Comparing old bushings to recent ones

[leehljp]

I was doing some cleaning and straightening in my shop today and came across some older bushings. Some still had CA on them and I put them in a jar with acetone, let them set for several hours, and then cleaned them off. They were noticeably worn after getting the CA off. I remembered reading on this forum a couple of years ago to regard bushings as consumables, and I did.

I then compared them to newer ones purchased about 12 to 15 months ago. I noticed a huge difference!

The ones that I purchased in the last 12 to 15 months and used - still have most of the dark gray/black finish on them, while the ones from when I started and even those used until May/June of 2007 are very worn from sanding.

In July of last year, I started using the mandrel-less (no-mandrel / between centers turning) I have not worn a single bushing and most have little to no sanding marks on the bushings. So for me, I don't have to consider bushings as consumables anymore - or at least the consumable rate was cut by huge amount.

Another advantage to the the mandrel-less turning - in addition to the others.

 

[hilltopper46]

Sooo... what's the difference for those of us who are uninitiated? Do you remove the barrels from the bushings to do your final finishing? Why no sanding marks?

 

[leehljp]

Sooo... what's the difference for those of us who are uninitiated? Do you remove the barrels from the bushings to do your final finishing? Why no sanding marks?

Actually the sanding marks were the least of my concern, but the downsizing of the bushing due to sanding was my shock - when I noticed them today. When I used the bushings to get to size, or approximate size, the sandpaper would touch the bushings and over the next 15 to 20 or so pens, the sandpaper would of course "wear" the bushings down a bit.

In answer to your question: Yes, take the bushings off before getting it to finish size.

Mandrel-less, No mandrel - Between centers turning involves taking the bushings off before final finish anyway, so it may as well come of before final sizing by sandpaper. No bushing dust on light colored blanks. No glued bushings to the blank. No OOR due to mandrel and tail stock problems.

This has been discussed many times on this forum over the last year, but somehow its advantages have been missed by many. But today was the first time I looked at any of my older bushings that I used before starting the mandrel-less process - and as a result had to add that part about bushings not having to become a "consumable".