Two quick "51" questions:
1. Are Vac "51"s more prone than Aeros to the problem of having a blob of ink drop out onto your paper?
2. What is the proper technique for filling these? Are you really supposed to try and draw up some air into the collector after its been filled?
TIA,
TMann
Full Version: Ink globs from a Parker "51"
TMann,
For your first question, I'm not entirely sure. I have both aero and vac 51s but have never had a problem with blobs of ink.
Your second question I can answer though. It depends on the filler. The original steel vacs required one to push the plunger nine times with the nib immersed in ink, and on the last downstroke, one would hold the plunger down, remove the nib from ink, then release the plunger, UNLESS it was a red band filler. These were quite rare and I believe only made in 1946. Anyway, to fill a red band 51 requires only 3 downstrokes of the plunger and the plunger would be released with the nib still in the ink.
The plastic vacs were filled in the same manner as the standard steel vacs, with the plunger held down and not released until the nib was removed form the inkwell, though I'm not sure of the actual number of downstrokes required.
As far as I know, one doesn't need to squeeze the aero filler until after it's removed from the inkwell, but I supose if one is having a problem with ink blobs I suppose it might help.
I hope this helps,
Tom
For your first question, I'm not entirely sure. I have both aero and vac 51s but have never had a problem with blobs of ink.
Your second question I can answer though. It depends on the filler. The original steel vacs required one to push the plunger nine times with the nib immersed in ink, and on the last downstroke, one would hold the plunger down, remove the nib from ink, then release the plunger, UNLESS it was a red band filler. These were quite rare and I believe only made in 1946. Anyway, to fill a red band 51 requires only 3 downstrokes of the plunger and the plunger would be released with the nib still in the ink.
The plastic vacs were filled in the same manner as the standard steel vacs, with the plunger held down and not released until the nib was removed form the inkwell, though I'm not sure of the actual number of downstrokes required.
As far as I know, one doesn't need to squeeze the aero filler until after it's removed from the inkwell, but I supose if one is having a problem with ink blobs I suppose it might help.
I hope this helps,
Tom
QUOTE (aircraft_electrician @ Jan 10 2006, 06:35 PM)
TMann,
For your first question, I'm not entirely sure. I have both aero and vac 51s but have never had a problem with blobs of ink.
Your second question I can answer though. It depends on the filler. The original steel vacs required one to push the plunger nine times with the nib immersed in ink, and on the last downstroke, one would hold the plunger down, remove the nib from ink, then release the plunger, UNLESS it was a red band filler. These were quite rare and I believe only made in 1946. Anyway, to fill a red band 51 requires only 3 downstrokes of the plunger and the plunger would be released with the nib still in the ink.
The plastic vacs were filled in the same manner as the standard steel vacs, with the plunger held down and not released until the nib was removed form the inkwell, though I'm not sure of the actual number of downstrokes required.
As far as I know, one doesn't need to squeeze the aero filler until after it's removed from the inkwell, but I supose if one is having a problem with ink blobs I suppose it might help.
I hope this helps,
Tom
For your first question, I'm not entirely sure. I have both aero and vac 51s but have never had a problem with blobs of ink.
Your second question I can answer though. It depends on the filler. The original steel vacs required one to push the plunger nine times with the nib immersed in ink, and on the last downstroke, one would hold the plunger down, remove the nib from ink, then release the plunger, UNLESS it was a red band filler. These were quite rare and I believe only made in 1946. Anyway, to fill a red band 51 requires only 3 downstrokes of the plunger and the plunger would be released with the nib still in the ink.
The plastic vacs were filled in the same manner as the standard steel vacs, with the plunger held down and not released until the nib was removed form the inkwell, though I'm not sure of the actual number of downstrokes required.
As far as I know, one doesn't need to squeeze the aero filler until after it's removed from the inkwell, but I supose if one is having a problem with ink blobs I suppose it might help.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks, Tom. The two "51"s that I've had for any length of time have been aerometrics, so when I started using my new vac "51" last night, I was somewhat surprised to get a large ink blob when I first started using it. I'll have to be more careful with my filling technique and see if it's a recurring problem.
TMann
Hi TMann,
Filling a Vac is a bit of an art until you get used to it. The pumping technique it a sharp downstroke then wait a bit after the plunger comes up. If you are still getting air bubbles on the downstoke then there is still room for more ink in the pen.
Holding the plunger down and then releasing it when the pen is out of the ink sucks the excess liquid out of the collector and should stop the blobbing.
Now clearing out a Vac to change ink colour, now that is a Black Art
Best of luck,
Jim
Filling a Vac is a bit of an art until you get used to it. The pumping technique it a sharp downstroke then wait a bit after the plunger comes up. If you are still getting air bubbles on the downstoke then there is still room for more ink in the pen.
Holding the plunger down and then releasing it when the pen is out of the ink sucks the excess liquid out of the collector and should stop the blobbing.
Now clearing out a Vac to change ink colour, now that is a Black Art
Best of luck,
Jim
Hi,
I found that pressing the plunger VERY slowly will get the ink out faster.
Dillon
I found that pressing the plunger VERY slowly will get the ink out faster.
Dillon
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