What is on your bench?

[VacNut]

The more you collect vacumatics the more you discover all the various models and types that are available.

 

I was lucky to find a Silver Vacuum Filler this month to accompany my Burgundy Vacuum Filler. 

 

 

The Burgundy Pen was in near functional condition. It just needed a gentle cleaning. I really like the laminated section that is integral to the barrel. The diagonal laminations on the barrel indicate Parker was still working to perfect the welding process. The imprints are a bit worn.
 

The Silver Vac needed more work. It has a strong imprint with a good nib. In disassembling the filler, the alum sleeve of the lockdown filler fell out of the threaded retaining collar - which is not a good sign. The retaining strip inside the plunger had corroded and the inner collar was stuck inside the barrel.  

I had thought the plunger was in good shape, except a fellow eagle-eyed collector noticed the crack in the alum sleeve at the brass cap. Cosmetically a great looking filler, but useless in filling the pen. I decided to replace the unit completely and save the parts for a more common vac. (It is always an tedious process to replace the retaining strip in the aluminum fillers).

 

The nib was in good condition, but it was a later replacement nib. I have learned that I need to buy parts whenever they are available, because you just never know when it will be needed. I don’t remember where or when I picked up a “vacuum filler “ nib, but it was a perfect fit to match the pen.

 

I believe the Vacuum Filler Model followed the Golden Arrow Pen and preceded the Vacumatic. I was surprised to see that the Silver Vac had a Canadian Imprint. I didn’t think the production run was long enough for Parker to make a Canadian Model. The Vacuum Filler Nib also has a Canadian imprint, so they must have made a number or pens.

 

I am always hesitant to use “rare” to describe Vacumatics. The Vacuum Fillers are definitely more uncommon than the typical Vac. I find them more interesting than the later models. They are definitely worth collecting.

 

 

[es9]

Success! This Triumph was… interesting. I had to drill out the old packing unit and accidentally shaved off some of the black cellulose paint at the back of the barrel. Some black epoxy worked like a charm, however. It’s not perfect. If you look very closely, you can see a few spots that the epoxy didn’t quite fill. But I’m not sure how far off it is from the originals. I can see similar gaps in some of unrestored pens I have. 
 

Most importantly, the pen works as it should. And hearing that “pop” is really satisfying. 
 

 

 

 

 

The black epoxy has actually been pretty useful. I’ve been using it when installing replacement sac nipples on 51 Aerometric connectors. The top one is an NOS part and the bottom one has a replacement sac nipple turned out of black acrylic. I've been told pretty much anything will do for the replacement material, and acrylic seems to be a pain to turn. But I had a few black acrylic rods on hand and I figure it'll be very resistant to plasticizer that migrates from a PVC sac.  

 

 

 

And I recently used the black epoxy to rebuild this packing unit. I drilled too far when I was first trying to figure out how to repair these pens. As a result, I both drilled out a chunk of the bottom of the packing unit and cracked the threads off. (I must’ve done something else stupid too because the crack didn’t quite match up.) I think this particular packing unit was a less common size and I couldn’t find a replacement from a donor pen. I epoxied the threads back on, but I still had a gap at the back of the packing unit where I had drilled too far. I figured the best thing would be to fill it with epoxy, but the challenge was how to do it without having it fill the hole at the back of the packing unit. I shaped a piece of aluminum into a small plug to fill the hole. I coated the plug with silicone grease, plugged the hole, and filled the bottom of the packing unit with epoxy. After it cured, the plug slid right out and I flattened the epoxy with a flat-bottom drill. 
 

 

 

Obviously the epoxy didn’t need to be black for this, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many occasions I’ve had to use it. 

 

[eckiethump]

On 6/20/2022 at 5:28 PM, es9 said:

Obviously the epoxy didn’t need to be black for this, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many occasions I’ve had to use it. 

 

Very nice work.

I didn't realise there was such a thing as black epoxy ? Milliput, describes itself as Epoxy, I'm thinking more along the lines of two part resin mixes ?

Eric

[eckiethump]

Train strikes, let me down for the Birmingham Pen Show. acouple of jobs undertaken at the week end of less usually seen pens.

Wahl/ Eversharp Oxford 1931 pen, predating Parker vac, but using their diaphragm to service.

The clear sprung plunger of the Blackbird Topfiller. The whole of the back end had t be bored out and a new one made using Ketron Peek with 36TPI to take long blind cap covering sprung filler

 

[VacNut]

New old stock or mint pens carry a premium with collectors. The next ideal pen would be pristine pens with the correct parts.

When I first started learning about Vacumatics with all the different models and variations, I became interested in collecting pristine models of each type. I forgot that Vacumatics were household items meant to be used and repaired as needed. The pens were also produced during a time when people did not waste or throw away stock, so the company may have assembled pens from available stock.

 

I spent the week going through my bins cleaning and rebuilding these transitional Vacumatic Maximas. These pen came to me as-is so I decided not to rebuild them with the “correct” parts, as these pens have a long history prior to my purchase. I have labeled the pens “transitional”, but that is just my guess.

 

The Emerald Senior Maxima is close to the first generation of Maximas except for a few quirks. The barrel, wide band, and tapered cap are indicative of this first model. The crisp Made in the USA and 47’ date code shows it was made early in the model history. The striped section is uncommon, but the oddity is in the filler and end cap. The pen was fitted with an oversize threaded collar with a lockdown filler and longer end cap, instead of the typical alum speedline filler. Are they replacements? Perhaps over its history, a technician bored out and threaded the barrel and blind cap for a replacement oversize collar, but it would have been uncommon. The diaphragm was completely crystallized so the pen had not been worked on the last 5-10 years. I am speculating Parker was assembling and adjusting pens with whatever stock parts were available, rather than discarding the out dated parts.

 

The Brown Senior Maxima has the typical wide cap band, and speedline filler. I received the pen with the later blue diamond clip and the striped section which are typically associated with this model. The date code is illegible, but I am guessing the clip is a replacement, but the section may be original, as it is more slender than the typical Oversize Vac.

The Silver Senior Maxima may also be an assembled pen, but I have left it as I received the pen. The narrower cap band and blue diamond clip match the same model year, but the .0. barrel imprint is from an earlier model. The pen also has the jeweled end cap and speedline filler. Is the cap a replacement, perhaps after the original cap was damaged? I don’t know how many of these later model Maximas were sold relative to the earlier models. I find these later models with the narrower cap band are more difficult to find that’s the earlier models. 
 

These pens may not be pristine or pure examples of their catalog models. In earlier times, I may have re-built these pens with the “correct” parts based on the barrel imprints. I decided to restore them as I received them in respect to their history. 

 

 

[es9]

On 7/1/2022 at 12:31 AM, eckiethump said:

Very nice work.

I didn't realise there was such a thing as black epoxy ? Milliput, describes itself as Epoxy, I'm thinking more along the lines of two part resin mixes ?

Eric

Thanks!! I used PC Superepoxy which is a two-part epoxy; I think the resin has dye in it. 3M also makes some similar stuff as well, but it’s pretty expensive. 

[es9]

I’m currently working on a Sheaffer Triumph with a fairly pronounced gap where the cap ring meets the celluloid. I’m sure this gap is just celluloid shrinkage, but is there anything to do about it? I should be able to pull the cap ring/inner cap nub, but would that let me do anything that allow me to improve anything? For example, would I be able to shave down the edge of the cap and install the cap ring any higher? 
 

[es9]

Update: The cap ring came right off with a little bit of heat, and it will indeed seat higher! I assume epoxy is the right approach here? 

[VacNut]

Who is the number one $&@?#%? I am 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️.

A little impatience. A little laziness.  A broken 51 Buckskin Beige barrel from twisting a little too hard on the filler nut.

A little preventative dry heat on the barrel to loosen the filler. I don’t know which part of me cracked when I heard the “pop”.

From vintage collectible to parts bin in 0.005 seconds

 

 

 

[lionelc]

bad luck @VacNut

[VacNut]

In cleaning hundreds of vacs, I have never cracked a barrel. This is just disheartening. 
Very, very hard lessen to learn.
 

[Le Vieux]

One of the pens that came these days, for repairs, a MB Solitaire B&G. The nib is badly damaged by the impact with a hard floor. Not a walk in the park this repair, but I am confident the outcome will be a satisfactory one.

 

 

[es9]

37 minutes ago, Le Vieux said:

Not a walk in the park this repair, but I am confident the outcome will be a satisfactory one.

Do you mind walking through the steps you will take? For example, which bend will you attack first? 

[VacNut]

I was always advised to straighten the tines first and then work out the wrinkle, without the use of a nib block. People have told me the block simplifies the work, but you run the risk of shearing off the tip. Given my luck this week, I would err on the side of caution. I also made the mistake of working the end a little too much and the nib ended up more stiff than before the repair.

La Vieux, how do you work on such a decorative nib? Do you use specific tools besides fingertips and a soft dowel?

[Nethermark]

16 hours ago, VacNut said:

A broken 51 Buckskin Beige barrel from twisting a little too hard on the filler nut.

That simply hurts to look at. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us who repair pens.

[VacNut]

2 hours ago, Nethermark said:

That simply hurts to look at. Unfortunately, it happens to all of us who repair pens.

I usually buy the parts pens from people who have damaged the pens. I have never been on the other side. A real shame as the imprints on the barrel were very crisp. The barrel seemed a little lighter in weight than the typical buckskin. I have been too broken hearted to investigate why the filler wouldn’t unloosen.

[FarmBoy]

Date code?

plastic filler?

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

On 9/13/2022 at 7:09 AM, Le Vieux said:

One of the pens that came these days, for repairs, a MB Solitaire B&G. The nib is badly damaged by the impact with a hard floor. Not a walk in the park this repair, but I am confident the outcome will be a satisfactory one.

 

 

 

I am also curious about this. I am capable to straightening out a nib but where I have some issues is when one tine is pushed inwards like that. How do you straighten it out? 

[Bristol24]

On 9/12/2022 at 8:40 PM, VacNut said:

A little impatience. A little laziness.  A broken 51 Buckskin Beige barrel from twisting a little too hard on the filler nut.

I have a Sheaffer 875 Balance with military clip that has a barrel in two pieces with the section still firmly glued inside the smaller broken piece.  Too much force, not enough patience and, "presto!"  Now in two pieces.  I know how it feels.

 

Cliff

[Le Vieux]

No block, at all; although its usefulness is appreciated in many cases. I had broken a nib's tipping when I used a block for the first time, so I am cautious ever since. 

 

I straightened the tines, working on both alternatively. Once straight(ish), the wrinkles were addressed. Then the tines needed to be properly adjusted for alignment. During this stage, the tipping halves were also aligned and adjoined. The gap between the tines was adjusted as well, by means of working my way from down up on each tine, separated by a very (very) thin piece of steel, where it can lay flat and be worked upon with small (very small) set of plyers.

 

Anyways, it's easier to show someone how I did it, than it is to tell the story on how. Words are not my forté, so to say.