Help with these two Sheaffer white dots I bought at a flea market.

[edteach]

I ordered the O ring kit. such high price for a stupid O ring and foam washer and wipe. and 4 dollars shipping to boot. Anderson was out of one of the parts and he is only asking .52 cents each. I ended up getting enough to do several pens as it was almost as cheap as getting one set. That way if one is damaged or something happens to it I have reserves or if I run across another Sheaffer Vacuum filler pen. I was going to buy them from a seller of bulk O rings but I don't need bags of 500.

[edteach]

Just finished the drill out of the reservoir. After watching a few videos on this, I used a 1/4 inch bit that is in good sharp condition. I turned it by hand for the first 10 minutes cleaning out the particles after several turns so it does not bind up. You can feel the bit bit different once you are cleaning out the last bit. the wipe and the felt washers give just a bit of buffer. Once that was done, I used my wife's crochet hook to get out the wipe and felts. Then I did a couple of turns by hand on the bit to clean out the bottom. Blew it out with air pressure from my compressor and its ready to seat the new O ring and washer. The videos I saw used contact cement, but I am thinking maybe Shellac for pens. I take shots so I have a small needle and syringe I can load up a bit of shellac and put it where it needs to be before I put the O ring in. I saw some who would coat the O ring but this makes it so you have to clean out the reservoir and I would only trust turpentine for that. Acetone or other could be too hot for the material that makes up the tube. Once one gets a feel for this I can see using a drill motor, but I wanted to make sure I could feel what was going on and to not touch the sides with the bit. I did not want to thin out the threads on the tube. Now its a wait for the parts to show up.

I would say if you have any aptitude for Mechanics this is not a bad little project. So far its been kind of enjoyable. I was told not to mess with Snorkel pens but I did a few and they are really not very hard to referb.

[Chrissy]

Ron uses a special Sheaffer rosin on some pens that are repaired. Instead of shellac.

[Ron Z]

Yeh, don't use shellac. Shellac sets hard, and it makes it pretty much impossible to get the nib out again once it sets. Remember, shellac is often used as an adhesive. A rosin based thread sealant seals well, but doesn't harden. The thread sealant softens at about 90F, shellac at 135F or higher.

[edteach]

Yeh, don't use shellac. Shellac sets hard, and it makes it pretty much impossible to get the nib out again once it sets. Remember, shellac is often used as an adhesive. A rosin based thread sealant seals well, but doesn't harden. The thread sealant softens at about 90F, shellac at 135F or higher.

I did not mean for the nib. Any screw in I do not use anything on. the threads will work just fine. I am using Shellac for the O ring seated in the bottom of the filler tube. Also the flat washer wipe. Nothing on the one of the piston arm. I use a bit of shellac for a section with out threads only if its loose. If its tight nothing

[FredRydr]

So it turns out that Vac-Fill is a later production pen (beginning ca. 1946?), with the separate reservoir inside the barrel.

[edteach]

I finally sourced the parts for the Sheaffer vac fill. The parts are in and it works great. Holds a vacuum until it hits the wider opening where you can hear the release of air rush in. A bit of silicone grease on the rod and wipe and its set to go.

[calamus]

I can finally exhale. Whew!

[edteach]

I can finally exhale. Whew!

That is a relief I was really worried about you.