Going Cold Turkey on Bushings

[jimmyz]

I have turned quite a few pens with bushings. My normal procedure is to turn the blank down just proud of the bushings and then finish up with sanding to 400 grit before applying the finish (normally CA for wood).

My current project has to be turned without bushings (at least one end and I decided to not use bushings for the other end for "practice"). Although I've been fairly happy with the pens I've made, I would like to improve the quality of my pens, and I think that not using/relying on bushings is one thing that would improve my pens.

I'd like to hear from some of you, who don't use bushings, how you approach this part of the penturning process. How close do you turn the blank before sanding to the final diameter of the associated pen part? How do you check the fit before assembling the pen?

Appreciate any help you can give me.

 

[TonyL]

I use bushings when I have them, but whether I have then or not I check the hardware/components diameters and then use my calipers. Without bushings - which I do sometimes go without - is a PITN for me, because I don't like checking repeatedly with calipers.

I finish all of my pens just proud enough of the bushings (assuming they are sized correctly) or the components to where my fingernail barely catches the ends of the barrel as I ride my finger from the hardware to the barrel. I happen to like them that way, my clients have never complained (at least out loud), and if I make a "mistake", at worst, the barrel ends and h/w are flush.

THAT IS JUST ME - not yelling just emphasizing. I am not skilled enough (nor do I want to be) to have it the h/w and barrel meet perfectly. In fact, I have found some kit hardwarde where to be out of round - especially the less expensive nib/cone sections of the Chinese kits. These are just my findings and experiences.

 

[Joey-Nieves]

Like TOny I use them when I have them, usally when I tryout a new kit I just buy the kit and turn between centers and a caliper. When I'm doing a lot a time I use the bushings and as you I turn shy of the bushing, then I go between centers and go a hair with the skew so to be close to the actual size, this is so I can be sure I'm not making a slight bow at the ends, I sand a hair under the bushing level so that When I apply my CA I'm wright on the size.
With slimline's I have some slightly worn bushings that do the trick for me.
I try to take into consideration the thickness of the CA, specially since I apply up to 20 coats
Joey

 

[jttheclockman]

I am in Tony's corner too except that I always use bushings but do not rely totally on them. Who said bushing are a bad thing??? people get hung up on bushings when finishing.

 

[jimmyz]

Let me clarify that I know the kit bushings can be used up to a point and then replaced with the 60 degree bushings. They just, as I understand it, would not be used for final sizing. I assume a micrometer is used to check the sizes. The 60 degree "bushings" avoid getting blanks glued to the bushings with CA or transferring metal dust to the blank during the sanding process. So ...

Do I turn and sand the blanks to the same "miked" diameter of the parts or slightly smaller because the CA glue will add "diameter" back to the blank?
Just curious how some of you approach this process.

 

[JimB]

Yes, ca adds to the thickness. How much you need to compensate for it in your sanding process depends upon your ca finishing process. How many coats, thin or medium and how much you sand the ca determines how much you need to compensate during the turning and sanding of your blank. Only you can answer the question.

 

[scooterscroller]

I have been turning for almost a year now. I started with bushings. But I wanted to try different kits and couldn't justify buying bushings for every kit so I switched to TBC and measuring with calipers. I was amazed at how much better the pens fit after I switched and it does not take me any longer to do it this way than with bushings.

I also found another benefit when doing CA finishes: I can turn the tube undersize to allow for CA buildup without worrying about contacting the bushings with my tools or sandpaper.

 

[jmpugsley]

I guess I am different from the others. I use wooden bushings. I turn the bushings first so that there is an insert into the tube (centers the blank) and use the manderal as usual. I then turn the blank, extending the turning int the bushings. I use calipers for sizing. I then turn the bushings smaller so that the sanding and finishing is not hampered by the bushings. Most here probably think this is crazy, but it works for me.

 

[Dave Turner]

I like to use bushings for quickly "roughing" in the blank, getting it about an 1/8" above the final diameter. I then remove the bushings and turn between centers. The reason for this is that I've had bad luck with bushings being slightly out of round or where the central hole is not perfectly aligned with the outer diameter. This gives a sloppy fit when mounting the components. With between center turning, everything lines up perfectly every time.

When turning between centers, I use calipers as I bring the surface down to my desired diameter. I only sand to smooth the surface and don't remove more than a thousandth inch or two. I like the final finished surface to be a tad proud of the measured component (a few thousandths of an inch). If I'm doing a CA finish (which I do on almost all wood blanks), I'll turn the blank down to a few thousandths of an inch below the desired finished measurement, since it will get built back up with CA. Just measure several pens before and after your CA finish to get an idea of how think your finish is.

When I'm doing my final micromeshing of my blank, I take the sharp edge off the ends of the blank with the last several mesh pads. If you leave the blank a few thousandths proud, this gives the pen a very nice thumb feel when you pass your finger from the nib to the blank and back. If the blank is recessed even slightly to the nib, you can feel the sharp edge of the nib where it meets the blank.

 

[corgicoupe]

I have only been turning pens for about 5 weeks, and have limited myself to two kits that require 10.5 and 12.5 mm drills. Koren calls for the same size bushings at both ends of the barrel, and Jr gents calls for one to be slightly smaller. I turn to within a hair of the bushing and sand to get barrel and cap as straight as possible, with no belly.

Today I modified a Kojent to have a closed barrel end and couldn't use the bushings at the beginning. Instead I jammed a 3/8" dowel in the brass tube, held that in a Jacobs chuck, and used a live center at the back end. When I got near the final diameter, I removed the dowel and used the bushing at the one end. It's the same length as the original but the barrel is close ended.