn't...then send it to Danny. :)

"Not a Hooker Hooker, but rather a left-handed overwriter."

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Okay, hmmm, it's full of ink at the moment so I will have a go at this on the weekend. I am not that confident in doing it though. Pen cost me $58, and the seller said it was fully restored. Seemed like a nice guy and he sells a lot of pens, and then this happens. Maybe just bad luck.

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Alright. I pulled the nib and feed, and I couldn't see any irregularity to the shape of the inner section, so I stuffed the nib and feed back in and inked it up. It's odd. It writes and writes and then I get a blob from the feed and then it behaves normally until the next day when it does it all again. Leaky diaphragm perhaps?

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Leaky diaphragm would be my next step on checklist. I've had two diaphragms goo-ify and have to be replaced at 6-8 months. Or it could be the very slightest of pinholes.

"Not a Hooker Hooker, but rather a left-handed overwriter."

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FWIW,

When I have to knock out a nib and feed I always make a small marking with crayon on the section to indicate where the top of the nib was, so I can keep the original alignment.

 

Regards,

Rob

rowingbiker

Paterswolde, The Netherlands

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Okay. I flushed the pen, pulled the nib and feed again and had another look. This time with a flashlight. The inner part of the section did look a little oval, so I applied a small amount of heat and set the nib and feed back in such a way that I think it fits more tightly. Filled her up with Diamine Sargasso Sea. Looking good so far. I also adjusted the position of the nib on the feed. Seems better now.

 

Will see what she's like in the morning.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys.

 

<now to go wash ink off my hands>

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