CA finish

[Russell Eaton]

Just wanted to know how to keep the CA from chiping off on the bushing end of the pen. I get a good finish but on the larger pens it almost always flakes off. Thanks for the help.
Russell

 

[ed4copies]

ONE WAY (not the only way, I am certain) is to take a quick pass with a skew or parting tool, after your finish, before you take the pen off the lathe. Right at the junction with the bushing.

This is not easy, if you don't see well, but the young guys I have shown think it's a great way!!

 

[mick]

Another way if you are turning between centers, and with this it's virtually impossible to get CA on the bushings unless you spill the bottle on you workbench :biggrin: , is to apply your finish without bushings. This works well for me!

 

[NewLondon88]

Delrin bushings help, too. The CA doesn't stick to them.

I can't see to cut at the bushings.. and that's with 2x magnifying visor over
1.50 magnifying reading glasses.. blind as a bat with small things..

I used to photograph my own pens so I could enlarge them on the computer
so that I could see my finish..

 

[ed4copies]

Charlie,

Even WITH the delrin, don't you have to make a clean cut, to keep the CA from cracking off in an irregular pattern at the end of the pen??

 

[NewLondon88]

Charlie,

Even WITH the delrin, don't you have to make a clean cut, to keep the CA from cracking off in an irregular pattern at the end of the pen??

hmm.. not mine, they don't meet up with the ends of the blank.. just with
the tube. (home made, cone shaped)

 

[ed4copies]

VERY clever!!!

Does Russell have a set of YOURS???
(gotcha)

 

[NewLondon88]

I bow to the master.. LOL

 

[leehljp]

Russell,

The cracking ends was the reason that I changed to Turning Between Centers (Mandrel-less) 3 years ago. I used a lot of ebony at the time and the oily wood allowed a lot of separation from the wood when snapped. I also used a pointed razor knife to separate the bushings from the blank but still had the "lift".

I haven't looked back and only use a mandrel for duck calls since then.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Russell,

The cracking ends was the reason that I changed to Turning Between Centers (Mandrel-less) 3 years ago. I used a lot of ebony at the time and the oily wood allowed a lot of separation from the wood when snapped. I also used a pointed razor knife to separate the bushings from the blank but still had the "lift".

I haven't looked back and only use a mandrel for duck calls since then.

Hank,
I just recently converted to the between center turnings... don't know why I resisted so long... other than taking a little longer with the turning... turning the blanks one piece at a time....that's me, not the method.... I'm definitely a convert. I wax the ends of the centers so the CA doesn't stick and get great finishes... no problems with cracking ends.

 

[JimMc7]

hmm.. not mine, they don't meet up with the ends of the blank.. just with
the tube. (home made, cone shaped)

This idea works very well and for morons like me who can't make their own cone shaped bushings, johnnycnc sells cone shaped finishing bushings (Eliminator). These provide the same effect as CTC/no bushings finishing when using a mandrel. Work very well for finishing larger pens on the mandrel in my experience.

http://penturnersproducts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_15&products_id=136

 

[NewLondon88]

Those are a lot neater than mine.. I had to make some after realizing that I
couldn't clean the CA off of the live center as easily as the dead center.

 

[Russell Eaton]

Thanks for the help. I am going to try some of your tips when I get a couple of toys from JonnyCNC. I guess any excuse for a couple of new tools is good enough for me.