You want capillary attraction to pull the ink out of the ink reservoir, 
so you have to have the top of the ink in the reservoir below the pen 
level, otherwise the ink will siphon causing a very wide inky trace.  
I use a simple plastic one oz bottle which I've placed two brass tubes 
in the lid, one going to the bottom of the
bottle and one just though the top for a air vent. The one going to the 
bottom of the bottle is then connected to the pen using
neoprene tubing. To get the whole thing going... I put my finger over 
the air vent tube, squeeze the bottle until ink comes out
the pen, then remove my finger from the air vent, and release the 
squeeze on the bottle.
The pen opening must be _*EXACTLY*_ tangent to the face of the drum... I 
installed the pen... and then put a very fine sand
paper on the drum surface and sanded the pen to get that tangent fit.

Getting the pen to pull ink was the hardest part of my installation and
I probably spent more time getting the pen to work... than anything else. 
Having George Bush & Steve Hammond available for suggestions and support 
was the only way I got mine going.

Another interesting point is the force at which the pen makes contact 
with the paper...
our pens have a counter weight on a screw at the back end of the pen 
which can be adjusted to adjust the contact force.
Too light and pen will skip on a large rapid swings... too heavy and 
you've decreased your sensitivity.

I'm curious as to how many other "drummers" are out there?

Jan in Gilroy

Stephen Hammond wrote:
>
> Hi, the ink will flow if the reservoir fluid level is above the pen. 
> The trick is to keep it from flowing too much. I used a wire clamp on 
> the tubing to cut the flow down. Professional models used low pressure 
> pumps and an fin valve. If I can suggest, search online for "chart pen 
> ink" and you will find the Recorder Charts Pens Company in Newhall CA. 
> 800-758-0740. While they do not list your unit they have a large 
> selection of professional pens, ink and paper. It might be worth a 
> trip to the website or even a call to see what they can offer in the 
> way of a solution.
>
> Steve
>
>  
>
> *From:* psn-l-request@.............. 
> [mailto:psn-l-request@............... *On Behalf Of *James Allen
> *Sent:* Saturday, October 24, 2009 9:46 PM
> *To:* psn-l@..............
> *Subject:* Re: TELEDYNE-GEOTECH HELICORDER
>
>  
>
> Steve Hammond
>
> Is there need for a special reservoir to insert the capillary tubing 
> into or will the ink start flowing by the action of the pen on the 
> chart paper?
>
> Thanks
>
> James Allen
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>
>     *From:* Stephen Hammond 
>
>     *To:* psn-l@.............. 
>
>     *Sent:* Saturday, October 24, 2009 8:41 PM
>
>     *Subject:* RE: TELEDYNE-GEOTECH HELICORDER
>
>      
>
>     There is a typo. Not needs try needle... Steve
>
>      
>
>     *From:* psn-l-request@..............
>     
>     [mailto:psn-l-request@............... *On Behalf Of *Stephen Hammond
>     *Sent:* Saturday, October 24, 2009 8:38 PM
>     *To:* psn-l@.............. 
>     *Subject:* RE: TELEDYNE-GEOTECH HELICORDER
>
>      
>
>     For some time some PSN members were using hypodermic needs to
>     build ink pens. You simply grind the point off and have a
>     precession tip that  can then be connected to the reservoir using
>     a capillary feed tube. We learned the process from Howard who used
>     this design back in the first Bay area seismic station way before
>     our time in the 40's. I ran two drum recorders back around 1990
>     and Jan Froom currently has a display station at Bonfante Gardens
>      in Gilroy CA that has a permanent display he put together for
>     them also using this design.
>
>     Regards, Steve Hammond PSN Aptos, CA
>
>      
>
>      
>



  


You want capillary attraction to pull the ink out of
the ink reservoir, so you have to have the top of the ink in the
reservoir below the pen level, otherwise the ink will siphon causing a
very wide inky trace.   

I use a simple plastic one oz bottle which I've placed two brass tubes
in the lid, one going to the bottom of the

bottle and one just though the top for a air vent. The one going to the
bottom of the bottle is then connected to the pen using

neoprene tubing. To get the whole thing going... I put my finger over
the air vent tube, squeeze the bottle until ink comes out

the pen, then remove my finger from the air vent, and release the
squeeze on the bottle.

The pen opening must be EXACTLY tangent to the face of
the drum... I installed the pen... and then put a very fine sand

paper on the drum surface and sanded the pen to get that tangent fit.



Getting the pen to pull ink was the hardest part
of my installation and 

I probably spent more time getting the pen to work... than anything
else.  

Having George Bush & Steve Hammond available for suggestions
and support was the only way I got mine going.



Another interesting point is the force at which the pen
makes contact with the paper... 

our pens have a counter weight on a screw at the back end of the pen
which can be adjusted to adjust the contact force. 

Too light and pen will skip on a large rapid swings... too heavy and
you've decreased your sensitivity.



I'm curious as to how many other "drummers" are out there?



Jan in Gilroy



Stephen Hammond wrote:

  
  
  

  

  
Hi,
the ink will flow if the reservoir fluid level is above the
pen. The trick is to keep it from flowing too much. I used a wire clamp
on the
tubing to cut the flow down. Professional models used low pressure
pumps and an
fin valve. If I can suggest, search online for “chart pen ink” and
you will find the Recorder Charts Pens Company in Newhall CA.
800-758-0740.
While they do not list your unit they have a large selection of
professional pens,
ink and paper. It might be worth a trip to the website or even a call
to see
what they can offer in the way of a solution.
  
Steve
  
 
  

  

  
From:
psn-l-request@.............. [mailto:psn-l-request@..............] On
Behalf
Of James Allen

  Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 9:46 PM

  To: psn-l@..............

  Subject: Re: TELEDYNE-GEOTECH HELICORDER
  
  
  
 
  

  
Steve
Hammond
  
  

  
Is
there need for a special reservoir to insert the capillary tubing into
or will
the ink start flowing by the action of the pen on the chart paper?
  
  

  
Thanks
  
  

  
James
Allen
  
  

    

    
-----
Original Message ----- 
    
    

    
From: Stephen Hammond 
    
    

    
To: psn-l@..............
    
    
    

    
Sent: Saturday,
October
24, 2009 8:41 PM
    
    

    
Subject: RE:
TELEDYNE-GEOTECH
HELICORDER
    
    

    
 
    
    
There
is a typo. Not needs try needle… Steve
    
 
    

    

    
From: psn-l-request@..............
[mailto:psn-l-request@..............] On Behalf Of Stephen
Hammond

    Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 8:38 PM

    To: psn-l@..............

    Subject: RE: TELEDYNE-GEOTECH HELICORDER
    
    
    
 
    
For
some time some PSN members were using hypodermic needs to
build ink pens. You simply grind the point off and have a precession
tip that
 can then be connected to the reservoir using a capillary feed tube. We
learned the process from Howard who used this design back in the first
Bay area
seismic station way before our time in the 40’s. I ran two drum
recorders
back around 1990 and Jan Froom currently has a display station at
Bonfante
Gardens  in Gilroy CA that has a permanent display he put together for
them also using this design. 
    
Regards,
Steve Hammond PSN Aptos, CA