slimline bushing question

[Charlie]

When I turn a slim line pen and turn the wood down to the bushing. I am having trouble. when you press in the cap or the writing tip the wood will be below the writing tip or the cap.

I just went out and measured some caps and writing tips and they measure larger than my bushing.

I also have 2 different sets of bushing, one I have never used and it dos`t measure up either.

So what should I do, I don`t like them not matching up.

Charlie

 

[Edgar]

It's always a good idea to measure bushings & kit parts before starting to turn. There can always be variations in bushings or kit dimensions and bushings can wear down from sanding or tool hits (obviously not a problem with the ones you've never used though).

If there is a mismatch, then just use the bushings as a rough guide to get close to the final size and start using calipers to get down to the exact size you need to match that particular kit.

 

[MRDucks2]

$10 Harbor Freight 6" digital caliper. Measure the parts before you turn, as Edgar points out, and compare to your bushings. That will give you an idea of where to stop/slow down for final sizing.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[leehljp]

Charlie,

A few wise folks here taught me a truth long ago that fits your experience: Bushings are Consumables. A pen turner will nip it, sand it and scrape it while turning the wood. The bushing sizing can be down below size in 10 to 30 pens, hence "consumable". For this reason, it is much better to determine the size of the blank by measuring than by sizing it against the bushing.

There is another way around the shrinking bushing - learning to turn between centers. Use the bushings to get it to NEAR size then take them off and turn between centers without bushings and measure with the calipers to get to size. This will eliminate the shrinking bushing and make it last longer.

 

[wouldentu2?]

Don't try to match the edges exactly, leave the wood a bit larger and create a rounded edge whether buy tool or sanding.