How is the piston on an old manual vac. pump repacked using leather sealant(packing) for which it was designed?
I have several antique manual piston vacuum pumps all of which need the pistons “repacked” with leather gaskets. The leather sealing gasket is specific for this type of antique pump and allows the lubricated piston and leather sealant to provide an airtight seal between the piston and the internal cylinder walls into which it inserts. The piston rod is pushed inward by way of handle which is attached to the piston rod in the cylinder. On manually pulling the handle or lever outward, and thus the piston, air is evacuated from a bell jar via tubing and a valve, the bell jar resting on a round metal plate or stage (sealed with vacuum grease) to which the tubung communicates and subsequently communicates with the pump. Upon pushing the pump lever inward (and thus the piston), air pulled into the pump cylinder on the evacuation stroke is vented to the exterior by means of a one way communication between the fore side of the piston and the aft side of the piston and to the atmosphere by way
