Hows your bushings?

[emtmike]

My question this time, seems like I always have one, is how many pens can you make with a set of bushings and is there one set of bushings that are better than others?

 

[bca1313]

I dont know if there is one set of bushing better than another, but as far as how many pens you can make with a set of bushings...that has to do with how much you wear them down. If you sand your bushings during the sanding proess then they will not last nearly as long. You can also bring metal shavings onto lighter wood if you sand from the bushings into the blank.

Ben

 

[OSCAR15]

Ditto,,,When you see the finished pen doesn't quite fit right anymore..Time for new bushings. Oscar

 

[DocStram]

Mike ..... there was very interesting and very informative discussion about bushings about a month ago. You might be able to find it with a little digging in the archives. I learned a whole lot from the discussion.
To make it short, the big lesson for me was to always measure your pen with calipers ... and then use that same measurement for turning your blanks. The caliper measurement is the important factor. The bushings should serve as a rough guide.
As a matter of fact, it was that discussion that inspired Don Ward to write that great tutorial on How to Make Bushings!

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

The best way to do it is to take all of the guess work out of it by buying and using a micrometer. Mic. your pen fittings and turn the blank to specifications. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe many of the turners here turn to within +/- .001 acuracy. I know it made a HUGE difference in my pens when I started using one.