Making tiny stoppers for refilled ink cartridges

[weemeng]

Hi,

 

Here's a way of making a tiny stopper for ink cartridges so that u can carry refilled cartridges with your favourite ink in them with u.

 

 

What u need:

 

1. A small nail (brass preferably or something that doesn't corrode) that's slightly smaller than the cartridge opening.

 

2. Tap thread sealing tape from a plumbing hardware accessories store. It's a very thin white rubber-like tape that's used to wrap round the threads of pipes/taps before they are joined to another component.

 

 

Construction:

 

Wrap the tape around the nail until it goes into the cartridge firmly.

 

Fill up the cartridge with ink, push the wrapped nail into the opening like a cork.

 

 

Usage:

 

To use it, hold the cartridge upright with the nail up, have a square of tissue paper handy, pull out the nail. Clean the ink around the cartridge opening and the nail, insert cartridge into your pen.

 

Just to be save, I would carry all these refilled cartridges in a small resealable plastic bag or in a small pill bottle with a wad of tissue in it.

 

Rgds

weemeng

 

 

 

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

Better yet, buy a can of "plastic-dip" at a hardware store and dip the end. let it dry and you have a rubber coated end that is sealed. Just peel it off to use the cartridge.

[kiavonne]

Better yet, buy a can of "plastic-dip" at a hardware store and dip the end. let it dry and you have a rubber coated end that is sealed. Just peel it off to use the cartridge.

 

But if the cartidge is full of ink, I'd rather not be turining it over to dip in anything.

[Firefyter-Emt]

Unless you squeeze the cart. the ikn should stay just where it is. You "may" get a little ink in the plastic dip, but very minor. Once it's dipped the ink will not go anywhere while it dries.

[captnemo]

I've never had a need to do this but I like the plug idea. One way to do it would be to measure micrometer the OD of the nipple in the pen and get some solid rod stock of the same diameter, cut off little pieces, flatten one end to make a little handle, and you've got a plug. The plug could be secured for travel with a piece of masking tape over the end. The seal would be as good as the seal in the pen itself.

[Lloyd]

As I've asked before in another thread, why not just use a hot-glue gun?

Edited March 24, 2008 by Lloyd

[CraigR]

As I've asked before in another thread, why not just use a hot-glue gun?

Having never done this before, I am unsure, but it seems to me the hot glue may melt the end of the cartridge enough to be a problem. /Craig

[Goshzilla]

As I've asked before in another thread, why not just use a hot-glue gun?

Having never done this before, I am unsure, but it seems to me the hot glue may melt the end of the cartridge enough to be a problem. /Craig

 

They make low heat hot glue guns that melt at temps that are safe enough not to cause second degree burns, I think they go up to 120 degrees celsius, still that could be hot enough to deform the plastic opening.

[finalidid]

I've done two different things ...

 

1. Wax ear plugs. They come in a plastic box usually of four pairs, little wax lozenges. You can pinch a little bit off and make a flat cover, which is easy to peel off.

 

2. Those little spirals that come on some notebooks. Some of them are made of metal. Ignore them. But some are plastic spirals. You can snip off a bit of it, about a quarter-inch long, from one end, and stick it in the end of a Waterman cartridge.

 

[Paladin]

I've been reading about some really creative and innovative solutions on this topic.

 

Just wondering:

 

1. is it really worth the hassle of filling ink cartridges? Meaning in terms of time, cost and effort compared to using an ink converter? I've seen the video about using a syringe to fill ink cartridges.

2. does using ink cartridges over time cause wearing down of the fit between the ink cartridge and ink connection point in the lower barrel of the pen?

3. over time any problems with leaks?

4. what do you do when the ink is low and know that you have a big day coming up? Carry a spare ink cartridge? If yes, what do you do with the empty cartridge? How do you safely carry it without creating a mess?

 

I use ink converters and in general, it's at least a week between ink fills. Sometimes more depending on usage. So far I've only used up one bottle of Pelikan 4001 Tourquoise ink and that's probably about 4-5 years since I've bought the ink! It's around SGD 3.15 at most for a bottle. That's less than 1.5 cents a fill. I've rarely run out of ink. If I know, that I'm going for a heavy writing session or biz trip, I top up the pen beforehand. As a fall back measure, I maintain another bottle of ink at work just for contingencies. To be fair, my pens are Pelikans and they have great ink capacity. Having said that, my Pelikano Juniors use ink converters and I'm certain they hold less ink than my M800. However it is also at least a week between fills. In general, I keep at least 3 pens inked at any time.

 

Apart from taking notes, doing homework etc, I take time to improve my handwriting. This involves pages of scribbling. Especially useful for those times in between meetings

[Phthalo]

I dislike converters - 50% capacity of a cartridge, and I don't like dipping the nibs unless I have to. I always syringe-refill. I have never experienced a leak, and as yet I have not noticed the cartridge fit to be any looser.

 

If I need my pen for something critical, I make sure it is full and that I have more than one pen... I never carry spare ink in any form anywhere.

 

I do keep a film cannister with a few basic blue or black factory-sealed cartridges in my desk drawer. This is for those times when I have been to my PO Box and then I go straight to work with a new - and uninked pen - that's the only time I use those cartridges in my drawer.

Edited March 25, 2008 by Phthalo

[Paladin]

I dislike converters - 50% capacity of a cartridge, and I don't like dipping the nibs unless I have to. I always syringe-refill.

 

Why do you dislike dipping the nibs? Is it because it leave some ink on the nib?

 

Do you find bottled ink quality better than ink cartridge ink? Is that why you syringe fill?

[Rapt]

I syringe fill for two reasons...

 

Capacity and the fact that I want permanent inks, which basically means Noodler's (and one or two other specialty inks) which doesn't come in cartridges.

 

So refill is the only option.

 

 

[Possum Hill]

You can buy itty-bitty rubber stoppers from McMaster-Carr Supply Co.

 

Search for "rubber stopper" or "tapered stopper" or part numbers 6448K71 and 6448K87.

 

They also have long, blunt dispensing needles for standard syringes, handy for flushing and filling cartridges.

[Tweel]

1. Wax ear plugs. They come in a plastic box usually of four pairs, little wax lozenges. You can pinch a little bit off and make a flat cover, which is easy to peel off.

I very occasionally reseal a cartridge, and use Plastitack or an equivalent brand (e.g. Elmer's Peel 'N Stick), molded over the end of the cartridge. Works very well.

 

-- Brian

[Jinnayah]

They make low heat hot glue guns that melt at temps that are safe enough not to cause second degree burns, I think they go up to 120 degrees celsius

Low-temp glue guns are usually below 130 degree Fahrenheit (about 54C); 120 degrees Celsius is well into third degree burn territory.

[KCat]

Do you find bottled ink quality better than ink cartridge ink? Is that why you syringe fill?

 

I'm not answering for Phthalo.

 

There are some inks that don't come in cartridge and are bottle only and are inks I like very much. Some pens use proprietary cartridges, so even if I liked the cartridge ink made by Parker, I could not use it in my Pilot for example.

 

Cartridge capacity and flow have been why I've gone to cartridge only in my pens that are c/c fillers. I've gotten frustrated with the proprietary converters for Japanese brands.

[Dillo]

I've been reading about some really creative and innovative solutions on this topic.

 

Just wondering:

 

1. is it really worth the hassle of filling ink cartridges? Meaning in terms of time, cost and effort compared to using an ink converter? I've seen the video about using a syringe to fill ink cartridges.

2. does using ink cartridges over time cause wearing down of the fit between the ink cartridge and ink connection point in the lower barrel of the pen?

3. over time any problems with leaks?

4. what do you do when the ink is low and know that you have a big day coming up? Carry a spare ink cartridge? If yes, what do you do with the empty cartridge? How do you safely carry it without creating a mess?

 

I use ink converters and in general, it's at least a week between ink fills. Sometimes more depending on usage. So far I've only used up one bottle of Pelikan 4001 Tourquoise ink and that's probably about 4-5 years since I've bought the ink! It's around SGD 3.15 at most for a bottle. That's less than 1.5 cents a fill. I've rarely run out of ink. If I know, that I'm going for a heavy writing session or biz trip, I top up the pen beforehand. As a fall back measure, I maintain another bottle of ink at work just for contingencies. To be fair, my pens are Pelikans and they have great ink capacity. Having said that, my Pelikano Juniors use ink converters and I'm certain they hold less ink than my M800. However it is also at least a week between fills. In general, I keep at least 3 pens inked at any time.

 

Apart from taking notes, doing homework etc, I take time to improve my handwriting. This involves pages of scribbling. Especially useful for those times in between meetings

 

Hi,

 

1. It is worth it if you prefer the method.

 

2. International cartridges tend to have problems with wear and tear, the Japanese cartridges seem to have fewer problems though. Aurora cartridges also seem fine for it.

 

3. If the connection point of the cartridges breaks, yes

 

4. Hmm...I'd reach for another pen

 

I don't refill cartridges any more, since I felt that it was quite a hassle. I use converters all the time now (not to mention that I have have been rooting for converters all this time!) On the side note though, there was one instance where I went somewhere with my Pilot pocket pen. I filled the pen using the converter, then carried a sealed Pilot cartridge with the same ink inside it just in case. I never needed the cartridge though, the converter lasted the whole trip. The cartridge would have come in handy though, if I did run out of ink.

 

Dillon

Edited March 29, 2008 by Dillo

[Ondina]

As I've asked before in another thread, why not just use a hot-glue gun?

Having never done this before, I am unsure, but it seems to me the hot glue may melt the end of the cartridge enough to be a problem. /Craig

 

 

I've been using hot glue gun to seal refilled cartridges for a decade now, and never had problem either with temperature nor with the seal. Mybe once the glue did not want to come out, but for the rest is a great way to store refilled cartridges.

[Lloyd]

As I've asked before in another thread, why not just use a hot-glue gun?

Having never done this before, I am unsure, but it seems to me the hot glue may melt the end of the cartridge enough to be a problem. /Craig

 

 

I've been using hot glue gun to seal refilled cartridges for a decade now, and never had problem either with temperature nor with the seal. Mybe once the glue did not want to come out, but for the rest is a great way to store refilled cartridges.

Thanks for the confirmation!