Help!!!

[bkc]

I'm trying to make a Classic American click pen. Missed a step, but heading back to it. Was supposed to 'trim' wood off the tube. Okay, here's my problem.... They say to measure 1 3/4" on the top that's closest to the tail stock. "Then part off the approximately 1/4" of wood between the mark you made and the bushing" Sounds fine and dandy, but thats NOT approx 1/4", it's closer to 1/2". Have I gotten the wrong tube in this kit?

Thanks! This is only my second pen and I'm lost [B)]

I guess basically what I need to know, is that section of exposed tube length critical? Or can it be a tad longer than they're approximating?

 

[neon007]

If this helps here goes. When I do a pen requiring me to trim off wood, I usually just take about 3/16 off. It seems to work for the pens I have done so far. Just be sure to put a drop of CA to help hold it.

 

[bkc]

So it won't matter if the top of the pens wood is longer than they say?

I might be sounding a bit anal on this, but this is my 'practice' pen. I've got 8 ordered that HAVE to turn out right.

 

[dalemcginnis]

I just made one, don't trim off more than 1/4". It wont hurt if the top is longer, but it won't look right if you trim off too much.

 

[Fred]

I have always left the brass tube out of the blank by the amount of the required distance. This just makes the pen a tad bit longer. Hold the metal band up to the pen and "see" if you can get a feel for this distance.

If you do this be sure to turn carefully and cautiously as the brass tube is NOT supported by the wood of the blank at the bushing (except by itself) and brass will 'spread' a bit or even bend if not handled with some care. Sure beats turning down to the tube and messing up everything if it is turned wrong.

Remember to measure twice and cut once. Yes, that works here as well as when cutting lumber or whatever. []

 

[redfishsc]

BKC---

Sounds to me like you are turning a Berea/woodcraft "American"-- or perhaps a PSI kit. CSUSA's "American" looks the same but is actually very different (and a tad larger it seems).

The Berea kit is a pain to make and I have sworn it off (that along with most pens that require cutting a tenon). The transmission failure rate is drastically high on this pen.

As far as whether you got the wrong tube or not, I can't say for sure. I personally haven't had a mfr include the wrong tube (though I have had them missing other parts, but rarely).


I am with the above-- cut off just a hair over 3/16". All this really does is make the center band cover the lower blank a fuzz more, won't ever be noticed. It does, however, keep you from making the parting too wide--- if you make the part too wide, the center band will "bottom out" when you press it on and you will have a gap between the band and the wood. Not purdy and not at all easy to fix.

 

[donwae]

I just made one of these today myself and after reading your message I measured mine and sure enough, about 3/8ths inch was parted away, not 1/4 inch. I measured from what would be the top of the pen down 1 3/4 inches and parted the rest away. The pen assembled easy and works fine.
I also noticed in the bag of bushings there is a part I did not use. It looks to be about the size of the material to be parted away. Not sure how to use this while turning. I bought the kit and bushings from Woodcraft.

 

[bkc]

Well, I destroyed the wood on the top. So will need to do it all over [B)]

I noticed that 'extra' piece also Don. I'm wondering if you're to use it after parting to get things matched up? Guess I'll give it a try once I get to that point again. I got mine from Woodcraft also. Complete accurate directions sure would be nice. Or at least some tech help that worked on weekends.....

 

[gwilki]

I've not turned the model that you are talking about, but I've turned many "tenon" pens. But I do them a bit differently. I don't turn the tenon off. I simply make the cap blank the exact length that it will be in final form, then glue in the tube. The tube will stick out the precise length it needs to be. (I have a disk sander, so this is pretty easy - certainly easier than cutting the tenon exactly 1/8, 3/16 or 3/8, depending on the pen.
I believe that you will find that the extra bushing in the kit is to facilitate the method that I've described. When you mount the cap blank on the mandrel, you have the tube sticking out. The extra bushing is the same outside dimension as the other cap bushings, but the inside dimension lets it slide over the part of the tube that is sticking out. That way, you have the bushing up against the blank, as always.
I've done every "tenon" kit this way, and have not had any problems at all with the transmissions.

 

[donwae]

Grant, that makes perfect sense to cut the blank first and use that 'other' bushing during turning. I'm glad BKC brought this up, I learned alot simply because I made the same pen on the same day![]

 

[gerryr]

If you leave part of the tube sticking out, how do you make sure that the wood is square with the tube if the hole is a bit oversize? If the hole is a bit oversize, and they all are so the tube will go in, it is highly unlikely that the wood and tube will be square which means the CB will not fit flush all the way around. I've seen this same recommendation in Berea's instructions and rejected it because it is likely, if not almost certain, to lead to a less than precise fit for the CB.

 

[redfishsc]

Gerry, if you drill a blank on the lathe (as I do) you will have a hole that is dead-nuts centered on the blank, and then you can chuck the barrel trim tool up in your drill chuck (tailstock) and use it to ever-so-lightly trim the blank perfectly square to the hole you just drilled.

I do this when using wood or acrylic as a center-band material.

 

[gerryr]

That begs the question. The question is not whether the drilled hole is square with the end, but HOW do you ensure that the tube is square when every single hole you drill is larger than the tube, some quite a bit larger. There isn't a glue on the market that will keep the tube perfectly centered in an oversize hole.

 

[Paul in OKC]

I don'tworry about the tube being square with the hole, that is what the pen mill is for. I think you would fight a never ending battle if you worry about how square the hole is, that is why the pen mill shafts fit the tube and not the drilled hole. As for leaving the tube longer than the blank, I have done this as well, but leave a little extra and use the part off tool to take a 'fuzz' cut to make the face square with the tube.

 

[gerryr]

Paul,
Your method would work, but Berea actually recommends cutting the wood to the exact length and then gluing in the tube. With the tube sticking out, there isn't any way to use a pen mill and if the length is critical, you also can't square it up on the lathe.

 

[LEAP]

Gerry,
In that case I don't glue in the tube until after I mill one end of the blank. I slide the tube in the end that will have the tube sticking out, mill that end then glue the tube in with the correct amount sticking out then mill the other end. It may be half a hair out of square if the hole is oversized but much closer than it would be otherwise.

 

[EeyorIs21]

BKC,

I drill my hole, glue in brass tube, square ends with a pen mill. As previously stated if the overall length of top half is a little long it is not a big deal. When it comes to parting off bottom of top half of pen for your centerband you may end up with one of 2 scenarios. I have worked some kits that state to part down to the brass, and some where you part a tenon to slide the centerband on, but there is still some material between the brass and centerband. That doesn't really matter either.

Your question is regarding how much to part off for your centerband. If instructions says 1/4" shoot for about the 3/16", no big deal. I do not know why instructions would say measure down from top and part off rest(which should be 1/4"), that never made sense to me to do it that way. Keep it simple, just measure up 3/16" or 1/4" from bottom of top half, where centerband will actually be, and only part off that portion.

As for the piece that was not used or left out. You should have 4 bushings. Top of cap, bottom of pen(writing end), center bushing, and center ring. The ring rides on the small diamter side of the center bushing. The small diameter side and ring should be the bottom end of the top half of the pen. After you part your material for the centerband (probally a small amount left on brass tube) you push the center ring up onto the tenon/tube you just made so the bottom of the top half is proper diameter to meet your centerband.

When working this style kit I will usually rough the blank round first, oversize of the bushings. Then part off my 3/16" for the centerband. then slip my ring up onto the tenon. Then shape my top half between top bushing and center(centerband) ring.

Hope this helps[]

 

[bkc]

Okay, I finally just measured their 1 3/4" length and it did turn out. Though they could be a bit more exact in their directions for the section turned off (like maybe saying around 3/8's) The directions are confusing for a newbie). I did finish the pen today, after not getting the nib end turned small enough to handle the 'click'. A rasp and sandpaper did the job. My first pen went without a hitch. This pen was the 'problem child'! Everything went wacko. Definitely a pen that ain't going to get shown around much, but every time I use it I'll remember the lessons learned.

And thanks for explaining that 'spare part' in the bushings.