Pen kit hardware, no tubes

[Mortalis]

I purchased a few tubed blanks from a local tool shop that is discontinuing their Rockler pen Kit section of the store. The kits are for the Euro Pen Kits (replaced by the Summit). If I just went ahead and purchased the kits, obviously, I get the tubes. If I do that then I am in the same situation as having tubes with no hardware.
I was wondering if there is somewhere that I can purchase just the hardware?
Need some ideas.

 

[its_virgil]

I doubt you will find kits without tubes. Store them... you will need them one day.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[Robert Taylor]

extra pen tubes

I doubt you will find kits without tubes. Store them... you will need them one day.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

ditto as Don said get a "parts" box and store extra pieces. one day you or someone else here on the forum may need them.

 

[sbwertz]

Extra tubes are always handy. Sometimes a blank blows up on the lathe and if you have a spare tube, you can just start another blank. Otherwise, you have to try to turn the broken pieces off the tube to salvage it.

 

[Edgar]

I sometimes use excess tubes for various little DIY projects - key chains, ornaments, light pulls, etc. It's pretty easy to get hardware for such things without buying special kits and tube length is usually not critical.

 

[edicehouse]

It really depends on how many you are talking. If you bought 3 blanks, it is not worth you time. Now if you are talking 100, you might post you have the tubes in the trade section on the forum.

If you found the kits without the tubes, you would not notice the "savings"

 

[cwolfs69]

tubes sold seperately

I doubt you will find kits without tubes. Store them... you will need them one day.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

there is a reason that you can by spare tubes separately and not spare pen parts. the tube is the most often lost, destroyed etc part in the bag. as noted by some others you can blow a blank, over trim a tube when processing, want to start a pen project before you get the hardware. just remember, the tube and blank are the first parts you need. the pen hardware is the last thing you need to assemble. it is always good to have extra tubes around. i often have a pen tube completed before i buy the kit. that way i can decide after turning and polishing what plating to buy.
always have extra tube in house.

 

[Mortalis]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I have 4 sets of pre-tubed blanks.
Purchasing 4 kits that are typically $5 and having the extra tubes isn't a big deal, I guess. Just thought I would ask.

P.S.
Funny you guys mention a blank blowing up on me. I actually just had that happen while I was turning some blanks out of Cherry. It is amazing how easy it is to burn cherry with a dull saw blade yet when turning and sanding the stuff is hard as nails. I ended up gluing the pieces back onto the tube and residual blank and I've had a few people look at it when I told them it was a broken blank say they could hardly see the damage. Still would never try to sell something like that though. It's a shame because the grain was really nice right where it broke apart.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

The more tubes the better! I have tubes for every kit I make that I can get them for.

You will not regret having four extra sets.

 

[skiprat]

If you sell pens on the web, then extra tubes are a God send.
You don't need to spend a fortune keeping a large stock of finished pens.
Make a pen and take the photos. Disassemble the pen and use the next set of tubes to show a different pen. Just buy a new kit as you sell the last one.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

If you sell pens on the web, then extra tubes are a God send. You don't need to spend a fortune keeping a large stock of finished pens. Make a pen and take the photos. Disassemble the pen and use the next set of tubes to show a different pen. Just buy a new kit as you sell the last one.

You must be much better a disassembling than I am! I only do that when I have to.

It is a good way to have a large 'inventory' though without buying all the kits.

 

[sammy1947]

can anyone explain to me on how to make a cap activated click pen?

 

[sbwertz]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I have 4 sets of pre-tubed blanks.
I ended up gluing the pieces back onto the tube and residual blank and I've had a few people look at it when I told them it was a broken blank say they could hardly see the damage.

When that happens, glue the blank back together, then take a dental bit (ask your dentist to save them for you) and use a dremel tool to open up the crack all the way to the tube. Then fill the enlarged crack with contrasting material....crushed stone, colored embossing powder, contrasting sawdust...whatever complements the blank. When turned and finished, the crack is completely disguised and actually becomes an accent to the grain.

 

[sbwertz]

You can also use the tubes to make a short stylus with the stylus tips from CSUSA or PSI. I take a slimline kit and replace the cap and clip with a stylus, producing a pen/stylus. I then take a spare tube and make another stylus using the cap and clip from the first pen on the other end. Two salable items from one pen kit and two stylus tips.