Can anyone help with this pen kit?

[angboy]

I have this pen kit that I know I posted a question about not too long ago, when I was trying to identify it. I had the bag labeled "gold top euro" and if my memory is working right, I think people said it was a Berea kit. Anyway, for some reason I am just having a heck of a hard time keeping straight who makes this kit, what bushings to use and everything else about how to finish a pen with it.

You can't see the tubes b/c they're in the 2 halves I've turned. It was 7mm tubing I'm pretty sure and they were 2 different lengths. I turned them using standard 7mm bushings, but I'm thinking that was a mistake. And even if that is right, I can't find instructions for assembly. (Side ?- does Berea not have a place on their website that they offer the instructions for their own kits???)

I'm also thinking this may be the kit that I had bought a set of the sleeved bushing for turning the tenon, but now I can't find those bushings, so if I need them, I can't do it anyway. I think what's confusing me is the different names that everyone uses, so I have kits labeled deco 7mm that look kind of like this, the few like this labeled gold top euro, those labeled slimline and of course 7mm. Is there an easy way to keep them all straight?

 

[Dario]

Looks like a 7mm Euro to me. Not the easiest to make due to the tenon but once you got it, it is a cinch. I think I turned 150 or so of these being my 2nd pen to turn next to slimlines.[]

Make sure you mic your tenon [] Some kits have the center band that exactly fits the brass tube...no tenon needed. Check your kit.

I know I got most of mine from Ernie at Beartoothwoods. Check his site for the instructions.

Here is a similar one from AS but this is for pencils...but very similar.

Good luck!

 

[wudwrkr]

angboy,
What I believe you have there is a 7mm european pen in satin gold made by berea or Penn State Industries. It is tough to tell which, but the instructions are the same. If your bushings did not come with the sleeved part and you got the bushings from the same source as the pen kit then most likely it is from Penn State.

Here are instructions from woodcraft.com on how to make the pen.
http://www2.woodcraft.com/pdf/77B04.pdf

This pen does have a tenon, but if you do not have the sleeved bushing, you can measure the centerband and use calipers as the guage. I actually use the kit's centerband when I get close to make sure it fits properly. I have found that the sleeved bushings are not the same size as the centerbands. Just be careful and don't get the lathe tool too close to the centerband. [B)]

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[alamocdc]

Angela, is that copper or satin gold? I've not turned any of the 7mm Euros, but that is one and no you shouldn't have used the standard 7mm bushings. If it's a Berea kit, the twist mechanism looks just like the PSI Slimlines, but I haven't seen any PSI kit come with a protector on the refill. Sorry, but that's about all the help I can be. Not much in this case.

EDIT: #*$&* standard keyboard. I type slow enough as it is, but since I don't have my MS Natural keyboard on my new Dell yet, I type about as fast as my 4 year old granddaughter!

 

[jssmith3]

Hi this really looks like the 7mm european or "Designer" pen kit. There are bushing specifically for it, I got my bushings from Fritz @ WoodTurningz. He sold me this great middle bushing that has a locking sleeve that fits over the tenon after you turn it and gives you the accurate size without having to put the actual band on to get the correct size. He is really very helpful so all you need to do is call him for more of these kits with instructions and this bushing set.
Good luck.
Janet

 

[JimQ]

You can always download the instructions from PSI at:

http://www.pennstateind.com/library/PKMONT-Twist_Pen_Kit.pdf

JimQ

 

[clewless]

JimQ hit it on the head with the directions. The bushings are PKMONT-BU and the sliding center bushing Janet mentioned is PKMONT-BUX. When you cut the tenon, if you make it 6/32 instead of the recommended 7/32, the lower tube will fit inside 1/32 and hide the joint making for a better final appearance IMHO.

If you've got your bushings in a bunch []and can't id the right ones, I'll measure them for you in the AM. []

Now just turn the wood off those tubes and start again.[]

 

[mrcook4570]

Originally posted by clewless
Now just turn the wood off those tubes and start again.[]

Or assemble it as a modified slimline. Some people like the extra length. Then, either order new tubes for the euro or use slimline tubes to produce a shorter euro. I find the euro a bit top heavy anyway.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by angboy
<br />.....Anyway, for some reason I am just having a heck of a hard time keeping straight who makes this kit, what bushings to use and everything else about how to finish a pen with it.....

DSA: Whenever I get a new kit, I put all of the particulars in a spread sheet set up just for pen information. I also have a loose leaf binder with those protective plastic sheets to store the instruction sheets that come with the pen or I print an instruction sheet from the web site if I don't have one. Pen parts are always stored in the original plastic envelope and if the mfg tag is missing, I mark the bag with a laundry marker. Bushings also stay in their original bag and go in an empty soft butter tub. I only have about a dozen sets of bushings. If I had a bunch, I would probably find a little better organized way to store them.

 

[TerryBlanchard]

Randy I went to the dollar store and purchased ice cube trays (three for a dollar)and that is where I keep my bushings. Mark the individual cube space with the pen name and I am in for the next time I need that bushing, works pretty good I might say. I keep one drawer of my tool box for all my pen stuff and it is right by my lathe and such. Woodcraft Ero pen kits come with the refill protector on them, I turn them on a reqular basis.

 

[arioux]

Angela,

This is definitely the Berea kit, PSI soes not have satin gold or satin copper finish for their designer line. You mention that you have gold top euro, they uses the same busing. If you have labelled your busing, they woould be # 10A from Berea. I suspect that the PKMONT-BUX busing from PSI could work but i wouldn't bet more that 2 cents on it []

Hope it helps

Alfred

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by TerryBlanchard
<br />Randy I went to the dollar store and purchased ice cube trays (three for a dollar)and that is where I keep my bushings. Mark the individual cube space with the pen name and I am in for the next time I need that bushing, works pretty good I might say.

Yeah; but......what happens in the unfortunate event that you drop that icecube tray??[}][}]

 

[wudwrkr]

The discussion on keeping track of bushings comes up every once in a while. One of the best tips that I read was to thread the bushings on a shower curtain snap hook. The bushings stay together and are easy to identify by attaching a label to the the curtain ring. I'm don't recall who deserves credit for this one, but I think it is a really good ideal

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by wudwrkr
<br />The discussion on keeping track of bushings comes up every once in a while. One of the best tips that I read was to thread the bushings on a shower curtain snap hook. The bushings stay together and are easy to identify by attaching a label to the the curtain ring. I'm don't recall who deserves credit for this one, but I think it is a really good ideal

That was Don Ward's posting. Can't remember for sure if it was original with him or if he borrowed it from someone else.....I think it was his idea??

 

[Dario]

I thought I read it from Billy?

Mine is a tackle box. I still keep the bushings in their own plastic pouches and close the box always to avoid accidentally mixing them.

 

[thetalbott4]

I mark each bag with a sharpie as soon as the order comes if they dont have tags. For bushings, HF has plastic boxes that contain 30 little plastic boxes (perfect size for bushing sets). These are great. I mark the top of each little box with the kit name, and the bottom with supplier name and part number.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Different names for same thing? Different things with same name? Different bushing-drill-mandrel-whatever for seemingly similar kits? Never! No way in pen turning? Everything is standardized. [] It's a conspiracy, I tell ye. [}]

 

[DocStram]

Shower curtain rings to keep bushings together! Hot Dang! What a great idea. My wife is out shopping ...... I'm heading to the bathroom right now to get those curtain rings ... I wonder if she'll notice.

 

[airrat]

I keep the bushings in the origional bags. Use a hole punch and attach them to a dowel on the wall with shower curtain rings. Different dowel for each maker. works great.

 

[its_virgil]

wudwrkr Dave Miller: Glad you like the idea. I tried lots of ways to keep the bushings and the shower curtain rings work best for me.

Randy: What a memory you have there Randy! I"ve kept different size faucet and plumbing washers on these curtain rings in my tool box for working on the family rent houses, and one day under a sink as I was taking the washers off the shower curtain ring it hit me....keep your bushing on these rings too. Someone else may have done it first...doesn't really matter, but I think it is a pretty nice way to keep them. The rod they hang on is one the edge of a shelt right in fromt of my lathe. I look up at the bushings and each one cries out, use me next, do me next, I tired of hanging here...[]
Do a good turn daily!
Don

<br />

Originally posted by Randy_
<br />

Originally posted by wudwrkr
<br />The discussion on keeping track of bushings comes up every once in a while. One of the best tips that I read was to thread the bushings on a shower curtain snap hook. The bushings stay together and are easy to identify by attaching a label to the the curtain ring. I'm don't recall who deserves credit for this one, but I think it is a really good ideal

That was Don Ward's posting. Can't remember for sure if it was original with him or if he borrowed it from someone else.....I think it was his idea??

 

[woodmanplus]

I can not help you with the kit,but my thing is to get the rollaround, cheap,plastic tool boxes from Harbour Freight,when thy are on sale.
I have one for each type of pen. I put each type in its own box along with the blanks that I have cut for that pen and the drill bits and bushings. When I do each pen I pull that box over to my lath and go to work.
I found this works best for me as I have one lathe in the shop in the house and one lathe in the outside shop. I work outsid ewhen the weather is nice and the in the house when it is cold or rainy.

 

[angboy]

Thanks everybody. I'm actually pretty organized usually, but for some reason, everytime I look at this kit, I get confused- it's like it has this evil spell it puts on me![}]

In my shop I have a thingy with drawers in it, and I put each bushing set in it's own drawer, with the name on the front in sharpie. I also leave the bushings in their original baggie or put them in another little baggie that I buy in large numbers for just such uses (and just to keep the drug cops wondering...). I do have a drawer that now sits empty, labeled for the PK-MONT and the sizing sleeve- no idea where that little baggie went to! And for some reason I just grabbed 7mm bushings when I started the pen.

BTW Billy, the kit is satin copper.

So I guess I'll have to buy another set of bushings and sizing sleeve... Oh Fritz, [?] will you be at work on Monday?... I actually only have one half that is now in the sanding stages and that I'll have to figure out what to do with- I had already messed up one of the halves. So at this point, I'm thinking tit just wasn't in the stars for this pen to be made as I originally pictured it!

 

[clewless]

Ang,

Buy a set of tubes too. You can use this set to make pen mill bushings.[]