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What is this and what do I do with it?


Ron Z

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I mentioned this one at the Raleigh show, and Tom Mullane opined that whenever I put one of these up the answer is going to be something weird. Tom's not allowed to answer on this one, or give any hints... :P :P (he knows the answer anyhow)

 

OK, so, what is this, and what do I do with it. The first part is obvious. The "B" part isn't. Let's hear your ideas. I'll post my answer this evening. Don't bother looking at the link to the picture - it won't give any clues. :D

 

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I mentioned this one at the Raleigh show, and Tom Mullane opined that whenever I put one of these up the answer is going to be something weird. Tom's not allowed to answer on this one, or give any hints... :P :P (he knows the answer anyhow)

 

OK, so, what is this, and what do I do with it. The first part is obvious. The "B" part isn't. Let's hear your ideas. I'll post my answer this evening. Don't bother looking at the link to the picture - it won't give any clues. :D

 

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/BCN.jpg

 

Danged it's hard to keep my big mouth shut.... :rolleyes:

But I promised Ron I would be good... and he has some of my babies he is holding hostage... :crybaby:

 

This one should be a no-brainer for some of you....

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The metal threads resemble the cap threads for Sheaffer Triumphs, TDs, and Snorkels.

 

Maybe a lathe attachment to give the TD and Snorkel sections their ribbed friction grip or an easy cap attachment for mechanical polishing...

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I think that's the adapter for the pressure release valve on the Murphy Towers boiler system. Does Ruaidhrí or Ernst know you have this part??

 

;)

Edited by MYU

[MYU's Pen Review Corner] | "The Common Ground" -- Jeffrey Small

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The metal threads resemble the cap threads for Sheaffer Triumphs, TDs, and Snorkels.

 

Maybe a lathe attachment to give the TD and Snorkel sections their ribbed friction grip or an easy cap attachment for mechanical polishing...

 

Not Sheaffer. But your idea is valid, and it has been used for lathe work.

 

MT staff won't let me in the door on the grounds that I would do more damage than Ernst.

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It's to hold two sections on either end of a Geha cartridge - the sort that had an ISO end and a Geha end.

 

As for any other purpose, It looks like a lathe tool designed to turn a section & cap without dismounting from the lathe.

 

Regards

 

Richard.

 

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OK, all together now. Pull off the blind cap on your Vac or 51.

 

Remember to think outside the box.....

Edited by Ron Z

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Its the threads from a 51 filler unit, that part I know. If its used for lathe work than I guess you use it to mount a barrel or blindcap under a lathe. I know, you use it to grind down the barrel to remove inscriptions.

 

Ha, just kidding. I don't know why you'd mount a barrel under a lathe. Perhaps someone else will.

Edited by Pete
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That is the threaded collar from a Vacumatic, or 51 Vacumatic filler. Possibly from a speedline filler, as they easily come off those, but that is just speculation. A trashed plastic filler unit could have supplied said threaded collar. But I digress.

 

The threads on the blind cap half are turned off to allow gripping it in a lathe chuck. The barrel can then be threaded on to allow a barrel to run true on a lathe. Then one can either cut off the end of a damaged barrel or perform many other lathe based activities with the barrel. One could per se, back bore the barrel and with the correct mating part fit a replacement front half and solvent weld it together. Thus one previously trashed vac barrel can be salvaged.

 

Now, knowing Ron, he most likely has a small piece of steel with mating threads to the section end of a Vac barrel turned on it with a large face to spin the barrel up to. Thus a barrel could be threaded on from the section end and made to run true for turning repairs as well. I know what I am making tonight now BTW. :ninja:

 

How did I do Ron??

 

Cheers,

Sean

PenRx is no longer in business.

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It can be used to hold the blind cap if you have to turn one down for some reason. Or it could be used to hold a barrel for turning, but then you'd want to stick a cone ahead of it so that it doesn't disappear in the barrel.

 

BTW, the damaged blind cap threads are a red herring. It's just the blind cap nipple from a trashed filler unit.

 

But I have a much more direct idea in mind. Anyone who's had a sticky/stuck filler will appreciate this one.....

 

Remember to look beyond the obvious, and don't forget that these come in three sizes.

Edited by Ron Z

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Given the clues, I suppose you could use it as a centering tool to insert thru the nib end of a vac. It would seat against the shoulder of the diaphram compressor ring and protect it as well as center the tool used to push a stuck filler out. Might have to reduce the threads some.

 

This doesn't utilize the three sizes clue though.....

 

Hmmm, this is gonna have to wait til I get home. I need to hold one in my hand.

so many pens, so little time.......

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Hmmm, this is gonna have to wait til I get home. I need to hold one in my hand.

 

Well I'm holding one in my hand right now and still stuck. Hate to be the first to throw in the towel...

 

Paul

 

"You accomplish the great task by a series of small acts." -- Lao Tzu

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Great idea !

I occasionally used a similar threaded plug as a tap, refreshing damaged threads or cleaning up glue residues in barrels.

After filing 3 axial grooves under an angle of 30-40° at 120° apart in the threaded part one can use it as an "ersatz" tap.

The plug is mounted in a handle and it works fine.

Logically a real tap is the way to go, but I still have to buy one.

Are these standard "off the shelf" taps ,any idea on the threads spec's and where to buy?

Thanks &regards, Francis

 

 

It can be used to hold the blind cap if you have to turn one down for some reason. Or it could be used to hold a barrel for turning, but then you'd want to stick a cone ahead of it so that it doesn't disappear in the barrel.

 

BTW, the damaged blind cap threads are a red herring. It's just the blind cap nipple from a trashed filler unit.

 

But I have a much more direct idea in mind. Anyone who's had a sticky/stuck filler will appreciate this one.....

 

Remember to look beyond the obvious, and don't forget that these come in three sizes.

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That is the threaded collar from a Vacumatic, or 51 Vacumatic filler. Possibly from a speedline filler, as they easily come off those, but that is just speculation. A trashed plastic filler unit could have supplied said threaded collar. But I digress.

 

The threads on the blind cap half are turned off to allow gripping it in a lathe chuck. The barrel can then be threaded on to allow a barrel to run true on a lathe. Then one can either cut off the end of a damaged barrel or perform many other lathe based activities with the barrel. One could per se, back bore the barrel and with the correct mating part fit a replacement front half and solvent weld it together. Thus one previously trashed vac barrel can be salvaged.

 

Now, knowing Ron, he most likely has a small piece of steel with mating threads to the section end of a Vac barrel turned on it with a large face to spin the barrel up to. Thus a barrel could be threaded on from the section end and made to run true for turning repairs as well. I know what I am making tonight now BTW. :ninja:

 

How did I do Ron??

 

Cheers,

Sean

 

Sean, I am ashamed of you.... :roflmho:

 

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hey I thought outside of the box now though didn't I? See I never thought about a tap made from a threaded collar as I hand chase the threads on all the pens I do anyway. It is just part of my routine, so I never even thought to try something else.

 

Hey, never said I knew it all, just most of it. LOL. Besides, my idea would work given more thought. I'll see when I can turn up a section mandrel and see how it works.

 

Cheers,

Sean

 

 

PenRx is no longer in business.

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I was going to make you wait until this evening to find out, but Francis and Sean got the answer.

 

You often find that the threads in a vac or vac fill 51 are all gummed with crud, or are rather tight when you try to screw the filler in. Cleaning out the threads makes it easier to reinstall the filler, and lowers the risk of damage to the pen because you can feel how tight things really are without the resistance from the filler threads. This can be done with a dental pick, but it takes time and doesn't do as good a job.

 

I have a prototype thread chaser that I got from Daniel Kirchheimer two or three years ago that I've steadfastly refused to return even though it wasn't even heat treated and was just a prototype and.... (you can hear Daniel, can't you?) The thing is just too darn handy. Maybe if enough of us bug Daniel he'll make them and sell them....

 

BUT, I have only the demi/speedline size. There are vac standard and oversize vac fillers, and on occasion those need to be cleaned out too.

 

Just take a dead filler (if you don't have one at the moment, wait a bit, you will!) and a round mini file. Cut at least two channels across the threads, three or four if you want, all of the way down through the threads. This will give an area for the swarf to go as you run the blind cap nipple through the threads. Clamp in your vac tool, and chase the threads.

 

A word of caution - make SURE that you have the nipple positioned in the barrel threads correctly. If you cross thread the threads in the barrel, you'll have a real mess on your hands.

 

This is a picture of my thread chaser, and one made from the dead filler..

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Marvelous!

 

Anyone ever try this with an old cone to clear off the old diaphram from the barrel seat?

so many pens, so little time.......

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Anyone ever try this with an old cone to clear off the old diaphram from the barrel seat?

 

The problem there is that you have to have a precise angle for a cutting edge, and are cutting against a rathre abrasive material. I have a set of seat reamers that Daniel made for me, but a lot of work went into them, and they're made out of hardened tool steel. The aluminum of the cone wouldn't cut, and would not hold an edge if you managed to get a cutting edge on it.

 

The thread chaser really is just cleaning out existing threads, and the cuts across the threads just give a place for the crud to go. It wouldn't stand up to heavy use (which is why I like the thread chaser that Daniel made) but will do for the person who repairs their own pens and only needs it on occasion.

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Ron, do you clamp the blind cap threads in a tap handle? I would think that this would reduce the feel needed to ensure that you are not cutting too deep. BTW, I will be making one of these now. Thanks for sharing your ideas and tools. It is really helpful for all of us mere mortals to see what the pros do.

 

Cheers,

Sean

PenRx is no longer in business.

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