Sheaffer Vac Fill Plunger Shaft Outer Shell Split

[eharriett]

Another vac fill, another new experience. But this one I think I know the answer, just want to check.

 

I got another balance vac fill pen open today without issue, as I pulled the shaft out, I noticed the outer shell deteriorated. It is a rubber material(?) It split all the way to the top and the bottom part is completely disintegrated leaving the thin metal shaft by the bottom.

 

My first question: is this particular part done for, or is it still usable in this condition?

 

My other question: Im reasonably positive I have more than a couple replacement shafts I can insert around here, but how interchangeable are they? Were they all the same size, girth, etc across the line or do I need to replace with exactly the same as what this is, if it has to be replaced at all?

 

Thanks

[Addertooth]

I am unsure which part you are speaking of. A picture would help tremendously.

 

 

 

[FredRydr]

[Content deleted and posted in the Sheaffer forum.]

Edited January 19, 2020 by FredRydr

[stacyhills]

The rods are all the same diameter, or close enough to be interchangeable. However, you need to match the unthreaded length of your replacement to the original. Too short and the gasket won't reach the barrel chamber to fill the pen. Too long and it'll jam against the end of the feed or feed extension and you can't tighten the filler knob.

[eharriett]

The rods are all the same diameter, or close enough to be interchangeable. However, you need to match the unthreaded length of your replacement to the original. Too short and the gasket won't reach the barrel chamber to fill the pen. Too long and it'll jam against the end of the feed or feed extension and you can't tighten the filler knob.

Thank you. That is helpful. I looked at this one and a replacement and they looked about right, but if one is pretty close to another, I'll take a second look and double check.

 

Here's a pic of the part I'm talking about:

[FarmBoy]

You need a replacement.

 

We tend to call that the filler rod.

 

The early ones are hard rubber coated steel. Later ones are stainless.

[Addertooth]

I double back up what FarmBoy told you. Switch to new stainless (commercially available through sites which sell parts), and don't look back.

Follow this link, and go about 2/3rds down the page. You will need to know the length and diameter of your existing rod.

 

 

https://pentooling.com/partssheaffer.html

[eharriett]

Pen tooling once again to the rescue. I did not realize there were 14 different versions of this.

 

Now all I have to do is figure out how to read the markings of my ruler as a 64th of an inch!

[FarmBoy]

Pen tooling once again to the rescue. I did not realize there were 14 different versions of this.

 

Now all I have to do is figure out how to read the markings of my ruler as a 64th of an inch!

We are talking Sheaffer non lever pens here...there are no confirmed instances of the same part being used twice, especially feeds and plunger parts and barrels and sections.

[Ron Z]

The coating is celluloid, and metal carbon steel. Sheaffer used that for quite a while before changing over to stainless steel. Even then, you often find that the rods are pitted. Its not at all uncommon to find them cracked, or really bumpy under the celluloid, which says that ink has wicked in, and the steel is rusting. I've seen them so badly rusted that part of the rod is gone entirely, and what is left has rusted to a needle point!

 

Use a pair of calipers to measure. You can buy fractional calipers at the big box home stores. The important dimension is the length of the rod, shoulder to shoulder, not the total length of the rod including the threads.

[Bibliophage]

Harbor Freight has cheap plastic vernier calipers, as well as digital metal ones. They work well enough. I also have a higher quality dial caliper I use when I want to have something to easily read and reference.