User Guidelines Draft For Fountainbel "bulkfiller"

[fountainbel]

Hi all,

 

Conid just made a first draft of the user guidelines / instructions for the "bulk filler", see below.

 

Your input/remarks and suggestions on the clarity of the leaflet and more specifically on the" step by step" filling instructions are most welcome !

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Francis

 

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Fountainbel%20Bulk%20filler/Bulkfilleruserinstructions.jpg

Edited July 4, 2012 by fountainbel

[basterma]

I assume there will be some text to accompany this? As it stands now, it is too crowded. Steps 3 and 6 are not clear. Are they things the user has to do or things the user should see to confirm the pen is working properly? Excuse the question, but is there a difference between step 8 and "How to Write"? Shouldn't the pen be ready for writing after filling?

 

One can tell Conid put a lot of time into this. Nice graphics and an all around great job.

 

Will there be a link on Conid's website to a clip that shows how to fill the pen? That could be a nice touch that would set Conid aside from other company sites.

[mongrelnomad]

I would break it up a little and add some text. Maybe spread it over four pages rather than two.

 

(I've purchased one of the first batch and easily awaiting its arrival, so this a big deal for me!)

 

Excuse the question, but is there a difference between step 8 and "How to Write"? Shouldn't the pen be ready for writing after filling?

 

 

I have a few plunger-fillers and you need to loosen the internal seal in order for the ink to flow. Very safe mechanism, but requires an extra step when ready to write...

[hari317]

Francis, one suggestion regarding the 1.5mm tail knob opening gap. Would it be better that Conid mark a yellow or any other color line there, such that the user is supposed to unscrew the knob till the line becomes visible. Once the line is visible, it indicates the valve is open, now they can stop unscrewing. Many non technical people are not able to judge distances/gaps just by sight and this will remove the guesswork and make life easy for them.

 

Also is it a better idea to keep the nib pointing towards the open ink bottle when the plunger is pushed into the "park" position(step 7) since the voulume of the incoming plunger rod and head might displace some ink out of the reservoir.

 

Also in the disassembly instructions, you need to show a step between 2 and 3 with the end cover being removed.

 

Best

Hari

Edited July 4, 2012 by hari317

[sirksael]

In my experience, it is not necessary to open the valve for short writing sessions, only if you want to write more than, let's say, one full page.

Having seen and operated the pen I have some advantage, but to me all the steps are clear. Perhaps you could split out the "how to disassemble part" and put it on the back of the page? It would make this page less crowded and perhaps give you the change to add a little more detail to "how to disassemble".

[fountainbel]

Thanks a lot for your input and suggestion guys, much appreciated !

Having the pen in hand will surely make it much more logical as when looking only on the leaflet.

Hari, you are right in stating the pen should be hold over the ink bottle when pushing the loossened rod back in.

I already captured this also and asked Conid to correct this.

As also suggested I also asked to put the link to the CONID website on the leaflet

The numbered parts of the exploded view will be shown in a parts list

I'll post a corrected version for your second evaluation soon.

Thanks in advance for your assistance !

Francis

Edited July 4, 2012 by fountainbel

[Ernst Bitterman]

I'm comparing this to the similar leaflet in the TWSBI Diamond and Vac, and it compares favourably. I would not add more text, as the less there is the less chance of mis-translation there is in the international market (for example, while I know that English is spoken fluently in the Benelux, there are some serious problems with it in North America and portions of England ). I could wish that the TWSBI Vac gave a measurement for the valve opening, and whether there's a mark or not on the pen itself, knowing that 1.5mm is the correct gap would be a great comfort. My only suggestion would be in the layout of the steps themselves, as one does have to seek around a little to get from 4 to 5, but since I don't have to work out how to rearrange the images and still fit the space available, it's easy for me to talk.

[georges zaslavsky]

thanks for the headsup

[RMN]

Thanks for this, Francis.

 

I wonder, the "tricky" part is that you have to lock the axis in the piston to operate it. With your demonstrator you can more or less see what you are doing.

How is this with a non-demonstrator? You know I am still lusting after some of your non-demonstrator designs but now I am wondering about this aspect..??

 

D.ick

[fountainbel]

I'm comparing this to the similar leaflet in the TWSBI Diamond and Vac, and it compares favourably. I would not add more text, as the less there is the less chance of mis-translation there is in the international market (for example, while I know that English is spoken fluently in the Benelux, there are some serious problems with it in North America and portions of England ). I could wish that the TWSBI Vac gave a measurement for the valve opening, and whether there's a mark or not on the pen itself, knowing that 1.5mm is the correct gap would be a great comfort. My only suggestion would be in the layout of the steps themselves, as one does have to seek around a little to get from 4 to 5, but since I don't have to work out how to rearrange the images and still fit the space available, it's easy for me to talk.

 

Thanks for your suggestion Ernst!

As per your rightfull remark, we will re-arange the picutres so they will appear in cronological order.

Francis

[fountainbel]

Hi dear friends,

Triggered by your valued input, below the upgraded version of the user guidelines.

The filling instructions now take a full A4 page, while on the other side the dis-assembling guidelines and the idividual parts are shown.

Note the written word "Bulkfiller" is my handwriting, using an stub medium nib I've ground from an M nib.

Your further comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks again !

Francis

 

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Fountainbel%20Bulk%20filler/BulkfillerinstructionsV4_21Kopie.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Fountainbel%20Bulk%20filler/BulkfillerinstructionsV4_22KopieKopie.jpg

Edited July 5, 2012 by fountainbel

[fountainbel]

Thanks for this, Francis.

 

I wonder, the "tricky" part is that you have to lock the axis in the piston to operate it. With your demonstrator you can more or less see what you are doing.

How is this with a non-demonstrator? You know I am still lusting after some of your non-demonstrator designs but now I am wondering about this aspect..??

 

D.ick

 

Hi RMN,

Using the instructions -and having the pen in hand- filling the pen is a piece of cake!

However- overcoming any risks for confusion - we could make a non demonstrator version on which the locking mechanism remains visible when opening the filling knob. The picture below shows a large OS Bulkfiller is made a such.

Not in this case the cap screws on the end of the barrel for posting.

Francis

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Khakiring003Kopie.jpg

Edited July 5, 2012 by fountainbel

[Mags]

They are looking good!

 

 

On the first diagrams steps I found my head and eye liking were 1,2,5....3 &4 steps looked to me like they could be combined.

[hari317]

The Bulkfiller logo is very well written Francis, a nice touch, well done.

[dcpritch]

Hi Francis,

 

On the new diagram, are 6 and 7 the same procedure? And is the image to the left of #6 the enlarged version of the magnifying glass portion of #5?

 

That stub M nib looks pretty sweet - is it done with a titanium nib?

 

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a pen I've been anticipating for a long time and each step along the way adds to the excitement.

 

Cheers, David

[RobinSure]

I think the "How to write" section could do with a little more explaining. If you only need to open the valve for long session writing, maybe change it to "For long writing sessions"?

 

I think you need to assume the person using it has never used a fountain pen before, or would have only used the standard parker jotter, so the concept of opening a valve to write would be new to them. Might be best to explain it slightly more.

[rhr2010]

Step 2 of "how to fill" seems to imply that one has to keep twisting the blind cap while retracting the plunger rod. Is the twisting still needed?

 

Step 6-7 of "how to fill" are the same step, right? Or again, during pushing back the plunger rod, do you need to twist the blind cap?

 

I wonder if I misunderstand the plots, or they seem to imply the need of a rotation when the plunger freely goes in and out.

[fountainbel]

Step 2 of "how to fill" seems to imply that one has to keep twisting the blind cap while retracting the plunger rod. Is the twisting still needed?

 

Step 6-7 of "how to fill" are the same step, right? Or again, during pushing back the plunger rod, do you need to twist the blind cap?

 

I wonder if I misunderstand the plots, or they seem to imply the need of a rotation when the plunger freely goes in and out.

 

 

Hi rhr2010,

Some explanation on the consecutive filling steps images:

 

1 –-Unscrew the filling knob

 

2- –Pull rod fully out and -while slightly pulling- screw the threaded rod-end in the piston till radial back-up

 

3- First image shows the piston is still radially anchored after step 2.

 

Second image shows one has to turn the filling knob 140° - till radial back-up - disengaging the anchor AND automatically generating a 1mm axial (forward) movement of the piston.

 

The 1mm cam driven axial movement is our unique "stick-slip breaker", which ensures the piston will easily move further forward even after having been stationary for a long time.

 

4- Push the piston/rod assembly fully in.

 

5- Immerse the nib fully under ink level and pull the piston fully up, filling the pen.

 

6- First image shows the piston is not anchored yet.

 

Second image shows one should twist (turn) the filling knob 140°, anchoring the piston to the barrel enclosure nut.

 

7- Turn filling knob further, unscrewing the rod from the anchored piston.

 

8- Push the disengaged rod in the barrel, and screw the filling knob on the barrel enclosure nut.

 

Doing so the shut-off valve closes for safe travel, even at low ink volume.

 

 

 

Hope this further clarifies the filling procedure.

 

Note once one has operated the pen a few times, filling becomes a "no brainer" operation.

 

As confirmed by the "testers", filling is done without even looking at the mechanism.

 

 

Francis

Edited July 5, 2012 by fountainbel

[rhr2010]

Thank you Francis. Your explanation is very clear, it really clarifies the plots. I would add it as a leaflet to the instructions.

[fountainbel]

Hi Francis,

 

On the new diagram, are 6 and 7 the same procedure? And is the image to the left of #6 the enlarged version of the magnifying glass portion of #5?

 

That stub M nib looks pretty sweet - is it done with a titanium nib?

 

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a pen I've been anticipating for a long time and each step along the way adds to the excitement.

 

Cheers, David

 

Hi David,

I've just add a written description of the consecutive filling steps.

Please read it and let me know if this makes it clear to you.

As for the nib, its a steel Bock nib, and yes, its extremely sweet !

Francis