Bushings stuck on pen blank that was slightly too small

[wheflin]

Howdy!

So I turned an epoxy blank from PSI that was pre-drilled and had a brass tube installed. However, the bushings did not fit nicely inside like normal. It seemed the brass tube was too small. I insured the sizes were all correct, they were, and decided to use the lathe to crank the bushings into the tubes, knowing I would regret it later.

It's later now. I cannot get the bushings out as they were essentially press fit into each other. I tried locking pliers but it just tears up the bushings. I tried heating it up to 150*, still nothing.

Is there any way to get them apart? Any way to get mechanical advantage to pull them apart?

Thank you!

 

[jttheclockman]

Twist the 2 blanks against each other. Work back and forth. Either the tubes had burrs in them or the wrong bushings were used for the tubes that were used. never force bushings in a tube. You may have damaged the tube or the blanks by expanding the tube. the components would not fit even when the bushings are taken out or you created small cracks or separation in the blank from the tube near the ends. But my choice would be to try to turn the 2 blanks on that center bushing. Good luck.

 

[d_bondi]

I agree with John, there must burrs or contamination or was really forced.

The thermal coefficient (of expansion) of brass is about 1.5 times that of steel. Therefore, when heated the Brass will expand at a greater rate than the steel, which should loosen things up for you, but it seems you have already given that a try. Maybe heat it back up and try the twisting that John suggested. Do you have a pair of the disassembly vice grips with the rubber coated jaws, I find those very helpful to get a grip on pen parts safely.

 

[Penchant 4]

Try the freezer, or perhaps better is an ice cube against each bushing.

 

[Bope]

Think of it like taking a pen apart. Try using a center punch to knock the bushings out.

 

[jttheclockman]

Think of it like taking a pen apart. Try using a center punch to knock the bushings out.

You may have a chance with this method but you will need to bend the end ever so slightly and use a thinner knock out punch because with bushings the hole is the same size all the way through and not a full hollow. Hopefully you will be able to get it through the bushing and it will spring up some so when it makes contact with other bushing it will be on the edge of that bushing. It may work.

 

[KenB259]

Personally I think you're wasting your time trying to save the blank. As John said, the pen components probably wont even fit as you stretched the tube out to the point you can't even budge the bushings out. I would take it as a lesson learned, sand the ends down enough to break the tube away from the bushings and start anew.

 

[tomtedesco]

Personally I think you're wasting your time trying to save the blank. As John said, the pen components probably wont even fit as you stretched the tube out to the point you can't even budge the bushings out. I would take it as a lesson learned, sand the ends down enough to break the tube away from the bushings and start anew.

Agree. You will probably expand the tube to the point of having to glue in pen parts to hope they work, not worth it.

 

[wheflin]

Thanks for all of the input!! I ended up getting it off by spraying WD40 inside, then using two locking pliers and twisting and pulling. The WD40 helped a surprising amount.

All I have left is sanding and polishing. I'm going to go ahead and do that and see if the pen parts fit. If not, I now have the bushings back so I can turn something in a material I know will work.

Thanks again!

 

[jttheclockman]

Thanks for all of the input!! I ended up getting it off by spraying WD40 inside, then using two locking pliers and twisting and pulling. The WD40 helped a surprising amount.

All I have left is sanding and polishing. I'm going to go ahead and do that and see if the pen parts fit. If not, I now have the bushings back so I can turn something in a material I know will work.

Thanks again!

See now I would try to find out what caused the problem in the first place so that you do not do it again. As I said never force bushings onto a tube. No good can come of that. Good luck.