Waterman Ink-Vue Repair: Washer

[uilleann]

Bought a Waterman Ink-Vue , standard size. It would not fill. So, using Richard Benders ref. page. I pulled it apart. It had a ladies size sac with a hole in the sac neck and a washer seal that was petrified. The previous restorer had a section of a larger sac that they put around the ladys sac so the lever would have something to squeeze.

 

So I made the spanner wrench, pulled it apart, cleaned out the old washer seal. As for the washer, Binder mentions a seal material but provides no info on what exactly it was or its size. I currently have a bicycle tube, lots of pen sacs, and 1/16 and 1/32 inch thick neoprene rubber. Would any of these work?

 

As fo the size, Binder suggests a 2mm hole in the center (I have a punch for that). But does not mention and OD. I think measuring from the threaded id of the barrel it is about 6.8mm. The seal nipple OD is about 6.7mm. I cannot measure it but in the barrel just below the threads, near the small center hole, it is about 7mm. What is a good OD for the seal?

 

BTW I tried a seal at 6.7mm. Seems to be a tight fit (soapy water check while blowing into the barrel). I also notice that if you tighten the spanner fitting, too much, you can squeeze that washer seal hole closed. Then if you squeeze the bulb.... it stays squeezed!

Edited October 10, 2019 by uilleann

[Addertooth]

Uilleann,

 

Binder's page does provide a washer O.D. figure, as does his book. But you must infer it from the wrench size. The larger size is for the standard, the smaller size is for the Lady Patricia pens. I am in the middle of an ink-view restoral at this time as well, so I am generally familiar with Binder's page and have a copy of his book.

The O.D. for the standard washer is about 7.15mm... or 9/32 of an inch....or 0.283 inches. (I measured mine with digital calipers just now, which matches Binder's numbers)

I have a very odd ink view I am restoring, but it conforms to the Standard size for most parts... and has a number 7 keyhole.

Best of luck to you Uilleann!

 

p.s. I would suggest a 2.4mm hole in the washer, as you have plenty of mating surface for a seal. This will produce fewer problems with the hole squeezing shut when the pen is assembled.

Edited October 11, 2019 by Addertooth

[Addertooth]

For those who do not want to take the time to find sources for rubber sheet, make punch for the inner hole, make a punch for the outer diameter of the seal... there is a plan-B.

 

Instead, purchase a Sheaffer piston filler rebuild kit from one of the great pen shops, or even Ebay if you can't find a shop which carries them.

Place the white washer to the side, place the O-Ring to the side. Grab the rubber piston washer. Use that washer as your seal. Use a wooden stick to push the edges of the seal until they are flush with the bottom. Otherwise, the edges will hang up on the threads and want to curl upwards. Boom, you have a seal which you didn't have to make.

 

Wasn't that easy? No need to re-invent the wheel; life is hard enough already.

 

PIctures....

 

1. Typical Shaeffer piston pen rebuild kit, standard size not the smaller size.

 

2. Seal shown fully inserted in standard sized Waterman Ink-View pen.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Addertooth