I traded a spare Hero 616 Jumbo to another FPNer for a piston fill Wality, which he indicated had a leak at the grip. I just wanted to see how a Wality was put together. Well, yes, there was a hairline crack at the cap threads, though I couldn't tell whether it was a manufacturing error (plastic flows in the injection failed to seal) or a later problem (stress or fatigue crack).

Anyway, I bought some Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure on-line, and gave it a try. First I just painted it over the surface, kept it wet for a few minutes, and then cleaned off the excess, and let it set for a few days. Seemed to lessen the leakage, but basically no-go. Bzzzt! So then I removed the nib and feed, sealed the end with duct tape, pulled an internal vacuum with the piston, placed the grip section in the bottle of Captain Tolley's for a few minutes, then again cleaned off the excess and let it set. Close, but no cigar, still a tiny leak. Bzzzt! So I repeated round 2, except I left the grip in the Tolley's for an hour. Voila! Ding! So far, no leak.

Now if this was a manufacture error, I expect this repair may hold. If, however, it's really a stress or fatigue crack, I expect that it will open up again. Anyway, the Wality is back in action. Now, if only a 51 Flighter were made in this same size.

Regarding the construction of wality PF: The piston fill Wality's barrel is made of three components, the section, the transparent ink-view window cum ink reservoir cylinder and the main barrel body. The transparent window component has threads on both top and bottom onto which the section and the barrel end screw on. The whole asembly is bonded together by epoxy adhesive on the threads.

regards,
Hari

Thank you, Hari, for your description.

As for this Wality specimen, I "Ding!"ed too soon. After a couple of days, it's begun a pinpoint leak again. I've decided to up the ante. I pulled the nib and feed once more, put the piston full forward, filled the remaining space with Captain Tolley's, and taped over the open end to keep it from evaporating. I'll leave it in for a few days, and just move the piston a bit to keep it from welding to the barrel wall. Hopefully I'll be able to adequately clean the residual glop out of the chamber when finished, though, like the prior ink, it has already migrated past the first of the three piston seals.

Captain Tolley's has no, and can provide no, structural strength at all. It fills gaps, and is especially good at filling small cracks that allow liquids to ooze and drip. It's not an adhesive or solvent that allows plastics to flow together.

A crack in plastic is a structural failure. The plastic was stressed and gave way. Captain Tolley's therefore can not deal with that stress, and any repair using it (as you've seen) is very temporary at best. Solvent welding may work, but you need to find the right solvent. I suspect that Tenax would work in this case.

Yes, if it's a stress or fatigue crack, it will open up again. However, I couldn't tell beforehand if it was one of these or a plastic injection flow bond failure. I suspected the latter, seeing other flow lines in the smooth surface (though the leak is in the threaded portion). Unfortunately, if the former, now there will be Tolley's in there gunking up, but not sealing, the crack, and inhibiting the effectiveness of the Tenax, which I have and, in retrospect, should have tried first, leaving no residue if it fails. Hindsight is so clear.

Captain Tolley's cleans up with "white spirits" i.e. alcohol. You could try cleaning out the crack with that, allowing it to dry, and then try the Tenax.

Sometimes the best action in pen repair is NO action. Don't do anything until you are fairly certain that you're on the right track! (I've learned the hard way, and still forget at times)

Ron,
I have a Sheaffer Targa nib section that has a very slight leak around the inlaid nib, resulting in inky fingers. I've heard that Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure applied to the inside of the joint between the nib and the plastic section will fix this. Is this a good repair or should I use something different?

Hi Bill,

Not to step on Ron, but yeah, this is the perfect application for Captain Tolley's.


Cheers,
Tom

G'Day,
Has anyone tried Methylene chloride, recommended in Victor Chen's recent article in "Pennant"?

Cordially, Phil

I use it. It's quite good, but doesn't work on all plastics.

It is hard to store too, migrating through plastic bottles (even those resistant to MC). You need to keep it in small glass bottles that are well sealed.

Regards,

Gerry

Tenax 7-R is methylene chloride. Sold in small glass bottles. It works on polystyrene (Sheaffer TD, snorkel, PFM) but not on lucite (P51) or celluloid.

I know someone that would actually use J-B Weld to fix a crack like that.....................

John

Hi Ron,

What do you use for lucite welds?


Cheers,
Tom

Hello:
I have just purchased a Sheaffer TD in periwinkle blue which has a crack at the blind cap end. Can this be fixed using this Tenax? I know previously could not be repaired. Has that changed now with these new materials?

Hello:
I have just purchased a Sheaffer TD in periwinkle blue which has a crack at the blind cap end. Can this be fixed using this Tenax? I know previously could not be repaired. Has that changed now with these new materials?



(edited to fix the code and put the reply and quotes in the right order.)

Nothing has changed that I know of. I've used Tenax for snorkel repairs for quite a while.

Note that you have to take the TD tube and 0 ring out of the pen to make the repair, and that it may be quite difficult to make the repair disappear because of the way that Tenax reacts with the plastic, but the crack can be solvent welded, and the pen made functional again.

Hi Ron,

You probably missed my earlier question: What solvent do you use for lucite (e.g. Parker "51") welds?


Cheers,
Tom

So far, I haven't found a solvent that works well for the lucite. I have heard that ether works, but I really don't want to try it. Tenax sort of works, but I've never gotten a solid repair with it. None of the other solvents, including the "super" solvent that I have will touch it.

Thanks for reply. Could you tell me where I could purchase Tenax in Canada?

Thanks Ron. I'd be a little wary of ether also, but would try it if I knew where to get my hands on some.


Cheers,
Tom

I bought a bottle of, Ambroid Proweld today, containing Methylene Chloride, (also contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer).
It's advertised as a Proffesional Plastic welder for Styrene, Butyrate, ABS & Acrylic (Lucite or Plexiglass). Marked on bottle

Is any on familiar with this Made in USA product, and what it can actually do?
Thanks,
et