Are barrel trimmers compatible with all pen kits?

[hazmat]

First off - great site you have here - I've been reading & searching finding lots of information.

I'm just getting started in pen turning - in fact, most of my supplies are on order right now - lathe / starter kit. I have yet to turn a pen.

Question is, will the blank trimmer kit from PSI work with other vendor's pen kits? I've read that the mandrel's aren't necessarily compatible. It seems the least expensive way to get most (all?) the sizes needed for trimming.

Tooling up for each new pen kit (mandrel, bushings, drills, trimmer etc.) gets expensive fast.

As a mechanical engineer, I have to say the "industry" is doing itself a dis-service with all the proprietary standards - ie X's "A" mandrel is not compatible with Y's 7mm kits and bushings.

This is the kit I am considering: PKTRIMKIT

http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PKTRIMKIT&Category_Code=

Is there a way to shorten urls? On other forums I've used link Didn't see anything here.

 

[Dario]

I have this kit and it works on a lot of pen kits but definitely not all of them. Will I buy it again? Yes.

Recently I adapted it to mill for Baron tubes drilled w/ 15/32" drill bit (not sure what the ID of the tube is). What I did was get one of my scrap Euro blank I had already tubed with 7mm. Turned it to fit the Baron. Took me less than 5 mins to make it. Others use aluminum, corian, etc. Go with anything that works for you []

The reason I elaborated on this is to point out that it is easy to adapt to other sizes.

BTW, WELCOME to the forum!!!

Good luck!!!

 

[airrat]

Hi Hazmat,
Welcome to the site.

I have not had a problem with barrel trimmers between different companies products. Just the many different sizes you will need for different kits. There are ways around that though. I have turned some wood or corian on a 7mm tube down to fit inside the tube of the kit I dont have the proper pen mill.

 

[ctEaglesc]

I bought the same trimmer set you spek of and like/hate it.
It is the most economical way to get started but here are times when the interchangeable cutter "rolls" over the tube on certain styles if you"kiss" the tube.The tube needs to be chamfered after the cutter is disassembled from the shaft to free it.
Some components are designed to have a bit of tube"milled" off it seems.
As you get into this you will find short cuts in different operations.
The lower Perfect Fit tube is 8mm and a perfect "sleeve" for the upper tube when milling.
Some cutters have a smaller diameter than others.They work fine for some designs but if you are adding pieces while in the process of turning, the 3/4 diameter works better.
You will work around most situations that arise.Once you do so and continue to work with styles you favor the shortcuts become second nature.
(Pick up a transfer punch set at HF or anywhere inexpensive(read less than 10 bucks, don't bother with the disassembley kit) When the need arises you will know why you have them.

 

[nilsatcraft]

Hello Hazmat and welcome to the group! I think the other members have done a good job at answering your trimmer questions. I thought I'd address your links question. You can visit the hyperlink FAQ to find out info on creating hyperlinks and you can go to Tiny URL for making a longer URL very small. Good luck and welcome to the IAP!

PS- I work at Craft Supplies USA so please feel free to let me know if you have any questions about our company that I can help with.

 

[its_virgil]

One barrel trimmer that works for all kits: a disk sander. Make a jig to hold the blank so the brass tube is square to the disk. Make shims to slide inside the larger kits tubes and you're on your way. On shim may fit more than one of the larger kit's tubes. Using a similar jig works well for me. The center seam is perfect and almost invisible on slimlines where I use no CB. If you have a disk or belt sander, give this a try.

For shortening url's try one of the redirection services like http://www.tinyurl.com ..... for example, http://www.tinyurl.com/54hug will take you to my Y! photo album. Give the tinyurl service a try. I think you'll like it as much as the disk sander for squaring pen blanks.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

<br />

 

[ctEaglesc]

Don-
I would love to be rid of a barrel trimmer and use the set up you pictured.
First off I doub't very seriously my Ryobi sander can be adjusted as accurately as needed to get good results.No not good, perfect.
Upon looking at your set up again,I do have another question.
How do you know when to stop?
With a slim line length is not critical.
On other designs it is imperative that you don't remove any of the tube at all.,yet others allow you to "fudge"
The buisness end of the sander set up has you doing everything "blind"
With the DP I can see when the tube"shines" up.
am I missing something?

 

[hazmat]

I like the "bushing" idea - keeps the cost down.

So now I "need" a sander too. I've also learned that I need a grinding "system" too - or at least a slow speed grinder. The reality of the statement "You're going to spend more on accessories for your lathe, than the lathe itself" is starting to set in. Here's hoping that Santa is generous this year - I'm a couple months in the hole on my "fun" money already...

Thanks for the info on hyperlinking - shame on my for not looking at the FAQ.

 

[rtparso]

I have one and love it. Were did you get your name Hazmat?

 

[its_virgil]

Eagle,
You are missing nothing and sanding too far is definitely a major problem. I cut the blanks a just a little, little long and leave wood proud of the tube ends on both ends. I sand a little and look at the end of the blank and continue until I just begin to see the brass tube. I went too far many times at first, but have developed the "touch" and very rarely sand too short any more. I personally dont like the "hole" formed by the penmill where the bushing slides up inside the hole. I suppose it is just personal preference, but once I made the sanding jig and used it awhile, I would not trade back again. BTW, this particular jig is not mine, but the picture I used to make mine. The picture is from the files area of the Y! group and there is an article there also about making the jig.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[ctEaglesc]

Not sure what you mean by the "hole" made by the pen mill unless you refer to the fact the corners are left square with a recess of the milled section.
I find it helpfull when I choose to add a little CA to the ends to "harden" them.
You have answered a question I was wondering about using the sander and for me it is out of the question.
I can screw up enough stuff while looking at it.I don't think I will mill them "blind"
I guess I will just put up with the aggrivating mills.
Fred NC's method of using sandpaper on a reverse mill might be an option, but sanding creates bore heat than a sharp mill.
The method Grizz posted a few days ago has made milling the ends almost the same as buying a new mill, World of difference!
Thanks for the info.

 

[driften]

Originally posted by cteaglesc

The method Grizz posted a few days ago has made milling the ends almost the same as buying a new mill, World of difference!
Thanks for the info.

Which post was that? I am having problems searching for it...

 

[Dario]

Is it the mill sharpening?

 

[driften]

Yea.... I found the old post the hard way. The problem with the search was not knowing what keyword Tom might have typed!

Once I found the mill sharpening thread it all came together []

 

[its_virgil]

If the wood is longer than the tubes, and the end of the blank is larger than the mill head, them the "hole" is the bore that the mill makes from the end surface of the blank to the end of the tube. Maybe I should cut blanks closer to the length of the tubes. You should try the sander. It really works well once you get the "feel" of a new process. But we use what works and what works best for each of us. Have a good weekend.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by cteaglesc
<br />Not sure what you mean by the "hole" made by the pen mill

 

[hazmat]

Originally posted by rtparso
<br />I have one and love it. Were did you get your name Hazmat?

It's the name of the family's Boston Whaler. My parent's got it when I was in high school (I'm 30 now). My mother thought that 4 teenagers in a motor boat was hazerdous material. It's a great boat name, although we never got into much trouble. I use it as a screen name as it is usually available - too many Steve's in this world...