Flea Market Find

[Raatt]

Out in the wild, I finally found a goody. Usually the local antique stores, flea markets and garage sales are picked over and I never find any treasures, usually beat up stuff or broken stuff and nothing special. This weekend I found a 1937 fourth quarter vacumatic for $10.00. 14K F nib, no cracks or chips, but a couple teeth marks and lots of fine scratches, only apparent under the loupe, as well the barrel end jewel is gone. The plunger feels not to bad, but it will not draw water or ink. Richard's site gives a good diagram of the mechanism and I suspect the rubber diaphragm is likely toast. The retaining collar is metal and appears removable, but my guess is, it may require a tool. Do any of you knowledgeable folks have any experience with repairing these...? Also, any ideas where I may find a replacement jewel...? Pics will follow...

[brianw]

Yes you will need a vac tool to remove the plunger. Some vac lube will help with the insertion of the diaphragm. You will need some picks to remove vestiges of the diaphragm from the barrel, and a ball seater to seat the ceramic ball in the plunger. Jewels can be had with a internet search

[nemo]

Great find! You may want to think about sending it out for a professional refurb since the outlay for tools and parts will be over three times the cost of the repair. It's an ambitious undertaking, I remember my first and it was a rewarding experience. I made some tools and improvised for the pellet pusher but like Brian says, you'll need the vac filler tool. Some people swear by the block style tool, but I like the wrench.

Martin can help with the tools and jewels here at Woodbin --> http://www.woodbin.ca/VacumaticToolsNibsJewels.html I use the red handle one, depends on the pen.

You know what we say about pictures around here, right?

[Raatt]

I polished it up last night and it cleaned up beautifully, I did the thumb compound trick on the nib and the gold now shines and the irridium looks decent. Dipped, it writes beautifully with what appears to be an M ink line.
Further research shows I need to find a brown jewel and a gold filled tassie. Lots of tassies around, but many are labelled differently. Some of the reproduction tassies say they will fit Parker 51 Vacs, and most sizes of vacumatics. Some descriptions are for specific pens. Does anyone know if the blind cap tassies are universally sized?

I am a little reluctant to purchase the retainer wrench or the other tools, cause just don't think I'll collect many of these. Was thinking about just sending it out, but must admit to being intrigued by the challenge of opening up this interesting little fill system. How crazy does this sound?...if it is a common machine thread, find the correct size of nut, snug it on and carefully lock it with pressure from a visegrip...a little cautiously applied heat to the barrel and gentle extraction...the diagrams make it look like a standard clockwise thread in the barrel, anyone know if this is accurate, or is it a reversed thread? (being a 1937 pen, coded 47, it is a metal double threaded retainer)

One last question for you gurus...(and I really appreciate your comments , Doug, Brian)...in this year of production, the feeder essembly is press fit and it is not generally recommended to pull it from the barrel, however I should be able to yank the nib with the old grip, twist and pull method...shouldn't I? This would allow additional nib clean up and adjustmentsome, but also some ability to inspect the barrel to see if I have any sac bits. Some folks have found that a good soak gets these actions drawing again, if the sac is intact. Not getting any funky noises from the plunger action nor rattle noises from the barrel.

[nemo]

Careful with the section, some of the early vacs do not separate easily there and there should also be no need whatsoever to pull out the nib. All the repair work and flushing should be done from the backside.

Also keep in mind that the celluloid is extremely brittle on these very early pens. Making your own tool is possible ( http://mainstreetpens.com/articles/cheaptools_2.htm ) but I really really recommend sending this one out and practicing vac repair on a model not worth a couple hundred dollars or more.

[brianw]

Wise advice Doug. One I would follow !!!!

[Raatt]

Well, more good food for thought, thanks...any professional or gifted amateur that you would recommend...? The more I play with this pen and learn about it, the more I realize it is a keeper, so do not want to fudge it. You have also confirmed my suspition that this may be a somewhat desirable vacumatic. It is a fairly early model in good, perhaps very good condion cosmetically anyway. vacumatics seem to start around $40. and I have seen an early model 3 band go for $700. This vintage, if very good seems to run from $100. to $300.

I have just realized another problem with this hobby. I like searching for deals and hope to find that special score. Then I find a pen that could possibly be a very nice score and the potential profit could pay for many of the other pens in my collection, but then...you research and problem solve and tinker, then find it difficult to even consider parting with it.

I have a very aged uncle who has been collecting goodies for most of his life. he has every mechano set made...his collection of HO trains will fill a small garage and his collection of vintage air guns is gorgeous. His health is failing, his house is wall to wall collections and after a life time of careful shopping to maintain optimum resale values...he refuses to part with anything. It has made me realize that this idea I have of gathering small treasures for value is a false notion, it seems to be about having, holding a rarity. What is it in us that drives us to these shiny, superbly engineered little machines...?

[Vlad]

Nice score! I want one of those three-banded versions...my favorite. My restorer is Danny Fudge at the thewritepen.net

[Doc4]

... $10.00. ... the barrel end jewel is gone. ... it will not draw water or ink. ... I suspect the rubber diaphragm is likely toast.

For a pen in that bad a condition ... I'll take pity on a fellow B&B'er, and a fellow BC'er ... and give you $50 plus shipping for it ... quintupling your profit virtually overnight.

Can't say fairer than that!

[brianw]

hoo boy I'll give you 55.00

[scoopster]

No auctions!












$75.....

[Mike H]

Great score! Email Danny Fudge, he does great work at very reasonable prices.

[nemo]

Great score! Email Danny Fudge, he does great work at very reasonable prices.

I'll second that -- fast and reliable too! Save yourself some potential grief.

[Raatt]

geez guys, glad to know so many of my fellow B&Bers are looking out for me are willing to lift this burden off my hands...thanks a bunch...! I have connected with Danny Fudge and will get this ole pen off to him ...thanks for all the input guys, these threads help enourmously. I'll update when it gets back home.

hmmm....now I am gonn hafta keep my eyes out for another vacumatic to maybe practice on ...always kinda wanted to try out a 51....and so it begins again....

[oc_in_fw]

That is the second Vacumatic I have seen in three minutes. The pens gods are trying to tell me something.