How Long Should A Button Filler Pressure Bar Be?

[PDW]

Every now and again you open up a button filler and find ... nothing. No sac, and no pressure bar. So you get out your stock of pressure bars and select, or if you're unlucky cut, one to fit.

 

 

But how long should the pressure bar be? A bar that gives that nice click as you release it has to have a little tension left when the button is at the top of its travel, so it’s likely to be pressing on the sac all the time a little and reducing the pen’s ink capacity. If you leave the bar ever-so-slightly short so that the button is just loose when at rest you maximise capacity but lose the click.

 

 

What do you do?

Edited September 14, 2013 by PDW

[risingsun]

Trim a little, and check how it works. Trim a little more, and check. Trim a little more, and check... It's a pain, but I haven't found a better way. Furthermore, most (if not all) replacement pressure bars seem to need something to press against on the end opposite the button, whereas some of the old Parker button fillers had a PB design that didn't need this. I wish I could find some of that type.

[balson]

Trim a little, and check how it works. Trim a little more, and check. Trim a little more, and check... It's a pain, but I haven't found a better way. Furthermore, most (if not all) replacement pressure bars seem to need something to press against on the end opposite the button, whereas some of the old Parker button fillers had a PB design that didn't need this. I wish I could find some of that type.

 

i second this, i am thrilled that there are replacement leverbars and j bars out there but i wish the quality was better. i have a ton of trouble with the replacement j bars especially because the bar is so thick it blocks the correct size sack.

[fountainbel]

Hi PDW,

Using the "trial and error" or "trim and check" method works ,but in my experience the risks for deforming the pressure bar are rather high.

Attached a sketch showing my manner to determine de pressure bar length on button fillers upfront.

Hope this helps.

Francis:

 

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Repair%20suggestions%20to%20forum/P1000418.jpg

[PDW]

Interesting ... fountainbel, your sketch suggests that the pressure bar doesn't keep the button under tension when at rest, with about 0,5mm of what the engineers used to call 'slop' or free travel. Is that correct?

[fountainbel]

Interesting ... fountainbel, your sketch suggests that the pressure bar doesn't keep the button under tension when at rest, with about 0,5mm of what the engineers used to call 'slop' or free travel. Is that correct?

Yes it is, ...... at least in my opinion....

When introducing the button it should be able to snap behind the inner barrel ridge without actuating the pressure bar.

This is the method I use....

Francis

[PDW]

Thanks - just used your advice to size a replacement bar for a Parker Lucky Curce which came to me with a pressure bar that allowed 3mm of free traval - and hardly filled at all

[fountainbel]

Thanks - just used your advice to size a replacement bar for a Parker Lucky Curce which came to me with a pressure bar that allowed 3mm of free traval - and hardly filled at all

Looks you used a bad measurement or another mistake dear PDW !

[watch_art]

I do it the way Francis does. But that's when making a pen. Making the pen to fit the bar and the bar to fit the pen are a little different.

[Marlow]

Interesting ... fountainbel, your sketch suggests that the pressure bar doesn't keep the button under tension when at rest, with about 0,5mm of what the engineers used to call 'slop' or free travel. Is that correct?

 

Also, if the bar extends far enough to keep the button at its fullest possible extension there's a danger of ink escape from the nib end when screwing down the blind cap on some of the smaller button-fillers... I've done this very messily!! - but only once!

[PDW]

Looks you used a bad measurement or another mistake dear PDW !

 

No - it was a previous 'restorer' who installed the short bar. I put in a new sac with the existing bar and then began to wonder why it could hold so little liquid. I just needed reasurance from an expert that I could indeed put a longer one in.

[fountainbel]

 

Looks you used a bad measurement or another mistake dear PDW !

 

No - it was a previous 'restorer' who installed the short bar. I put in a new sac with the existing bar and then began to wonder why it could hold so little liquid. I just needed reasurance from an expert that I could indeed put a longer one in.

Glad to hear this !

So you can confirm the suggested approach worked??

Francis

[PDW]

Yes - thanks!

[Chi Town]

Boy what. A handy thread as I am just getting ready to replace a bar on a button filler, that someone incorrectly cut to a too short of a length. I ordered a replacement from Martin @ woodbin, and hopefully tomorrow I will start the repair.....

[Rose Nibs]

Another way to deal with a pressure bar that is too short by a few millimetres is to make a longer button. That is what I have done for a Parker Duofold. It helps to have a few tins of old clock parts to provide something to fashion into a button

[BamaPen]

I haven't had this problem, but I've only restored two or three button fillers and must have been lucky. However, it seems to me that if the pressure bar were just a little too short, one could insert some material inside the button to take up some slack. Obviously this has limits because the end of the bar must remain captive.