are there barrel trimming sleves for the nice kits?

[ZanderPommo]

Well I have been turning for a long time, I'm even in the process of establishing a website, and i have turnes hundreds of pens. i have perfected a CA finish, I can work every material I've come across, and I consider myself ready (perhaps even late) to try the nicer pen kits. (jr's and such)

my question is this. do they offer barrel trimming sleves in these sizes?
I know I could turn wooden ones for this purpose but I cant imagine that everyone who uses these kits has custom wood trimmers, to me that seems impossible.
what do you guys use? are steel trimmers out there, because id prefer the durability of those...

I don't have a disk sander so i cant square them that way.

another question. will a 12.5 drill bit like the ones used for the upper barrel of a jr statesman fit in my drill press chuck? I think its 1/2 inch??
thanks to all in advance

 

[louie]

Zander,

You can make your own sleeves out of short pieces of delrin, wood, corian, etc.
PSI sells metal sleeves for all their kits. CSUSA and AS sell blanks for you to turn down the proper size.

Drill bits greater than 1/2" usually have reduced diameter shanks to fit in standard chucks. All the large bits I have are 1/2" shank. The webpage or catalog usually state this fact.

 

[ZanderPommo]

ok thanks. does anyone have the exact measurements i should set for my micrometer?

 

[randyrls]

Zander; I usually make sleeves out of reject or poor quality blanks. Some hard maple works well. I have 10" long 7mm bulk tubes.

Make a blank with a 7mm tube in it, put the tube on a mandrel with old slimline bushings covering the rest of the mandrel and slip the bare brass tube for the target pen over the bushings. Turn down the blank to nearly the size and test fit the bare tube over the sleeve. Sand to exactly the correct size, and write the Pen Name and Nib or Cap on the sleeve and finish with a coat or two of CA. No need to go overboard on the finish.....

 

[leestoresund]

Gee. Wouldn't you put the micrometer to the pen part to determine the setting?

Or are you looking for some other measurements?

You might try looking thru our vendors. There are at least 2 that sell what you are looking for.

Lee

 

[ZanderPommo]

thanks, ill try that

 

[beck3906]

I had Johnnycnc make me custom aluminum ones for most kits. They are great. Plus, I didn't spend the time trying to turn my own. They are also more durable than what I would make.

Well I have been turning for a long time, I'm even in the process of establishing a website, and i have turnes hundreds of pens. i have perfected a CA finish, I can work every material I've come across, and I consider myself ready (perhaps even late) to try the nicer pen kits. (jr's and such)

my question is this. do they offer barrel trimming sleves in these sizes?
I know I could turn wooden ones for this purpose but I cant imagine that everyone who uses these kits has custom wood trimmers, to me that seems impossible.
what do you guys use? are steel trimmers out there, because id prefer the durability of those...

I don't have a disk sander so i cant square them that way.

another question. will a 12.5 drill bit like the ones used for the upper barrel of a jr statesman fit in my drill press chuck? I think its 1/2 inch??
thanks to all in advance

 

[jtdesigns]

Since I got my own metal lathe I made complete set of actual pilots (not sleeves) for sierras, jr gents/states/retros and full size gents. The smaller pilot of the jr is used for my sierras. I had thought about making a few sets to see if there was any interest but don't want to step on johnnycnc since he may already have pilots besides the sleeves.

Jeff

 

[jtdesigns]

Btw, the 12.5 is usually stepped down at the tail end (chuck side)

 

[johnnycnc]

Since I got my own metal lathe I made complete set of actual pilots (not sleeves) for sierras, jr gents/states/retros and full size gents. The smaller pilot of the jr is used for my sierras. I had thought about making a few sets to see if there was any interest but don't want to step on johnnycnc since he may already have pilots besides the sleeves.

Jeff

I offer pilots (mostly as made to order), yes. The sleeves I made were special order.

Go for it though! I have little time to make these.

your statement "The smaller pilot of the jr is used for my sierras".

I'll just say I find them to be quite different...

John
♠

 

[jtdesigns]

Yeah, at first I used it as "close enough" but of course I went ahead and made one to exactly fit. I use my disk sanding jig to finish them off anyway.

 

[tim self]

I've got a set of metal ones for the Jr series. I actually prefer the ones I've made from corian. I guess I've got a a problem using my trimmer against anything as hard as it is.

 

[keithkarl2007]

I was just browsing for pilots also, specificallly for the Aero, Jr Statesman, Sierra and the Lotus/Imperial. How do you go about trimming the ends of a Panache blank though. I think the mill head is smaller than the finished blank size

 

[DRB4381]

PSI is offering free accessory kits (that include sleeves) with several of their higher end kits right now. I just received 4 different ones yesterday. Seems like a great way to try out the pricier kits as you don't have to pay extra for the bits, bushings and sleeves. I'm anxious to try my first Majestic Jr.

 

[Smitty37]

drill bit question

Well I have been turning for a long time, I'm even in the process of establishing a website, and i have turnes hundreds of pens. i have perfected a CA finish, I can work every material I've come across, and I consider myself ready (perhaps even late) to try the nicer pen kits. (jr's and such)

my question is this. do they offer barrel trimming sleves in these sizes?
I know I could turn wooden ones for this purpose but I cant imagine that everyone who uses these kits has custom wood trimmers, to me that seems impossible.
what do you guys use? are steel trimmers out there, because id prefer the durability of those...

I don't have a disk sander so i cant square them that way.

another question. will a 12.5 drill bit like the ones used for the upper barrel of a jr statesman fit in my drill press chuck? I think its 1/2 inch??
thanks to all in advance

If your chuck is 1/2 inch, drill bits up to 12.5mm will fit as they are smaller than 1/2. I don't think I've seen any pen kits calling for drill bits bigger than 12.5mm

 

[Smitty37]

12.5mm

Btw, the 12.5 is usually stepped down at the tail end (chuck side)

but does not need to be to fit a 1/2 inch chuck 12.5mm is .4921 inches...wouldn't give much movement to tighten the chuck but should fit in.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I made up a bunch of pilots on 7 mm tubes for various sizes, but on the larger pens, I mostly use the disc sander... just a quick and works as well as the mills.

 

[Rick_G]

I tried making my own but could never get the barrel perfectly straight so I made myself a thin parting tool from a dull HSS planer blade. After gluing the tube in I cut the blank close to the brass tube and using Johnny's bushings I turn it round then I take one bushing out and let the blank sit directly on the live center. With the small parting tool it is now easy to shave the end of the blank off on the lathe and square to the tube. Reverse the blank, do the other end and then continue with turning to size.
No more barrel trimmers or sleeves needed.

 

[KenV]

I was just browsing for pilots also, specificallly for the Aero, Jr Statesman, Sierra and the Lotus/Imperial. How do you go about trimming the ends of a Panache blank though. I think the mill head is smaller than the finished blank size

I am trying to get focus on finishing a short run of the Panache - I have some almost 1 inch piloted facing mills (2nd hand and resharpened) but usually use the technique of using a drill chuck in the tailstock holding a transfer punch (that is the closest fit to the large end panache fitting) and face the tube against sandpaper mounted to mdf on a good true faceplate.

One technique that also works for the occasional use is to put the drill chuck and transfer punch in the headstock (with a drawbar) and attach the blank to the transfer punch with tape leaving the end to be faces clear of the end of the punch -- using light cuts with your long point of the skew, square the end. Easiest way to learn technique is to use a flat side skew (not an oval or round one) flat on the tool rest - long point to the headstock side and lightly advance the tool. (A Bedan or sharp parting tool also works but you do need a sharp side edge).

Tape can do some very neat things for light cut situations --