Cigar lower barrel

[cowchaser]

Just started making a few cigars. Really like this pen, but was wondering about where the lower barrel meets the transmission holder band. With the bushings I have there is a small amount of wood next the the band for the holder left over that actually to me makes it looked underturned. Is everyone else turning down to the band using calipers or are you just going with what the bushings allow you to turn down to?

Any other tips for turning cigars is appreciated. I seem to be having some difficulty since one of the bushings is smaller than the other. The transision between the 2 is just not a natural feeling for me I guess.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Dustin, # 1 Always use calipers, bushings are just a guide. I have found that I use the calipers on the kit that I will use as not all kits are the same.Try rounding slightly the blank as it meets the band.

 

[DKF]

What Roy said, and especially on the Cigar.....the calipers are the only way to go when you get close.

 

[mick]

Dustin due to the rolled edge of the transmission holder/coupler you're gonna see a raw edge even if you turn exactly to the bushings. What I do is to roll the tip of my skew over at the end of the blank and create a small rounded edge matching the radius of the coupler. This idea comes from our very own Ed4copies. Another thing I've done is to actually turn down an old bushing to match the diameter of the coupler at it's "flat" point. Either will work. I still use both methods depending own the shape of the pen I'm making at the time. Hope this helps!

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Between centers will alow you to remove the bushing and round the edge over when you sand it.

 

[johnkofi]

Dustin,
I totally understand.... I thought I was the only one with this problem, I thought I under turned the barrels on the first one, so I did another one and was very careful not to under turn it and it turned out perfect. Then when I assembled the pen, they were too small again, I was very frustrated. I attempted to dis-assemble the pen but ended up scratching the middle coupling. I will use a different set of bushing next time. - John

 

[Rmartin]

I have purchased cigar bushings from 3 different kit suppliers, and they are all slightly different in size and even in their design.

 

[cowchaser]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I was sure I messed it up, but it appears that is a common thing. Glad to know I wasn't going crazy. Even the wife was telling me I didn't turn it far enough, but I was sure I had taken it all the way to the bushing. I am so stuffed right now, making a pen is the farthest thing from my mind. Everyone have a good day.

 

[bitshird]

That band is goofy, [)] the radius makes it look like it should be turned more if you use the bushing,
Ken Ferrell

 

[gketell]

I took the hard way that made making the pens easy. Use your calipers to measure the transmission band to the base of the curve (rather than the outer edge of the band like the stock bushings are). Then I mounted that bushing in the lathe and got our my metal file and used the tool rest to steady the file and very carefully filed the bushing down to the new/smaller diameter being very careful to keep it round.

Now I can turn my pens down to the bushing and it comes out perfect every time.

GK