The Eternal Vacumatic Question: What Tools And Spares Should I Buy And Where Should I Get Them?

[Methersgate]

I have succumbed to the lure of Vacumatics. If I am honest with myself, I am likely to carry on buying them, which means that I need to learn to replace their diaphragms.

 

I will never attempt nib work, but replacement of diaphragms seems to be something that the Vac owner should be able to do. I may not tune the engine on my car, but I can change a wheel and do the oil and filters... I can do sacs and Aerometrics and have section pliers, etc.

 

So: two sizes of Vac wrench. Pellet pusher. Three sizes of diaphragm. Pure talcum powder or graphite powder. Vac lubricant. Vac thread sealant for the sections.

 

What else should I rush out and buy?

 

(Does anyone make and sell entire pumps, by the way?)

[pen lady]

A decent modern repair manual (if you haven't already got one), I like Marshall and Oldfield and again if you haven't got one, a heat gun. Good luck!

[Methersgate]

Thanks. Have Marshall and Oldfield. (And of course Dubiel).. Have heat gun (also go in for old boats...) Feel better already!

 

Profuse apologies to the Moderators for double posting and not seeing how to delete the duplicate.

[Ron Z]

 

 

....(also go in for old boats...)

 

My, my, you are a glutton for punishment aren't you?

 

Welcome to what is by comparison, a very inexpensive hobby.

 

Scraper to clean off the vac seat and remove the rest of the sac from the barrel wall, alligator forceps to grip the old diaphragm. Knockout block and punch - you will have to reseat a nib at some point.

[Methersgate]

Thank you.

 

I worry about breaking a part of the pump, or perhaps the breather tube. Can replacements be obtained? The type of Vacumatic that I like, and find myself collecting, is the lockdown type.

[Ron Z]

You will end up with dead fillers. Never throw one away though - parts can be harvested to repair another. The thread bushing can be repurposed to make a thread chaser. Pellet cups are out there as are original and reproduction pumps. Lock down fillers are a bit more of a problem because the notches on either side wear. They now go for close to $50 each.

[adyf]

Thank you.

 

I worry about breaking a part of the pump, or perhaps the breather tube. Can replacements be obtained? The type of Vacumatic that I like, and find myself collecting, is the lockdown type.

 

Scroll down this page to the special tools on Richard Binder's website and look at pump ejectors. Sometimes it's necessary to go in from the front end to push the vacumatic pump out.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/repair/vac.htm

[Methersgate]

Thank you, all, very much.

 

I suppose that a saying that we use in repairing old wooden boats may apply to repairing old pens: The amateur has one advantage over the most skilled professional - his time is his own, and he can use all of it!

[mitto]

...yes, all of it.