Penbbs 268, New Lower Cost Vacuum Filler

[OCArt]

Just saw that it's available in the PenBBS store on Etsy for $16.99 plus $6 shipping. I wonder how it is different from the PenBBS 456?

 

Video here https://www.bilibili.com/video/av20967745

[JollyCynic]

It has plastic threads rather than metal, is smaller and thinner than the 456, and, importantly, the barrel is injection moulded. It'll be interesting to see if they ever sell them with turned acrylic caps and sections in different colours.

 

Apparently, that was the idea behind the vacuum filler all along. First Long designed the 266 (which became the 308) then the long-tailed 267, then he designed this beast to be a very inexpensive vacuum filler. There were prototypes sold over a year ago, but I don't know what happened to put them on the back burner so long.

 

What got them off the back burner was probably Wing Sung coming out with a $10 vacuum filler.

[pajaro]

Just saw that it's available in the PenBBS store on Etsy for $16.99 plus $6 shipping. I wonder how it is different from the PenBBS 456?

 

Video here https://www.bilibili.com/video/av20967745

 

Seems a bit pricey. I don't read Chinese. ?Quien sabe?

 

The Wing Sung Parker 51 Vac imitation was very nice for less. Their lower priced stuff is plenty good.

[Mech-for-i]

Well it does fall inline with PenBBS long held principle .. Long had always maintain he want to made to the home market decent quality and inexpensive fountain pens , and the whole lineup really revolve around that theme , any saying that PenBBS is trying to up market is IMHO just rose colour tinted view. Long had maintain alwyas he's not into trying to made top end top dollar pens , and the 268 fall within that as I suppose the extra cost of using turned acrylic really push the Vac and Syringe filler price above and beyond what the market would seen as inexpensive ( though its not exactly expensive either )

 

I think the 352 fellow the same logic, trying to reel in the price hike and put some check into allowing some variety without needing to put much into the price

 

The Wing Sung 601 series really are not Vac Filler, by all account those are Vacumetic mechanism , PenBBS do shown a prototype of such and we had not seen it yet. I would like to see the 349 re-released again and might be with some of these filling mechanism on it but I can see the use of injection molded parts as a universal base to provide pens that use all the Vac, Syrunge, Vacumetic ( piston pump ), and Piston filling , made sense to give a lower cost line to the main turned acrylic versions

[Honeybadgers]

Well it does fall inline with PenBBS long held principle .. Long had always maintain he want to made to the home market decent quality and inexpensive fountain pens , and the whole lineup really revolve around that theme , any saying that PenBBS is trying to up market is IMHO just rose colour tinted view. Long had maintain alwyas he's not into trying to made top end top dollar pens , and the 268 fall within that as I suppose the extra cost of using turned acrylic really push the Vac and Syringe filler price above and beyond what the market would seen as inexpensive ( though its not exactly expensive either )

 

I think the 352 fellow the same logic, trying to reel in the price hike and put some check into allowing some variety without needing to put much into the price

 

The Wing Sung 601 series really are not Vac Filler, by all account those are Vacumetic mechanism , PenBBS do shown a prototype of such and we had not seen it yet. I would like to see the 349 re-released again and might be with some of these filling mechanism on it but I can see the use of injection molded parts as a universal base to provide pens that use all the Vac, Syrunge, Vacumetic ( piston pump ), and Piston filling , made sense to give a lower cost line to the main turned acrylic versions

 

 

the 601 is a vacumatic. Early models even used an interchangable sac with a parker vacumatic.

 

Newer models use a much better sprung piston, so more of a button filler.

[bobje]

Mech, is there an interview with Long somewhere?

[Mech-for-i]

Mech, is there an interview with Long somewhere?

 

its actually his own post on the PenBBS Forum .. but of course in Chinese

 

 

 

the 601 is a vacumatic. Early models even used an interchangable sac with a parker vacumatic.

 

Newer models use a much better sprung piston, so more of a button filler.

 

I still got 4 un-inked original version ( thoug latest not original batch , thank god ), the piston pump / Aerometric are all basically using the same mechanical engineering principle , and both are not new by any mean , Parker of course themselves replace the Vacumatic with the Aerometric , and the piston pump design had been used by various Mfr since the 50's ( even Chinese made ), I really like my 601 with this piston pump ; it just works.

Edited June 17, 2019 by Mech-for-i

[taike]

Been figuring out this pen for a couple of days now.

 

 

 

This cost-down version of the 456 is the inheritor - in my opinion - of the 322. I think PenBBS learned from that project and made an interesting set of choices for the 268.

 

It's not going to kick my 456 of my rotation - mainly because it's just not as ergonomic in my hand - but could be a good intro pen for new fountain pen users.

 

I view it as an intriguing step sideways. Expanded thoughts here.

[Honeybadgers]

I've got 3 on the way. If I can make them work properly, they'll probably be sold with my custom flex nibs in them for people who don't want to hassle with trying to mate my flex nibs into a pen they have.

 

If the quality is similar to the 322, I'll be happy. the fit/finish on that injection molded pen was great.

Edited June 16, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[taike]

I've got 3 on the way. If I can make them work properly, they'll probably be sold with my custom flex nibs in them for people who don't want to hassle with trying to mate my flex nibs into a pen they have.

 

If the quality is similar to the 322, I'll be happy. the fit/finish on that injection molded pen was great.

 

Sounds like a great application. How do you find PenBBS feeds? Do they keep up with flex nibs? I suspect they do.

[drathbun]

Been figuring out this pen for a couple of days now.

 

This cost-down version of the 456 is the inheritor - in my opinion - of the 322. I think PenBBS learned from that project and made an interesting set of choices for the 268.

 

It's not going to kick my 456 of my rotation - mainly because it's just not as ergonomic in my hand - but could be a good intro pen for new fountain pen users.

 

I view it as an intriguing step sideways. Expanded thoughts here.

 

Thanks for the interesting review EDC. I have a 456 on the way. It should be here any day now. It will be my first vac-filler experience. Your review of the 268 made me back off clicking the button on Etsy, at least until I find my way around the 456. I'm not a fan of smaller pens in any event.

[penzel_washinkton]

After using the 268 for a few days, I have to say I am falling in love with this pen.

Modified the feed and swapped the EF nib in the 352 and it is writing so well.

 

The overall dimension is smaller than the 456, but it is of no worry to me since it is still regarded as a medium sized pen (which is acceptable unposted).

As EDC said, the capping / uncapping is very quick with this pen and I absolutely adore it, probably only 3/4 turns required.

 

What I'm worried though, is the quality of the plastic. It seems there are cracking reports besides me but in the end I choose to continue using the pen.

The hairline crack has not made the ink leaks so it does not bother me so far.

 

So pumped up to compare this with the new & upcoming Wing Sung vacuum filler!

[taike]

[snip]

 

Modified the feed and swapped the EF nib in the 352 and it is writing so well.

 

[snip}

 

that's a cool idea. Just gotta get the EF nib out of the nib unit in my 352!

[penzel_washinkton]

You need to just remove the friction fitted nib only, I believe the feeder tube of the feed of 268 is a little bit shorter than the one on the 352.

Also, the 268 does not have a nib housing so you can not unscrew the nib unit.

[mke]

> new & upcoming Wing Sung vacuum filler!

number please

 

> Modified the feed

What did you do?

 

Thank you

Edited June 22, 2019 by mke

[JollyCynic]

> new & upcoming Wing Sung vacuum filler!

number please

 

...

 

Well, we're not sure yet. Most of what we know comes from the link in the other thread specifically about the Wing Sung vacuum filler, posted by Bobby. He hasn't give us the model number, yet, but said that he should be putting up the pen for sale either Sunday or Monday.

 

But that's not quite all we've heard, because there's a second Wing Sung vacuum filler being made by a second (or at least another) Wing Sung (allegedly).

 

Beini (from PenBBS) has told us that in addition to the Pilot-esque vacuum filler being made by "Shanghai" Wing Sung (which I assume to be Victo's Shanghai Green Stationery Wing Sung), which is apparently the one Bobby will be selling soon, there's also a TWSBI-esque vacuum filler being made by the "Jiangxi" Wing Sung (which I would assume to be Wing Sung Educational).

 

I'm sure once we know the model number(s), it (they) will get quite a lot of usage.

Edited June 23, 2019 by JollyCynic

[mke]

Thank you for the information.

Looking forward to another number in the WingSung (and penBBS) jungle.

 

penBBS 268 and WingSung 3008 in the mail. Hope, I don't mix them up. 😁

[penzel_washinkton]

> new & upcoming Wing Sung vacuum filler!

number please

 

> Modified the feed

What did you do?

 

Thank you

 

Unfortunately even Bobby (the seller himself) has not informed the WS model number as of now.

 

I opened up the slit of the feed with a cutter.

Honeybadgers actually has a thread for this, he uses needle filing tools to aggressively open up the slit channel:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/347166-channeling-plastic-feeds-is-way-easier-than-i-expected/page-2

 

 

 

 

Well, we're not sure yet. Most of what we know comes from the link in the other thread specifically about the Wing Sung vacuum filler, posted by Bobby. He hasn't give us the model number, yet, but said that he should be putting up the pen for sale either Sunday or Monday.

 

But that's not quite all we've heard, because there's a second Wing Sung vacuum filler being made by a second (or at least another) Wing Sung (allegedly).

 

Beini (from PenBBS) has told us that in addition to the Pilot-esque vacuum filler being made by "Shanghai" Wing Sung (which I assume to be Victo's Shanghai Green Stationery Wing Sung), which is apparently the one Bobby will be selling soon, there's also a TWSBI-esque vacuum filler being made by the "Jiangxi" Wing Sung (which I would assume to be Wing Sung Educational).

 

I'm sure once we know the model number(s), it (they) will get quite a lot of usage.

 

Wait, the 601 & 626 were made by Victo's WIng Sung right?

Edited June 23, 2019 by penzel_washinkton

[JollyCynic]

Well, yes, the 601 and 626 are Victo, but these aren't. It turns out that Bobby swapped all of the nibs from WSE nibs to Shanghai Green Stationery nibs. The model number on these is 3013. These are available now from other retailers today all over eBay. Other sellers will have the original nib and cost a few dollars more.

[dowlf]

I just got my 268 in the mail yesterday. I have gotten quite a few PENBBS pens now, but this one has the best nib of any of them yet. Awesome pen.