Remove tube from blank?

[pauly99]

Long story short, I turned a blank out of round. I've aligned my lathe and would still like to turn the Wall Street kit I have. Is there a way to remove the tube from the blank and then possibly clean for reuse? Time is slightly limited this weekend. Otherwise I would do the couple hour drive to/from Woodcraft for some extra tubes.

 

[Kdoc87]

If you don't mind wasting your blank, you could use a parting tool and turn the blank off of the tube, leaving just the bare brass..That has saved many many kits for me in the past!

 

[southernclay]

Put the blank between centers and turn the material down to the tube and sand off any glue etc left on there. Quick and easy but you loose the blank but assume it's toast anyway.

 

[jttheclockman]

Turn the material of the blank completely off. Just be careful you do not hit the tube. It is done all the time. It is the quickest way. If you used epoxy you could try heating the tube and melting the glue or softening it. But turning off is easy and quick. Good luck.

3 minds thinking alike

 

[pauly99]

Thank you. Seems easy enough to turn it down to the tube. I was afraid of flying pieces of wood but by the sound of it that isn't something I need to be concerned with. Yeah, the blank is toast and I'm fine with that. I used CA glue so I thought I might just use acetone to clean up the blank.

I need to get my supply situation a little better. Some added tubes and such. I have maybe 10 kits and probably 100 blanks, so maybe I should make that trip to Woodcraft or start shopping online.

 

[jttheclockman]

Thank you. Seems easy enough to turn it down to the tube. I was afraid of flying pieces of wood but by the sound of it that isn't something I need to be concerned with. Yeah, the blank is toast and I'm fine with that. I used CA glue so I thought I might just use acetone to clean up the blank.

I need to get my supply situation a little better. Some added tubes and such. I have maybe 10 kits and probably 100 blanks, so maybe I should make that trip to Woodcraft or start shopping online.

Acetone will work. It is always a good idea to have extra tubes whenever you get more kits. Just a reminder to mark those extra tube in some way because, well I am sure you can figure that next part out. good luck

 

[pauly99]

Yeah. I have a good supply of slimline tubes but I do need to pick up some alternates. The one thing I have been good at is keeping my TBC bushings nicely secure in their own little baggies.

It is always a good idea to have extra tubes whenever you get more kits. Just a reminder to mark those extra tube in some way because, well I am sure you can figure that next part out. good luck

 

[MTViper]

As for extra tubes - PSI and several other companies sell 6 packs of 10" tubes in different diameters. I have 7mm, 8mm, 3/8", and 10mm on hand all the time. Beware, though, the ID is not the same on all tubes - close but not equal. That can bite you from time to time. If you know you're going to be making several of the same type pens, it's not a bad idea to have an extra kit on hand for parts and to have 2-3 extra sets of tubes on hand just in case. Like most backup equipment - if you have them handy, you probably won't need them.

 

[nativewooder]

If you are practicing safety safely, then you would have a face shield so that you don't have to worry about flying pieces of wood, small, that is!

 

[KenV]

Paul -- Stripping the remains of a blank off the tube is a good technique to learn because it can be a learning opportunity. I use it as a way to check my gluing process. When a blank does not work out -- for instance, the turned down inside of a blank does not redeem the expectation, I often turn to the blank off to see how my glue coverage is doing. If I find chunks coming off that were not attached well with glue, I have information to use to evaluate what I have been doing.

If you start making euro style pens -- many will have you turning to the tube to form a tenon for the center band and doing that well makes for a better pen. Turning to tube can be a practice opportunity for future tenon turning.

While some turn down for tube recovery alone, I suggest you learn from the process and get some information along the way. Find excellent glue coverage, give your process a big check mark.

 

[TurtleTom]

I do this all the time since I use a lot of spalted wood.
It's best to use bushings when turning the wood off the tube, the kind that goes into the tube, especially if you are turning between centers. You can make them from hardwood if you have to. The amount of force required to hold the tube while you turn off the wood will flare the ends of the tube slightly unless you're way more lucky than I am. When I flare them I put the tube in the chuck and use a file to bring it down to specs. If you don't do this the flare will push all the glue out the blank leaving very little to glue the blank to the tube causing much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair later.

 

[qquake]

I'm sure glad I've never had to do that. Nope. Not me. Never. Ever.

 

[pauly99]

Yes. It went very easy. Once it started to splinter I grabbed a knife and pulled off the rest. It was good to see the blank sticking well to the tube as it took me a few minutes of prying away. I used sandpaper followed by acetone and then sanded a little again to clear off the acetone.

As a reply to another post, I always always always wear my face shield.

I'm sure glad I've never had to do that. Nope. Not me. Never. Ever.

 

[pauly99]

Completed pen. Used a square carbide tool to finish but had chatter at times and there was a rough spot on the acrylic blank which never smoothed.

 

[Wood Butcher]

While reading this thread I began to wonder, what if you place a piece of copper pipe or steel rod in the glued in tube then apply heat to the pipe/rod. Would the heat, applied carefully, soften the glue so the tube could be pushed out with a matching size tube? I can see the longer piece of copper/steel clamped in a vise, heat applied and the second brass tube slides up to the installed tube while using pliers to push it out. I obviously haven't tried this but will soon. If it works you would save the tube and the blank.
Hmmmmm.
WB