Parker Vacumatic Problem: Part Of Section Within Barrel

[jsintierra]

Hi everybody, I just started posting and once properly identified my Parker Vacumatic as a Senior Maxima from 1938, I started to tackle the repair.

While very gently trying to unscrew the fill unit, suddenly the section became loose and basically it opened apart from the barrel. Jeez! I thought I had broken it; however after careful observation I realised that the section was not the one-piece that I am used in my other Vacumatics but it seemed two pieces. There was no sign of breakage and the surface of both the section and the part that has remained screwed in the barrel was smooth with some hints of maybe some glue keeping it together. I attach a picture of the actual section and barrel where you can see part of the section still screwed to the barrel and of the remaining part of the section.

 

 

I read in a recent thread by Ron Z "Securing Parker Clip Screws And Jewels" something that switched a light "A rosin based thread sealant. Parker already had this around the factory and on the assembly benches to seal the section threads." Can that hint to a two part sections? If so how I can get that part that is still inside the barrel out (you will see it as slightly colored in blue)? What should I use to glue those two pieces back together? Or maybe you will tell me that indeed this is broken or not how it should be? Thanks in advance for your time and reply. Take care, Jan

 

Note 23/02/2012: Updated post below following the first round of comments.

Edited February 23, 2012 by jsintierra

[kirchh]

I'm not a Vacumatic expert, but it appears that you have sheared off the section. I hope those more knowledgeable than I will weigh in as well.

 

--Daniel

[jsintierra]

I'm not a Vacumatic expert, but it appears that you have sheared off the section. I hope those more knowledgeable than I will weigh in as well.

 

--Daniel

 

Hi Daniel, thanks for your kind reply and time (even though it fuels my fears). If indeed that is the case then it must be already broken (I am not trying to evade my fault :-) because I was working on the other side of the barrel and very gently. Also it is curious that no irregularities are shown on the surface of both parts as it really is smooth, too smooth in my opinion for being a result of breakage. Anyway, let's wait to see whether a second (or a third....) opinion coincides with yours or maybe there is a little light shining somewhere for this Vac. Regards, Jan

[viclip]

Pure conjecture, but if either the section or barrel threads had been previously stripped, a past repairer could have turned down the section while inserting a sleeve in the barrel. Sort of like converting to a friction fit section in a lever filler (but of course for a Vac the fit would need to be quite close & a sealer like shellac would be necessary to prevent leakage). Such a repair would be doable by someone who didn't have access to a lathe?

[FarmBoy]

You either had a one piece section/barrel Vacumatic or you have sheared the shredded portion of the section off. Either way this is no longer a novice repair. If a one-piece barrel, the parts need to be solvent welded together and then rebuilt to make work. If the section has the threaded end sheared off you will need to bore out the remainder assuming you can not extract it in one piece. Once out you will need to manufacture a new one or better find a replacement section. Not a difficult section to find but it can be rather expensive.

 

I would recommend sending the pen to someone that specializes in Vacumatic restoration, this is an advanced repair.

 

Todd

[OcalaFlGuy]

Jsintierra, were you aware you were starting this repair on a $300+ pen?

 

Just wondrin'...

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Paul Raposo]

I'm a novice with pen repairs myself, but in that picture the break looks too clean to have been sheared in half by jsintierra. I'd expect to see a jagged edge to both pieces, or an uneven break. Yet both pieces, the section, and the piece inside the barrel look smooth, and rounded.

 

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/8555/post7617702752730013299.jpg

[kirchh]

I'm a novice with pen repairs myself, but in that picture the break looks too clean to have been sheared in half by jsintierra. I'd expect to see a jagged edge to both pieces, or an uneven break. Yet both pieces, the section, and the piece inside the barrel look smooth, and rounded.

By virtue of the laminated composition of this sort of Vacumatic celluloid, perfectly clean breaks are the norm.

 

--Daniel

[viclip]

Can anyone confirm whether one-piece barrel/section Vacs were still being produced as late as 1938? [presumably the pen was manufactured by Parker USA]

Edited February 23, 2012 by viclip

[jsintierra]

Summary of the State of the Nation after the first round of comments.

 

We have two scenarios:

 

1.- Either I sheared off the section. Even though both pieces of the section are smooth, Daniel indicated that such clean breaks are the norm.

2.- It is a two part section: this is my hypothesis as without disrespect to Daniel´s knowledge (for sure more than mine) apart from the clean break I noticed shiny particles of different material in the surface of both pieces and this hints to me to some kind of glue. Then we have an eventual scenario described by viclip about what could have happened (converted to a kind of friction fit).

I discarded by now a third possibility that is a one piece section barrel Vacumatic hinted by Todd because I deduce from viclip remark/question that such possibility has to be confirmed in pens as late as 1938. By the way it is a Parker USA manufacture indeed.

 

Questions on attempt at repair[/u]: So I focus in the second scenario. How do I get that part of the section off? I look at it and I believe it is threaded and not friction fit as suggested by viclip.

 

I will be careful. How should I prepare for this? Let it soak in water with some soap and give it a try? If it is threaded I would need to insert something in the barrel that would fit and then try to unscrew it... if it is friction fit? Any ideas?

 

Questions about repairer: please also feel free to send me a message back channel with good repairers more preferably in Europe.

 

Thanks to all of you so far for your comments and help. I truly appreciate it. Take care and let´s continue the debate.

 

Ps to Bruce in Ocala: Yes I was aware of the value of the pen. Sorry for taking the liberty to read between your lines but I have handled a few Vacumatics. Few posts or recent experiences does not mean that I don´t do my homework even though I realise that I have still a long way to go. Thanks for taking the time in any case to read the post.

Edited February 23, 2012 by jsintierra

[viclip]

Is there any any need to remove the piece from the barrel?

 

If this was a previous "home" repair then you're probably better off to leave the barrel insert alone. Then just re-shellac the section back in after ensuring that the feed & breather flow freely.

[kirchh]

Summary of the State of the Nation after the first round of comments.

 

We have two scenarios:

 

1.- Either I sheared off the section. Even though both pieces of the section are smooth, Daniel indicated that such clean breaks are the norm.

2.- It is a two part section: this is my hypothesis as without disrespect to Daniel´s knowledge (for sure more than mine) apart from the clean break I noticed shiny particles of different material in the surface of both pieces and this hints to me to some kind of glue. Then we have an eventual scenario described by viclip about what could have happened (converted to a kind of friction fit).

I discarded by now a third possibility that is a one piece section barrel Vacumatic hinted by Todd because I deduce from viclip remark/question that such possibility has to be confirmed in pens as late as 1938. By the way it is a Parker USA manufacture indeed.

 

Questions on attempt at repair[/u]: So I focus in the second scenario. How do I get that part of the section off? I look at it and I believe it is threaded and not friction fit as suggested by viclip.

 

I will be careful. How should I prepare for this? Let it soak in water with some soap and give it a try? If it is threaded I would need to insert something in the barrel that would fit and then try to unscrew it... if it is friction fit? Any ideas?

 

Questions about repairer: please also feel free to send me a message back channel with good repairers more preferably in Europe.

 

Thanks to all of you so far for your comments and help. I truly appreciate it. Take care and let´s continue the debate.

 

Ps to Bruce in Ocala: Yes I was aware of the value of the pen. Sorry for taking the liberty to read between your lines but I have handled a few Vacumatics. Few posts or recent experiences does not mean that I don´t do my homework even though I realise that I have still a long way to go. Thanks for taking the time in any case to read the post.

Given what you've said about how the section seems to have fallen off without being subject to much, if any, stress, and your observation of foreign matter at the joint, another scenario is that someone else previously sheared the section off while trying to unscrew it, and then attempted to cement it back in with some shellac.

 

I would opine that attempting to put things back together with shellac is a terrible idea, doomed to failure. Messy failure.

 

--Daniel

[Buzz J]

There's no such thing as a two part section on a Vac.

 

As previously suggested, the threaded portion of the section has sheared from the rest of the section. If you want to repair it to maximize the pen's value and function, you will need to remove the threaded piece from the barrel and weld (shellac isn't appropriate) the two pieces together or replace the section.

 

John

Edited February 23, 2012 by Buzz J

[eckiethump]

Parker vacumatics in my experience solvent weld with the the best results over most other pens. At times their sections are very tight threaded fits, as this appears to have been and sheared. The repair of it is entirely possible though, using; if the part inside the barrel can't be successfully removed intact for re-use, a part from a donor vac section. This would be easier than trying to find a donor striped vac section. I would tenon the donor part into the existing section part if this route is to be taken.

et

[georges zaslavsky]

You should send your pen to richard binder or ron zorn for that kind of repair

Edited February 24, 2012 by georges zaslavsky

[jsintierra]

Second update: this will be a short one because I´m even shorter of time. The repair progresses well. The barrel is free of both the remaining of the section and the filler (which also had issues). It was smoother than I had anticipated. Now it will be time to clean in thoroughly. The part of the section I was able to extract could not be enough to weld it to the section (max of 4 threads left and maybe the piece itself is not very sound/robust), so I may need to find a new threaded part to which solvent weld to the rest of the section. Where to find such spares? Any idea anyone? The second part is that I do not have yet the skills to weld it so I either put it to rest for some time until I can come back to that (I read once that letting a pen unrepaired can hardly damage it ) or if I cannot wait then I will have to send it for repair! Take care and read you all!

[eckiethump]

The remainder of this repair needs access and ability with a lathe, then for ease a suitable part(donor section), but not all vac section threads diameters are the same, so difficult to procure as a stand alone part.

Eric