What is this and what do I do with it?

[Buzz J]

Ditto on Sean's sentiments!!

[LedZepGirl]

To me it looks like the threaded piece that fits in the back of a Parker Vacumatic, speedline filler pre WWII. What do with it: slip it over the plunger mechanism, fit the diaphragm over the bottom of the plunger then screw it back into the pen. To do that you'll need either a Vac block or wrench. Screw it down until your blind cap screws on correctly and lines up with the rest of the pen- which is tricky.

[FarmBoy]

I use these. Both end of the filler nut (barrel and blind cap) and a vac section tap.

 

 

Regards,

 

Todd

[fountainbel]

Nice set of taps Todd !

Could you please confirm the respective thread spec's so I could try to buy or possibly make me a set?

thanks, Francis

 

 

 

I use these. Both end of the filler nut (barrel and blind cap) and a vac section tap.

 

 

Regards,

 

Todd

[FarmBoy]

Francis,

 

Thank you. Only one of these would pass the test as a tap and is from tool steel, the others are from mild steel and work fine as thread chasers.

 

For sizes, I settled on the following values given as major diameter (D) and tpi cut as a sharp 60 degree thread:

 

Hood 0.351 - 48 (single lead) (This is the same as the barrel end of a vac filler)

Blind Cap 0.304 - 36 (single lead)

Aero Barrel 0.368 - 48 (triple lead)

 

I put a 2 degree taper on the ends to make it easier to start the threads. If you haven't machined tool steel you are in for a treat....go with thread chasers and use mild steel or even aluminum (I have a set of those also.) If you do not have an indexing head on your lathe or don't have a CNC lathe, cutting the multiple lead threads is time consuming but doable.

 

As for a reamer to clean the ferrule seat, I made that too. Not hard to make but dangerous to use. One small anything and you will never get the filler to seal. If you need to clean the seat use a scratchy pad shoved down the barrel end.

 

This was sort of done to see if I could actually make a 51 from scratch. The other reason being I was challenged to make a tap--it went something like "it takes special tools to do that."

 

Another cautionary note, if you decide to chase the threads at the hood go easy on it. The material is very thin and less tolerant than the barrel end.

 

 

[fountainbel]

Thanks for the thread spec's & your advice Todd, greatly appreciated !

 

 

 

 

Francis,

 

Thank you. Only one of these would pass the test as a tap and is from tool steel, the others are from mild steel and work fine as thread chasers.

 

For sizes, I settled on the following values given as major diameter (D) and tpi cut as a sharp 60 degree thread:

 

Hood 0.351 - 48 (single lead) (This is the same as the barrel end of a vac filler)

Blind Cap 0.304 - 36 (single lead)

Aero Barrel 0.368 - 48 (triple lead)

 

I put a 2 degree taper on the ends to make it easier to start the threads. If you haven't machined tool steel you are in for a treat....go with thread chasers and use mild steel or even aluminum (I have a set of those also.) If you do not have an indexing head on your lathe or don't have a CNC lathe, cutting the multiple lead threads is time consuming but doable.

 

As for a reamer to clean the ferrule seat, I made that too. Not hard to make but dangerous to use. One small anything and you will never get the filler to seal. If you need to clean the seat use a scratchy pad shoved down the barrel end.

 

This was sort of done to see if I could actually make a 51 from scratch. The other reason being I was challenged to make a tap--it went something like "it takes special tools to do that."

 

Another cautionary note, if you decide to chase the threads at the hood go easy on it. The material is very thin and less tolerant than the barrel end.

[FOUR X FOUR]

OK, all together now. Pull off the blind cap on your Vac or 51.Remember to think outside the box.....

I can't put one foot in front of the other but I knew this. I learned from Grandmia