Can't Find a Bushing Diameter

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GaryMadore

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Jan 25, 2007
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Gang,

I'm weaning myself off of bushings in favour of a caliper because I find that after a couple of uses the bushings are smaller enough in diameter such that they're basically useless.

Yes, I am a slob when it comes to sanding and I know that it's a Gary problem and not a bushing problem...

I have been trying to compile a list of turning diameters and have constructed a spreadsheet with everything I need except for one measurement: I cannot find the diameter of the tenon for the Euro kit as sold by Lee Valley (and Rockler, et al).

PSI has bushing charts, as does Woodcraft, etc., but the only ones I can find with values for the diameter are all for the "other" Euro kits - the ones with a larger diameter. Nowhere, no-how can I find a tenon diameter for the kit that uses the .406/.358 (cap to tip) bushing set.

Does anybody have a definitive measurement for this? I'd measure my bushing set but see above: I'm managed to turn it down some while cutting tenons with a parting tool - when I use the bushing for a reference these days the center band is sloppy and needs to be glued in place.

Thanks in advance for anybody who can help. If nobody knows off-hand, I'll just buy a new bushing set and measure.

Cheers!

Gary

*Note: I don't have this issue with the steel bushings for between-center turning made by IAP's JohnnyCNC: I'm careful with those and they're much harder than the butter-soft ones you get from retailers. I ordered a bunch of these for high-end kits (e.g. Emperor) and will continue to use 'em.
 
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Edgar

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Gary,
Have you downloaded the bushing & tubes charts from the IAP Library?

This is a Berea kit and we have the diameter of the tenon as 0.400"

We do our best, but we don't claim that the charts are 100% accurate. It's always best to double check the charts (and the IAP App if you have an iOS device) against actual kit components or bushings. We ask that anyone who finds a discrepancy to please let us know so we can update our database.
 

Edgar

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Gary,
At least 4 suppliers offer that same kit: Lee Valley, Woodcraft, Berea & CSUSA (possibly others as well).

Each of those suppliers have their own versions of the instructions for that kit and their specs for the nominal size of the tenon vary from 0.400 to 0.412. This is just a nominal size because the internal diameter of the center band can vary slightly from kit to kit. All of their instructions advise to test fit the CB onto the tenon as you get close to the proper size to be sure that you get a proper fit.

We use 0.400 in the IAP charts for all suppliers of this kit for consistency.

Any kit requiring a tenon for the CB should always be turned to fit the CB of that particular, individual kit rather than relying on a bushing or even the published nominal tenon sizes.
 

GaryMadore

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Thanks guys.

Yeah, I saw those ones Edgar, but they're definitely for a different kit: The large step on the bushing for this kit is .406 so the tenon has to be down in the high .200 to low .300 range: .412 is larger than any part of this kit.

I have to say that I don't understand how to test-fit the trim band itself on the tenon while turning: It's a friction fit and needs to be installed with a press. If |I manage to get it to slip into place while on the lathe, then it'll likely be too loose and then I'm back to gluing it. Given that nobody else seems to be having this problem, though, I'll hazard a guess that the problem is me ;) I note that some kits come with a tenon-sizing ring, but the ones I've seen are for the larger diameter kits.

Rocky: I can't measure the inside of the trim band: the jaws on my caliper are too wide to get inside... I guess that's what I get for buying cheap calipers :-/

I'll go with Plan B and just buy a couple of sets of new bushings, measure them, and come up with a workable dimension.

Cheers!

Gary
 
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KenV

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Gary

Turn a piece of dowell or a pen blank to a smooth taper running from something larger than the band to something smaller than the band. Slide the band down until tight and mark the edge on the wider side of the dowel. Measure the dowel at the mark and you will be "turning close" within a few thousands.
 

JimB

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Unless I have misundestood your problem, you can take a piece of scrap wood and turn it down to the tenon size you need and test fit your CB. When your scrap wood tenon is the size you want, measure it with your calibers.
 

Edgar

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Gary, what Jim & Ken suggested seems to be the simplest solution.

I misunderstood your original post -'I thought you were talking about the top end & bottom end bushings rather than the center step bushing. I haven't been able to find a kit with those dimensions for the center step bushing. Do you have the supplier part
number for that kit? I'd like to do some further research on it for our charts & App.
 

Edgar

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Gary,
Can you do me a big favor and measure all the bushings & tube lengths for that kit?

I see that the Lee Valley instructions for their Round Top European calls for a 0.240" tenon whereas all the others that I've found so far call for about a 0.406 tenon. Unfortunately, that is the only specific dimension in the Lee Valley instructions. They do not give the bushing dimensions & tube lengths.

So far, I have only found this particular tenon diameter in the Lee Valley instructions, but I am continuing to research all the RT European instructions that I can.
 

Edgar

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I think I was a little too quick on that last post -- it looks like that 0.240" dimension is for the length of the tenon rather than the diameter. The LV instructions are not the best.

I'd still like to know all the tube and bushing dimensions of the kit that you have as well as the supplier part number if possible.

Thanks
Edgar
 

leehljp

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Tunica, Mississippi,
Gang,

I'm weaning myself off of bushings in favour of a caliper because I find that after a couple of uses the bushings are smaller enough in diameter such that they're basically useless.

Yes, I am a slob when it comes to sanding and I know that it's a Gary problem and not a bushing problem...
. . .

*Note: I don't have this issue with the steel bushings for between-center turning made by IAP's JohnnyCNC: I'm careful with those and they're much harder than the butter-soft ones you get from retailers. I ordered a bunch of these for high-end kits (e.g. Emperor) and will continue to use 'em.

No it is not a "Gary" problem. I don't know how long it has been since this issue has been discussed here, but when I came into pen turning, I saw several quotes here that said bushings should be viewed as "CONSUMABLES". Sanding, touching with which ever chisel you use, they will wear down. That is a given.

The same folks pushed the use of calipers for measuring - to the newbies way back when. That is the way to do a good pen fit consistently.
 

GaryMadore

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Thanks for the replies everyone. I just measured a new bushing set and the measurements don't resemble anything I've found online, nor on the awesome bushing and tube reference charts in the Library.

FWIW, here are the measurements of a new bushing set from Lee Valley (from final to tip)

.406 .404 .508 .420 .358 (.404 is the stepped down tenon diameter)

On the Library's bushing and tube chart, these would equate to:

D/.406 E/.508 J/.420 K/.358 and an extra diameter for the tenon of .404 (anywhere from .180 to .240 in length, depending on where you look...)

I dunno if the material in the library can be updated, but if anyone wants to, these measurements are accurate (as accurate as a cheap set of bushings can be) for the LV Euro (88K70.3X) kit.

FWIW, the bushings and tubes chart lists the diameters D/E/J/K as .406/.406/.406/.358

Once again, thanks for taking the time to reply, guys.

Cheers!

Gary
 
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Edgar

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Thanks Gary,
Much appreciated. I am working on updates to the European kits for the charts and the app. This info will be most helpful.

Edgar
 
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