I hate oops's!!

[DSallee]

Hey all, I just hate having an oops day!

I had an order for a Euro made out of Kingwood... all sounds simple, right? Well, the wood turned out GREAT! Best wood finish I've had so far.... I put the pen together (and of course as a somewhat newbee, I didn't check a few things as I was assembling it) .. Pen went together great, got to looking at it (finished) and noticed on the nib end that the nib was a bit larger than the finished wood! I'm like, what the heck!! .... I know I didn't turn it below the bushing!! got to checking and I mistakingly used one of the "mandrel spacer" for the nib bushing!! (and the actual bushing as a spacer... LOL) They look identical and are close in size but not... just enough to make a very prominent edge from the nib to the wood...

OOPS!!!!

Yea, I thought about disassembling the pen and re-turning the barrel part but I don't have the disassembly kit or any punches that will work... and the grain wouldn't match so I'd have to re-turn the whole thing... sooo... I'm keeping this one as a reminder to CHECK THE BUSHING PLACEMENTS AND SIZE BEFORE TURNING!!

AND... this morning I went straight to Lowes and got a digital micrometer!!

Dave

 

[JimB]

I've almost done that a few times with different kits although I am usually mixing up the nib and cap bushings. Also, the standard slimline bushings are not all the same. I now use my calibers all the time to be sure I'm using the right bushings in the right place and to match the best set of slimline bushings to the pen kit.

 

[cowchaser]

Calipers, calipers, calipers. Then there is no need for a bushing except as a guide.

 

[MobilMan]

DSallee. Why not make yourself some wooden spacers & just use the correct bushings to turn. It's just a spacer anyway. Can be made out on anything. That will eliminate those mistakes.

 

[great12b4ever]

Get you a set of the Cheap Harbor Freight punches. After you do, you can take the pen apart, and start layering on the CA, then turn/sand/polish to make it match. (DAMHIKT)

 

[randyrls]

Originally posted by cowchaser

Calipers, calipers, calipers. Then there is no need for a bushing except as a guide.

Dustin; I AGREE!!!!

I have found bushings that were as much as .014" too small. Some sets are all over the map. If I had turned to the bushings (and I have done that!), the tube would be much too small.

I only use the bushings as clamps.

I have 4 digital calipers. I set the calipers to the fitting size, then press the "Zero" button. Now putting the calipers on the tube shows how much remove and how close I am to the correct size.

 

[arjudy]

Been there, done that. [V][V]

 

[Splinter]

You can also paint the spacers with red spray paint to make them stand out from the busings.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

I will echo the calipers comment. What I do is when I make a pen (It's been a while too!) I will take a post it note and write down "Nib, post, center-band,and clip. I then measure the kit and post the exact kit size on the post it note. I then turn the pen slightly under this number to allow for CA build when finished. I will check the size while sanding the CA to make sure that it did not "over-build" the CA on the ends.

In fact, I never even use the bushings on sanding, I use the dead center method and once the rough sanding has been done, the bushings are gone.

 

[leehljp]

I do exactly as Firefyter-emt (Lee) does - with an exception. I have a notebook with every pen model instruction sheet (that I have) inserted. Some have the bushing sizes listed, some don't. For those that don't, I write them in. Next, with post-it notes, I check each pen at the nib, CB and clip end and write it down, noting the differences, as Lee does.

All of this doesn't take but a minute, and then I "KNOW" the sizes for sure. By having the instruction sheet data and checking the nib, CB and clip, I can tell when I have one that is slightly out of tolerances, and make adjustment.

This way, I am never dependent on the "bushings".

 

[arioux]

Hi,

Hve you tried just replacing the nib with a slim line nib ??

Just a 2 cents reflecition here.

Alfred

 

[DSallee]

Thanks for the comments everyone... at least it wasn't an expensive kit or wood...

Randy... thanks for the tip on the calipers.

Splinter.... thats a great idea on painting the spacers.

Alfred.... never thought of switching out the nib with a slimline.. going to have to check on that, size wise.

Rob.... Yep, my next stop is HF to get that punch set. LOL

Lee & Hank.... Thanks for the tips. I think I might do something like that on my future turnings.

Dave

 

[stevers]

Bummer, I feel your pain.

 

[sbell111]

If I wrote down all the stupid things I've done over the years, I'd have a book larger than the NYC yellow pages.

Just the other day, I was making two cigars using JD barrel oak. I cut the blanks and drilled them. I glued the tubes in the first one and then milled the ends.

I then turned one of them. I was really proud of myself. The wood was beautifully turned, showing a great deal of the char. It finished beautifully with a terrific shine. I was just about to put it together when I realized my error.

I turned the set of blanks that hadn't yet had the tubes glued in. D'Oh!