--- title: "TWSBI VAC700R: Vacuum Filler, Ink Capacity & Size" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-vac700r/" description: "TWSBI VAC700R fountain pen explained: a vacuum plunger holding up to 2.37 ml, the shut-off valve, 147 mm and 35 g, EF to 1.1 stub steel nibs, and Iris editions." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 10 products: - name: "TWSBI VAC700R Fountain Pen (Clear)" brand: "TWSBI" brand_origin: "Taiwan" made_in: "Taiwan" material: "Transparent resin body and cap, metal trim, stainless steel nib" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "TaShin Precision (Taiwan)" model: "VAC700R" sku: "M7445970" url: "https://www.twsbi.com/products/twsbi-vac700-fountain-pen" --- # TWSBI VAC700R: Vacuum Filler, Ink Capacity & Size > The TWSBI VAC700R is a large clear demonstrator fountain pen from Taiwan's TWSBI that fills by a vacuum plunger: you pull the rod back, dip the nib and push down. Goulet Pens measures up to 2.37 ml of ink, 147 mm (5.8 in) capped and 35.0 g. A screw-down end cap shuts off the ink for travel. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-vac700r/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-21 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Clear TWSBI VAC700R with the cap off and blue ink ahead of the plunger seal, drawn to scale, with the plunger inset](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/twsbi-vac700r-16x9.png) *The VAC700R in Clear, cap off, to scale at Goulet Pens' 134 mm.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | TWSBI VAC700R Fountain Pen (Clear) | TWSBI (by TaShin Precision (Taiwan)) | Taiwan | Taiwan | Transparent resin body and cap, metal trim, stainless steel nib | – | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (TWSBI VAC700R Fountain Pen (Clear)): Taiwan. Goldspot's VAC700R spec sheet says "Made in Taiwan". TWSBI's own product page doesn't print a country of manufacture; Pure Pens says TWSBI's roots go back to TaShin Precision, established in Taiwan in 1969. Source: https://goldspot.com/products/twsbi-vac700r-fountain-pen-in-iris-special-edition ### TWSBI VAC700R Fountain Pen (Clear) colors - Body colors (2 standard, 1 special edition): Clear; Iris (special edition, titanium); Kyanite (anodized). - Per TWSBI (https://www.twsbi.com/collections/fountain-pens), checked 2026-10-24. Colors as TWSBI's US store lists the Vac700R; Goldspot calls the Iris a 2020 special edition. TWSBI describes the Iris as a titanium finish in which each pen's coloring differs slightly, and the Kyanite as an anodized finish (Kyanite Blue at Goulet Pens). Tints were sampled from TWSBI's product photos, with hand-picked values for Clear and the multicolored Iris. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Goulet Pens lists a maximum vacuum-fill capacity of 2.37 ml, about twice a typical converter; Pure Pens says about 1.4 ml from a single plunge. - Goulet lists 147 mm (5.8 in) capped, a 134 mm (5.3 in) body, a 15 mm barrel and 35.0 g; it says the cap doesn't post. - TWSBI sells it with steel nibs in EF, F, M, B and a 1.1 mm stub, and the nib units of the older VAC700 don't fit, per Pure Pens. - The standard Clear pen sits in our $$$ band ($20–75 per pen); the 2020 Iris edition costs more, in our $$$$ band. - Goldspot's spec sheet says made in Taiwan; TWSBI is the pen brand of TaShin Precision, a Taiwanese maker founded in 1969. ## What is the TWSBI VAC700R? **The VAC700R is TWSBI's large vacuum-filling demonstrator: the whole clear barrel is the ink tank, filled with one push of a plunger.** TWSBI is the pen brand of TaShin Precision, which Pure Pens says was founded in Taiwan in 1969 and launched TWSBI in 2009. The "R" marks a redesign of the original Vac 700. The Gentleman Stationer says the first version, sold around 2012 and 2013, could write dry, and that the redesigned filling system fixed it. Goulet Pens' best-seller roundup names the VAC700R's Iris finish as so sought after that TWSBI later added it to the [TWSBI Diamond 580](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-diamond-580/). ## TWSBI VAC700R specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | TWSBI (TaShin Precision), Taiwan | | Filling | Vacuum plunger with shut-off valve; bottled ink only | | Ink capacity | Up to 2.37 ml (Goulet); about 1.4 ml per plunge (Pure Pens) | | Nib | Stainless steel: EF, F, M, B, 1.1 mm stub | | Cap | Screw cap; not postable (Goulet, Goldspot) | | Length capped | 147 mm (5.8 in) | | Length of body | 134 mm (5.3 in) | | Cap length | 65 mm (2.6 in) | | Visible nib | 23.4 mm (0.9 in) | | Diameter | 15 mm body; 16 mm cap, 18 mm with clip; 10.0 mm grip | | Weight | 35.0 g (21 g body, 13 g cap) | | In the box | Wrench and silicone grease | Figures are Goulet Pens' unless noted; Goldspot and Pen Chalet agree within a millimeter. TWSBI's store lists the Clear pen with the M nib as SKU M7445970. ![TWSBI VAC700R capped and body lengths drawn to scale, with weight and ink capacity](https://stationerytimes.com/images/twsbi-vac700r-lengths.svg) *The VAC700R is used unposted: the cap adds no length while you write.* ## How does the vacuum filler work? **You unscrew the end cap, pull the plunger rod all the way back, put the nib in ink and push the rod down; the vacuum behind the seal pulls ink into the barrel when the seal passes the wider end.** The Gentleman Stationer advises waiting a few seconds for the barrel to fill and not overfilling the bottle, since the pen pushes out air on the downstroke. TWSBI sells a matching VAC 20A bottle that the pen screws onto, which helps you fill the barrel as full as possible. For a general walk-through of plunger, piston and converter filling, see [how to fill a fountain pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-fill-a-fountain-pen/). ## What does the shut-off valve do? **Screwing the end cap down closes a valve between the barrel and the feed, so the pen can't burp ink on a plane or in a hot bag.** Goldspot says the valve keeps ink in the barrel; for long writing sessions you open it a few turns so ink keeps reaching the feed. That makes it a good travel pen, but a closed valve is also the usual reason a VAC700R starts writing dry after a page. ## How does the VAC700R compare to other TWSBI pens? **It holds the most ink of TWSBI's popular pens and is the largest, but unlike the ECO it doesn't post.** | | TWSBI VAC700R | [TWSBI Diamond 580](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-diamond-580/) | [TWSBI ECO](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-eco/) | |---|---|---|---| | Filling | Vacuum plunger | Piston | Piston | | Max capacity | 2.37 ml | 1.98 ml | 1.76 ml | | Capped | 147 mm (5.8 in) | 142 mm (5.6 in) | 138.8 mm (5.5 in) | | Weight | 35.0 g | 28.0 g | 21 g | | Posts | No | Not securely | Yes | | Price band | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | Figures for the 580 and ECO come from their guides, all from Goulet Pens or Goldspot. ## Which nib and finish should you choose? **Pick F or M for everyday writing, EF for small handwriting and the 1.1 mm stub for headings with line variation.** TWSBI's own nib guide says F is its most popular size. The standard pen is Clear. Goldspot says the Iris, a 2020 special edition, has rainbow-colored metal trim, clip and nib, with each pen's coloring slightly different; TWSBI also lists a Kyanite version. ## Where is the TWSBI VAC700R made? **Goldspot's spec sheet says "Made in Taiwan".** TWSBI's product pages don't print a country, but Pure Pens describes TWSBI as a Taiwanese manufacturer that spent decades as an OEM maker before launching its own brand. Our [TWSBI history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/twsbi-history/) explains why nearly every TWSBI fills from a bottle. To fill it to the top, TWSBI's [Vac20A ink bottle](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-vac20a-ink-bottle/) screws onto the pen. ## How much does a TWSBI VAC700R cost? **The Clear VAC700R is in our $$$ price band, $20–75 per pen, at the top end.** On October 21, 2026 TWSBI's store listed it at US$72.99 and the Iris edition at US$88.99, which puts the Iris in our $$$$ band. Spare nib units are sold separately. For a vacuum filler in colored acrylic, see the [Nahvalur Original Plus](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/nahvalur-original-plus/). ## Frequently asked questions ### How much ink does the TWSBI VAC700R hold? Goulet Pens lists a maximum of 2.37 ml. Pure Pens says about 1.7 ml when filled completely and about 1.4 ml from one plunge, and Goldspot says over 2 ml, so expect roughly 1.4 to 2.4 ml depending on how you fill it. ### Can you post the cap on the VAC700R? Goulet Pens and Goldspot both list it as not postable. The Gentleman Stationer says the cap does fit over the end, but it makes the pen very long and unwieldy; Pure Pens gives 173 mm posted. ### Why does my VAC700R stop writing after a page? The shut-off valve is probably closed. Unscrew the end cap a few turns while you write so ink can flow from the barrel to the feed, then screw it down again for travel. ### What is the difference between the TWSBI Vac 700 and the VAC700R? The R is the redesign. Pure Pens says it has one valve instead of two and a larger feed, and that nibs from the original Vac 700 don't fit; The Gentleman Stationer says the redesign fixed the dry writing of the first version. ### Does the TWSBI VAC700R take cartridges? No. It fills only from bottled ink with its built-in vacuum plunger. TWSBI also sells the VAC 20A bottle, which the pen screws onto to fill more completely. ### Is the TWSBI VAC700R made in the USA? No. Goldspot's spec sheet says it is made in Taiwan, where TWSBI's parent, TaShin Precision, is based. ### Which nib sizes does the VAC700R come in? TWSBI's store sells EF, F, M, B and a 1.1 mm stub in steel; the nib unit can be swapped with a VAC700R spare nib unit. ## Sources - [TWSBI: TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen (official store: US$72.99, nibs EF to Stub 1.1, SKUs M7445950 to M7445990, vacuum filler with shut-off valve)](https://www.twsbi.com/products/twsbi-vac700-fountain-pen) - [TWSBI: TWSBI Vac700R Iris Fountain Pen (official store: titanium finish, US$88.99)](https://www.twsbi.com/products/twsbi-vac700r-iris-fountain-pen) - [Goulet Pens: TWSBI Vac700R fountain pen, Clear (lengths, diameters, 35.0 g, 2.37 ml, not postable)](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/twsbi-vac700r-fountain-pen-clear) - [Goldspot: TWSBI Vac700R fountain pen in Iris special edition (147 mm, 134 mm, 35 g, over 2 ml, made in Taiwan, 2020 edition)](https://goldspot.com/products/twsbi-vac700r-fountain-pen-in-iris-special-edition) - [Pen Chalet: TWSBI Vac700R, Kyanite (147.3 mm, 134.1 mm, 9.9 mm grip, 34 g)](https://www.penchalet.com/fine_pens/fountain_pens/twsbi_vac700r_fountain_pen/Kyanite/) - [Pure Pens: TWSBI Vac 700R, Clear (one valve instead of two, old nibs don't fit, 173 mm posted, TaShin Precision 1969)](https://www.purepens.co.uk/products/twsbi-vac-700r-clear) - [The Gentleman Stationer: Pen review, TWSBI Vac700R (February 19, 2022)](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/tag/TWSBI+Vac700R) - [Goulet Pens: Best selling fountain pens at every price point (VAC700R and the Iris finish)](https://gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog/best-selling-fountain-pens-at-every-price-point) - [TWSBI: Fountain pens (official US store: every Diamond 580, ECO, GO, SWIPE and Vac700R color, October 24, 2026)](https://www.twsbi.com/collections/fountain-pens) - [Goulet Pens: TWSBI collection (color names and special-edition labels, October 24, 2026)](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/twsbi)