My Bulb Fillers Spit Up on Me

[Robert111]

My bulb fillers have a very nasty habit of overflowing out the feed if I unscrew the section, then screw it back on.

Can someone with bulb filler experience tell me what's going on? How to fix it?

 

[Chatham PenWorks]

As you screw in the section the same volume of ink and air is forced into a slightly smaller space, increasing the pressure, and that pressure forces ink out through the feed? I have no experience here, so just trying to think it out. Try squeezing the bulb a little as you start to replace the section. That way, as the pressure increases, it just fully expands the bulb.?.?

 

[Curly]

Never made or used one but two things come to mind.

First (pretty unlikely :wink is there isn't enough room in the barrel and the bulb is getting squeezed when you screw in the section.

Second, the air in the barrel can't escape through the section threads fast enough when you screw in the section and it compresses the bulb a bit and a little ink bleeds out.

Now I'll sit back and see what really is happening.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Did you remove all the ink from the pen before removing the section? If you did, then maybe you didn't get it all out and what was left in the feed / tube was squeezed out with the extra air as you screwed in the section.

If you didn't empty the pen, then make sure you empty the pen of ink before you remove the section. That way when you screw it back on ink won't be forced out the nib by the air pressure. Screwing in the section is a bit like screwing in the piston on a converter.

Ed

 

[Robert111]

As you screw in the section the same volume of ink and air is forced into a slightly smaller space, increasing the pressure, and that pressure forces ink out through the feed? I have no experience here, so just trying to think it out. Try squeezing the bulb a little as you start to replace the section. That way, as the pressure increases, it just fully expands the bulb.?.?

Never made or used one but two things come to mind.

First (pretty unlikely :wink is there isn't enough room in the barrel and the bulb is getting squeezed when you screw in the section.

Second, the air in the barrel can't escape through the section threads fast enough when you screw in the section and it compresses the bulb a bit and a little ink bleeds out.

Now I'll sit back and see what really is happening.

Did you remove all the ink from the pen before removing the section? If you did, then maybe you didn't get it all out and what was left in the feed / tube was squeezed out with the extra air as you screwed in the section.

If you didn't empty the pen, then make sure you empty the pen of ink before you remove the section. That way when you screw it back on ink won't be forced out the nib by the air pressure. Screwing in the section is a bit like screwing in the piston on a converter.

Ed

Sounds like everyone's on the same page. The reservoir is forcing ink out because the contents are coming under pressure as I screw in the section. Makes sense. This means all bulb fillers need to be empty when screwing the section back in. Or perhaps Youssef is on to something when he suggests squeezing the bulb before beginning to screw in the section then gradully releasing to allow the ink to expand.

 

[frank123]

If it's caused by compressing the air in the body as you screw it in:

Try drilling a tiny air relief hole somewhere in the body and see if that solves the problem. It can be hidden in the finial or under the clip or something and can be very small (like a #80).

Looser fitting threads would probably also solve the problem if it is air pressure in the body causing the problem.

Air compression causing the problem wouldn't be the first thing I'd look at as a cause, there's usually plenty of slop in threads and the section itself to allow for air to escape. Is it possible you have it -the bulb- binding in a tight space and twisting slightly as you screw it in?

I haven't had this problem, but I've only made about a half dozen fully kit-less fountains from scratch so far and am no expert at it. I'm just guessing (and only because I love problem solving on mechanical things).

 

[Robert111]

If it's caused by compressing the air in the body as you screw it in:

Try drilling a tiny air relief hole somewhere in the body and see if that solves the problem. It can be hidden in the finial or under the clip or something and can be very small (like a #80).

Looser fitting threads would probably also solve the problem if it is air pressure in the body causing the problem.

Air compression causing the problem wouldn't be the first thing I'd look at as a cause, there's usually plenty of slop in threads and the section itself to allow for air to escape. Is it possible you have it -the bulb- binding in a tight space and twisting slightly as you screw it in?

I haven't had this problem, but I've only made about a half dozen fully kit-less fountains from scratch so far and am no expert at it. I'm just guessing (and only because I love problem solving on mechanical things).

Thanks Frank. I think drilling a vent hole would essentially allow ink to leak out, unless it was drilled outside the reservoir, in which case it wouldn't function to relieve the pressure in the reservoir.

There really isn't any slop in the section threads, and there shouldn't be, because the ink would leak out. In fact, I took the added precaution of applying silicone lube to the section threads to make sure they seal.

 

[soligen]

I don't know why you would be screwing the section in while ink is in the pen. A bulb filler is designed to be filled through the nib when already assembled. I agree that it is air pressure, but maybe the solution is simply: Don't to that anymore. I just cant imaging screwing the section in or out while the pen is inked. In fact, I use shellac as a thread sealer on mine, so it takes some effort (heat) to remove the section.

 

[Robert111]

Right Dennis. Well now I know. Now I can't imagine doing that either.

I don't know why you would be screwing the section in while ink is in the pen. A bulb filler is designed to be filled through the nib when already assembled. I agree that it is air pressure, but maybe the solution is simply: Don't to that anymore. I just cant imaging screwing the section in or out while the pen is inked. In fact, I use shellac as a thread sealer on mine, so it takes some effort (heat) to remove the section.