Hairline Cracks And Leaky Section

[melro]

Hello guys ,

 

I gotta a problem with some vintage pens i got , and i believe that i made it worse.

I think i screwed them too far an the plastic trying to stop leakage through the treads. the plastic developed hailine cracks on the section and of couse , leaked more. the thing is , how can i fix it? i thought i'd had the answer. Superglue! . didnt do the trick and now i got some ugly blobs of superglue resin on the section.

 

is there any salvation for me ?

[Ron Z]

No, superglue is never the answer. Reaching for the stuff is one of the most common mistakes in pen repair, and I see it done all the time. Solvent welding with the proper solvent is. But that could be any one of 3 or 4 possible solvents, depending on what the material is. I couldn't tell you without testing. But now that the surface is contaminated with cyanoacrylate glue, your chances of getting a good solvent weld are significantly diminished.

[melro]

No, superglue is never the answer. Reaching for the stuff is one of the most common mistakes in pen repair, and I see it done all the time. Solvent welding with the proper solvent is. But that could be any one of 3 or 4 possible solvents, depending on what the material is. I couldn't tell you without testing. But now that the surface is contaminated with cyanoacrylate glue, your chances of getting a good solvent weld are significantly diminished.

now thats a bummer , i really enjoyed these pens.

 

anyway , i'll keep triyng .

 

gonna do better research next time , thanks!

[markh]

It turns out that most pen repair is "self taught" - meaning you screw things up the first time(s), and then get it right.

 

Sorry about your pen, but your repair technique has just improved.

 

.

[Ron Z]

We jokingly call things like this "tuition."

[Pentode]

If you are able to get the cracks welded (more difficult now but maybe not impossible) the better way to seal the section than over tightening is to use a thread sealant. I suggest a rosin-based sealant. Ron sells small jars of the stuff or you can find recipes online for mixing your own.

 

You could, alternatively, use shellac but its more of a pain to remove later if needed.

[melro]

Thanks for the tips , jokes , and encouragement guys!

i'll look into these sealants and the wleding for sure