Recently acquired a Wahl Doric plunger filler. First experience with a plunger. I cannot get it to draw ink (actually, so far I am trying with water only). I pull the piston out till I get some significant resistance, put the nib in til halfway up the section, push down fast (this produces a large amount of bubbles, apparently coming out of the nib), wait 10 secs, then pull the pen out. Then I pull the plunger out and slowly push down again, and all I get is a few drops.

Thanks,
/K

I have one but after getting it restored I haven't tried filling it (chicken I guess!).
Have you tried putting the entire nib all the way to the section into the ink-substitute?

Yup, tried that, almost to the section-barrel joint.
Thanks,
/K

Does yours have the safety shut-off?

No, it doesn't -- sorry I forgot to mention that earlier.

/K

What it sounds like is this:-
The main barrel plunger washer is working, it's blowing bubbles but the seal/washer that seals the piston rod (by the plunger cap) also needs to create suction is not sealing correctly.
What should happen is that on the down-stoke a vacuum is created between the main plunger and the piston rod seal, the main plunger then opens into a wider part of the barrel (just behind the feed) allowing the vacuum created to be filled with ink via the feed.
You get the bubbles blown out but no or very little vacuum is being created, hence no suction to fill the barrel.
An excellent explanation and diagrams can be found on Richard Binder's site www.richardspens.com
Gary