Guidance on TBC - All Expertise Welcome

[TonyL]

Hi Guys and Gals:

I want to take the next step and TBC. I have watched and read enough videos and library docs to be "dangerous" and wanted to invited your expertise (which may include watching more videos, reading more docs ).

1. It appears I need two 60 degree centers, stationary and live (suited for a metal lathe). Please confirm and where did you get yours?

2. Better quality bushings (possibly)? I see Constant makes some nice ones (already called and wrote him...he is only a few miles from me).

3. Find a 7mm TBC bushing source - it appears that this is not easy to find. Or consider using this technique on kits greater than 7mm.

Please add any thing else and all of your great experience. Thank you.

Have a great Friday, super weekend, and lots a enjoyable turnings! I am looking forward to everyone's input.

Thanks again!

 

[Joe S.]

1.) Yes and I got mine from grizzly
2.) A very good idea!
3.) If you can't find anybody else, I can try making you some on my metal lathe and we could trade blanks or somthing, but I will be busy until may 5th.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Read some of the past threads - lots of info.

Classic nib is now carrying them including slimline I believe.

Most of mine come from penturnersproducts.com. I believe he still sells high quality centers.

You should already have a 60 degree live center that you use with your mandrel, no?

Check out eBay, enco, grizzly for centers.

For the dead center - it's not necessary but I'd recommend carbide tipped for durability.

Make sure your blank ends are trimmed well.

I'd skip on the delrin bushings for finishing and use ca directly on the centers if using ca.

 

[bjbear76]

I got a set of 7mm TBC bushings from johnnycnc. See if he still has them or can make you a set.

 

[TonyL]

Thank you. I visited his (Johnny's) site very last night after watching his videos. They were marked as sold-out. I will call or write him. Thank you!

 

[Cmiles1985]

I bought my 60 degree centers off of Amazon (Grizzly). They were by no means expensive. In all honesty, I don't even use bushings when TBC. It takes a very delicate touch from the tail stock to not flair out the brass tube, but after having an OOR pen or two with a certain set of bushings, I gave that up. If I find that I'm sticking to a particular kit for a long time, or a whole bunch of pens, I may buy some of the TBC bushings. Watch more videos, practice and enjoy!

 

[TonyL]

TBC

1.) Yes and I got mine from grizzly
2.) A very good idea!
3.) If you can't find anybody else, I can try making you some on my metal lathe and we could trade blanks or somthing, but I will be busy until may 5th.

Thank you Joe. I will try to find them already made. I appreciate the offer

 

[Jim Burr]

As always, the Search function tells us...
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f159/interest-tbc-bushings-118956/
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/questions-about-tbc-bushings-121183/
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f159/tbc-bushings-comming-119378/

And a few dozen others...

 

[kovalcik]

Hi Tony,

I bought my 60 degree dead center from Grizzily fo r$7+ shipping. Amazon has Grizzly's carbide tipped one for $20, but it is elegible for Prime free shipping, so the price may be a wash. IMO the carbide tip is not needed, at least for the modest volume I do, but it does not hurt. I bought my 60 degree live center from Woodcraft for ~$20.

I like Constant's bushing because they can be used for TBC or mandrel turning. I do both depending on the pen and how the mood strikes me. The Classic Nib also has a selection of TBC bushings, but most cannot be used with a mandrel. He has 7mm bushings on his page, but they are curently out of stock. I believe that the Classic Nib bushings are also made by Constant. They are very good quality and much more regular than the stock bushings.

Hope this helps.

Just saw Dan's comment about Delrin bushings. I buy the cone shaped ones from Woodturningz. I like them because after turning the barrels, I can fit 2 Sierra style or 2 Bolt action blanks, or both barrels for 2 barrel pens on my mandrel and finish both at once. For me at least, finishing takes longer than turning, so this is a big time saver. Also, one size fits all so I do not have to stock all different sizes of finishing bushings. Just another take on it.

 

[southernclay]

Hey Tony,
Can't go wrong with Constant's bushings, they are the only ones I've tried but they are great. I can't remember where I ended up getting my centers from but Grizzly seems to have good prices and reviews, I got carbide tipped dead center for a few bucks more.

Constant doesn't have the 7mm bushings on his site, I bought those and the Jr series (JR Gent II) from classicnib.com

I have been finishing the way Dan describes, between centers, no bushings and works out well, a little slower than on mandrel but not bad.

Turning between centers and using calipers have been the biggest improvements I have had on the quality of my turnings.

 

[TonyL]

Constant

Hey Tony,
Can't go wrong with Constant's bushings, they are the only ones I've tried but they are great. I can't remember where I ended up getting my centers from but Grizzly seems to have good prices and reviews, I got carbide tipped dead center for a few bucks more.

Constant doesn't have the 7mm bushings on his site, I bought those and the Jr series (JR Gent II) from classicnib.com

I have been finishing the way Dan describes, between centers, no bushings and works out well, a little slower than on mandrel but not bad.

Turning between centers and using calipers have been the biggest improvements I have had on the quality of my turnings.

Thanks...he is literally 4 miles from my home. I called 3 times; I may just drive by. Thanks again!

 

[its_virgil]

I don't consider turning between centers to be the "next" step in the pen turning journey. But rather just another way to turn a pen, and especially helpful if turning out of round pens is a problem. Special bushings are not needed. Just mount the blank between a dead center and live center using calipers to size the blank ends. Good luck with your learning curve. It is not a steep one.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Hi Tony,

I bought my 60 degree dead center from Grizzily fo r$7+ shipping. Amazon has Grizzly's carbide tipped one for $20, but it is elegible for Prime free shipping, so the price may be a wash. IMO the carbide tip is not needed, at least for the modest volume I do, but it does not hurt. I bought my 60 degree live center from Woodcraft for ~$20.

I like Constant's bushing because they can be used for TBC or mandrel turning. The Classic Nib also has a selection of TBC bushings, but most cannot be used with a mandrel. He has 7mm bushings on his page, but they are curently out of stock. I believe that the Classic Nib bushings are also made by Constant. They are very good quality and much more regular than the stock bushings.

Hope this helps.

Just saw Dan's comment about Delrin bushings. I buy the cone shaped ones from Woodturningz. I like them because after turning the barrels, I can fit 2 Sierra style or 2 Bolt action blanks, or both barrels for 2 barrel pens on my mandrel and finish both at once. For me at least, finishing takes longer than turning, so this is a big time saver. Also, one size fits all so I do not have to stock all different sizes of finishing bushings. Just another take on it.

We now have them back in stock!

 

[nativewooder]

TonyL,

If you go back to johnnycnc's site, there is a button you push for instructions to TBC. Easy to print out several copies. I have one at home, one in the shop, and gave the rest away to club members.

 

[TonyL]

This is like swimming n _ k _ d...when you are
19, not 50! This is awesome.

 

[TonyL]

TBC to fix ellipital bulge after using mandrel (hopefully the last time)

Made my fist two tonight - totally different experience. I have two or three more queued-up for tomorrow as the 15 min epoxy cures.

I was wondering if there was a way to fix a small elliptical flaw on 1 of the 6 separately turned barrels that I made yesterday using my fickle (and hopefully obsolete) mandrel.

Any ideas as to how to remove the slight bulge, by TBC.

See if you can spot it on the pic. It is right above the center band on the upper barrel. Thank you.

Special thanks to Constant today (of Laserlines). He has an incredible shop and he is an outstanding, skilled, and generous individual .Tough buying PSI kits after seeing and feeling the quality of his work. And I am only 2.5 miles away!
Nice to American-made quality! I know we have other gifted vendors/partners that practice the same quality of work. We are a blessed group!

Extra special thank you to Harry (of WV). He gave me the confidence and instruction to get it done.

 

[Smitty37]

Hi Guys and Gals:

I want to take the next step and TBC. I have watched and read enough videos and library docs to be "dangerous" and wanted to invited your expertise (which may include watching more videos, reading more docs ).

1. It appears I need two 60 degree centers, stationary and live (suited for a metal lathe). Please confirm and where did you get yours?

2. Better quality bushings (possibly)? I see Constant makes some nice ones (already called and wrote him...he is only a few miles from me).

3. Find a 7mm TBC bushing source - it appears that this is not easy to find. Or consider using this technique on kits greater than 7mm.

Please add any thing else and all of your great experience. Thank you.

Have a great Friday, super weekend, and lots a enjoyable turnings! I am looking forward to everyone's input.

Thanks again!

The 60 degreen centers are easy to find. In fact I think a couple of vendors here have them in stock or make their own. TBC bushings work a tad better but you can turn with standard bushings I do for the kits that I don't have TBC bushings for. As far as worrying about it TBC is actually easier than using a Mandrel and requires no skills that a mandel doesn't.

A lot of people turn 7mm tubes on the mandrel because they like to have both tubes set up at the same time.

 

[Smitty37]

Hi Guys and Gals:<br>
<br>
I want to take the next step and TBC. I have watched and read enough videos and library docs to be "dangerous" and wanted to invited your expertise (which may include watching more videos, reading more docs <img src="http://www.penturners.org/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" smilieid="205" class="inlineimg">).<br>
<br>
1. It appears I need two 60 degree centers, stationary and live (suited for a metal lathe). Please confirm and where did you get yours?<br>
<br>
2. Better quality bushings (possibly)? I see Constant makes some nice ones (already called and wrote him...he is only a few miles from me).<br>
<br>
3. Find a 7mm TBC bushing source - it appears that this is not easy to find. Or consider using this technique on kits greater than 7mm.<br>
<br>
Please add any thing else and all of your great experience. Thank you.<br>
<br>
Have a great Friday, super weekend, and lots a enjoyable turnings! I am looking forward to everyone's input.<br>
<br>
Thanks again!

The 60 degreen centers are easy to find. In fact I think a couple of vendors here have them in stock or make their own. TBC bushings work a tad better but you can turn with standard bushings I do for the kits that I don't have TBC bushings for. &nbsp;As far as worrying about it TBC is actually easier than using a Mandrel and requires no skills that a mandel doesn't.<div><br></div><div>A lot of people turn 7mm tubes on the mandrel because they like to have both tubes set up at the same time.</div>

 

[TonyL]

Thank you Smitty. I got all that I needed today and made two pens tonight. Loved it!

 

[flyitfast]

Don't forget the calipers - after using bushings to get close, it is time to measure (with calipers) the actual pen parts and use the caliper measuremens on the matching ends of the blanks. Allow for size changes due to sanding and thickness of finish.
gordon

 

[TonyL]

Yes...thank you. I bought good ones several weeks ago.