New here, check out my progress

[fishnub]

Hey everyone, finally put something together I can show off, well.. kind of. I am still having issues removing the bushings without damaging the finish on the blanks. On this pen I tried the paste wax on the bushing and the blank, which helped but not enough... so i will try a few other methods next.

 

[cal91666]

Steve, great start! The Stick Fast synthetic bushings are a great way to prevent your issues. Some turners even make their own. Welcome to the addiction and IAP!!!

Amazon.com: Stick Fast Synthetic Bushings for CA Glue Finishing: Everything Else

 

[plantman]

This is a method I use that you might try. After you have sanded and applied your CA, but before you polish your blank. Take a fine 6" half round metal file, and with the lathe running, place the flat side toward the blank and the rounded side toward the bushing and carefuly remove the glue down to the bushing. You can also use a knife file for this as it is tapered to almost a knife edge. last method would be to use a parting tool to just break the connection between the blank and bushing. Now Polish your blanks. On the pen you made, you could have used a squareing devise of some kind and a disc sander on your blank ends and removed enough to get rid if the chips in them. Your transmisson is adjustable as you press it in to allow for the shorter blank, and the cap end won't make any difference if it's a 1/16" or 1/8" shorter. Never just press your transmission up to the line the first press. Always leave it about an 1/8" long, put your refill and spring in, twist it back and forth to make sure that the point comes out the desired length, and retracts all the way into the barrel. Now you can slowley press your transmisson a little farther in until you reach your desired position. If you have any other questions just ask and one or more members of the IAP will try to help you out. You can also use the synthetic bushings Chris mentioned above, tapered bushings, or turn between centers to get away from this problem. Welcome aboard !!! Jim S

 

[plano_harry]

Welcome to the hobby. Save yourself a ton of frustration on get Delrin cones for finishing like Chris suggested. We have all fought with ways to cut steel bushings loose from the blanks. With Delrin you just don't have that problem.

 

[Edward Cypher]

Welcome from Colorado, enjoy the forum.

 

[fishnub]

Welcome to the hobby. Save yourself a ton of frustration on get Delrin cones for finishing like Chris suggested. We have all fought with ways to cut steel bushings loose from the blanks. With Delrin you just don't have that problem.

Thanks for all the replies, I think ill give the rods a try.

 

[fishnub]

This is a method I use that you might try. After you have sanded and applied your CA, but before you polish your blank. Take a fine 6" half round metal file, and with the lathe running, place the flat side toward the blank and the rounded side toward the bushing and carefuly remove the glue down to the bushing. You can also use a knife file for this as it is tapered to almost a knife edge. last method would be to use a parting tool to just break the connection between the blank and bushing. Now Polish your blanks. On the pen you made, you could have used a squareing devise of some kind and a disc sander on your blank ends and removed enough to get rid if the chips in them. Your transmisson is adjustable as you press it in to allow for the shorter blank, and the cap end won't make any difference if it's a 1/16" or 1/8" shorter. Never just press your transmission up to the line the first press. Always leave it about an 1/8" long, put your refill and spring in, twist it back and forth to make sure that the point comes out the desired length, and retracts all the way into the barrel. Now you can slowley press your transmisson a little farther in until you reach your desired position. If you have any other questions just ask and one or more members of the IAP will try to help you out. You can also use the synthetic bushings Chris mentioned above, tapered bushings, or turn between centers to get away from this problem. Welcome aboard !!! Jim S

Never thought about trimming the ends down... if I chip another one I will give it a try. So far of the 6 pens ive made all of them have chipping. I did crack one today pressing in the end cap, but hey my kids are getting a lot of new pens

 

[OZturner]

Welcome Steve, from Sydney Australia.
In General Steve, that is a nice Pen.
I don't recognise the Timber Blank you used, it looks very interesting.
As you gain more confidence, you might like to try a more traditional Straighter Shape, as opposed to the Wasp Shape.
I look forward to you future posting.
Congratulations,
Brian.

 

[switch62]

Welcome to the forum. Very nice pen.

When I started finishing with CA, separating the bushes was my biggest problem. I even had CA get into the tube and glue in the bushing, many choice words were uttered

I made my own finishing cones out of HDPE. No problems since then. One thing you might watch out for (with cones) is a build up of CA on the ends of the blank. If left there you can get cracks or delamination in the CA when the pen is pressed together. The fittings squeeze the CA on the ends.

I take the blanks off before sanding and polishing the CA and sand the ends back carefully by hand using 400 or 800 on a flat surface. I then coat the ends with thin CA to seal them. Drop of thin CA on a paper towel and spin the ends on the edge of the drop.

Also before pressing the pen together I run the point of a hobby knife inside the tube to remove any thin layers of CA. I also chamfer the inside edge of the tubes with the knife blade. These make pressing the pen easier and can prevent cracking.

After a while you will need to clean the CA off the cones, sealed jar of acetone overnight and wipe off, easy.

 

[Band Saw Box]

Nice looking pen Steve and a really good start, I cant give you much advice on CA finish except to say get a set of Delrin bushings.

 

[alankulwicki7]

One thing I've done is to carefully place a small drop of thin CA into the crack. It should wick in to the crack and make it almost invisible. Unless you are super careful you will probably have to touch up that area by re-sanding/polishing it. Usually I can just get by with re-doing the end and then blending it back into the body of the pen.
Saved more than a few pens this way before I got the Delrin bushings....

 

[vakmere]

Try these.

Buy Hold Fast Non-Stick Bushings for CA Pen Finishing at Woodcraft.com

 

[SDB777]

Welcome aboard!!!!

I am getting away from CA(unless things need glued together or a spot needs some 'help'), but not for the bushing issue(I don't use them). Seems the fumes are worse then ever for me(even with awesome airflow)!

I use to put wax between the blank and the bushing, seemed to help keep the blank from welding itself to the bushing. But every once in awhile it would still happen....so the simple thing was just to turn between centers! No more wasted money on mandrels and bushings.....purchased a set of calipers and a sanding end mill and never looked back!!!!



Doctors finish is making a fine substitute for my finishes!!!





Scott (newly addicted = money gone) B