Question. Hero 616 Under The Hood, Same As The 51?

[Cyclopentadiene]

Hi all,

 

I've been wondering about the Hero 616. Does anyone know if the feed/collector system is the same for the 616 as that on the Parker 51?

 

Just curious is all...

 

Thanks,

Badger

[WayTooManyHobbies]

From previous reading, neither the 616 nor the 100 are the same under the hood as a 51. They are somewhat similar, though.

[Seele]

The basic engineering and functional principles are very similar between the Parker 51, Hero 616, 100 and others, but parts are not cross-compatible. Despite what people say the Hero pens - and those by other makers - are not "clones" of the 51. In some ways, I think the 100 might even have a bit of an edge in engineering, but the proliferation of counterfeits do tend to skew people's perception somewhat.

[OcalaFlGuy]

If you search hard enough and are a bit lucky (try the FPN <only> Googler) I am pretty sure there are posts here with pics of real 51 and "Hero 51" innards in the same pics.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Cyclopentadiene]

The basic engineering and functional principles are very similar between the Parker 51, Hero 616, 100 and others, but parts are not cross-compatible. Despite what people say the Hero pens - and those by other makers - are not "clones" of the 51. In some ways, I think the 100 might even have a bit of an edge in engineering, but the proliferation of counterfeits do tend to skew people's perception somewhat.

 

I've heard that he Hero 100 might have an edge, but I can't think of why?

 

If you search hard enough and are a bit lucky (try the FPN <only> Googler) I am pretty sure there are posts here with pics of real 51 and "Hero 51" innards in the same pics.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

Thanks bruce, as always brill info. I'll look it up soon

[Ernst Bitterman]

The 616 collector is made of out a softer material and fewer and shallower vanes. The profile of the hood is a little closer to Parker's 61 than the "51", too; the length/width of the collector is bound to be different.

 

On the 100's potential edge, I know that there's a special tool for disassembly that doesn't occur with the 51, but the filler spring is still a little weak by comparison (not FLIMSY like the 616, but still nothing like the "51"s).

[Flounder]

It's the same basic idea, but none of the parts are interchangable between the 51 and its closest homage, the larger 616 ("Jumbo" or "Doctor")

 

Here's a 616 jumbo collector. Same idea as a 51 aero collector, fat channel on one side, thin channel on the other, no spacer shim.

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/Hero%20616%20Nib%20Alignment/th_Hero616nibalign6.jpg

 

Here's a 51 collector (ignore the arrow).

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/Parker51%20Collector%20Cleaning/th_CleaningParker51Collectors007.jpg

 

The nib is similar to the 51 and fits in the same way. The feed is more similar to the thicker 51 feeds than the thinner ones. The 616 gets a breather tube, but this doesn't have the wee pressure equalising hole the breather tube on the aero 51 has.

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/Hero%20616%20Nib%20Alignment/th_Hero616nibalign5.jpg

 

The hoods on the 616 jumbo and the aero 51 are pretty much the same size and shape. The internal threading is different.

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/Gray%2051/51%20Aero%20Hood%20vs%20616%20Jumbo/th_51Hoodvs616Jumbo.jpg

 

[Cyclopentadiene]

Thanks for the responses folks!

I've seen your blog flounders and I'm considering having a go at the vac-conversion to a 616 when I finally get a few pennies saved up

[Flounder]

Oh, cool! Post a photo if you get round to it. It was great "long way round" experience which came in handy servicing real vac units.

[Cyclopentadiene]

Oh, cool! Post a photo if you get round to it. It was great "long way round" experience which came in handy servicing real vac units.

 

Will do. See y'all around.