Carbon Fiber blanks from CSUSA

[tdibiasio]

I recently purchased some carbon fiber blanks from Craftsuppy USA to fit thier Jr Gent kits. Well I turned the lowever barrel and all went fine, but after sizing the upper casting to length and deburing the tube - I tried to put the bushings in and they would not fit. Now these are good bushings (Between center set for Johnny). I tried everything to get them in the tube including sanding and cleaning with acetone. I absolutely forced one of them in by pressing it on the workbench and the only way I could get it out was to use a punch from the other side.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get these to work - or should I call CSUSA and get them to send me another set. I hesitate to do this as I purchased two sets and the other set has the same problem !!!!! Of course this is happening at the worse time as these are a custom order that I need to fill fast.

Thanks

TomD

 

[seamus7227]

I hate to ask this, but was the kit a jr gent I and instead of the jr gent II?

 

[tdibiasio]

NO but the interesting thing is I just checked the receipt and the description says "Black Carbon Fiber Jr Gent Pen Blank" but on the web site when you choose a size it say Jr Gent II........

Does anyone know if the upper tubes are different sizes between the JR I and JR II?? If so what is the size of the JR I.......

The bushings and kits I have for these blanks are the Jr Gent II.

Thanks

TomD

 

[seamus7227]

there is a size difference, if you go to the "search" tab on here, type in Pen charts and it should pull up a thread that was started that gives all of the measurements on tubes and such

 

[Phunky_2003]

The Jr Gent 1 should be about .428 inside diameter of upper tube.
The Jr Gent II should be about .458 inside diameter of upper tube.

Or so my measurements say.

Did you make sure inside of tubes are cleaned out? Do you have another set of tubes for a Jr Gent II that you can see if the bushings will fit in? Then you will for sure know if it is the tubes or bushings.

 

[toddlajoie]

I don't believe CSUSA sells the carbon fiber blanks for the JG 1's (or apprentice's as they would be on their site, only the JGII and cigar. The cigar set would have both been the same diameter, while the JGIIs would be 2 different diameters. I would say that if you got the bushings on at all, you're much closer in the ballpark than you would be if you had a JG1 or cigar set. I'm assuming you've checked to be sure the bushings are clean also.

 

[johnnycnc]

Tom,
I'll guess that the bushings fit other Jr Gent II tubes ok?
(If not, by all means, let me know, I'll make it right ).

If so...it's just the tubes. Bad part about this is you may, just may have issues with your hardware pressing in if the tubes are small. Could be a bad day for the home team (read: cracked blank, especially if it is poly resin).
If that's the case, you can possibly use a round file to open up the tube i.d, to get your order out, but I'd speak with a CSUSA rep, for sure.

 

[Fibonacci]

Another possibility is that they are for the apprentice junior gents. They are a third size.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

What I would do is roll up a bit of sandpaper, and see if I couldn't sand down the inside of the tubes a bit. Wouldn't take much...

 

[sbell111]

I suspect that you merely need to hit the ends of the tubes with a deburring tool. If you don't have one of these, you should get one:

 

[PTownSubbie]

+1 on trying this! You likely rolled the tube a bit when squaring it with squaring tool.

I suspect that you merely need to hit the ends of the tubes with a deburring tool. If you don't have one of these, you should get one:

 

[tdibiasio]

Guys,

Thanks for the quick suggestions - I actually deburred the tubes using the tool that Johnny CNC offers on his site - and also did try the sandpaper roll inside the tube. I sended them "Pretty" good and still will not fit.

These are REALLY tight - I am use to tight bushings using Johnnys cnc bushings exclusively now but this is WAY different then just a tight bushing.

I sent an email to CSUSA last night and have not heard back from them yet - I guess I will call their customer support line this afternoon if I dont get an email before then.

TomD

 

[ElMostro]

I had the same issue with some Jr Gent tubes from CSUSA from an order I placed a while back. It is not Johnny's buhings. His bushings fit perfect for Jr. Stateman and some Jr. Gents I had in stock but for that batch of kits they would not fit period. I ended up having to turn them with the stock bushings on a mandrel (which after going between centers is hard to get used to again) and even the stock bushings were a tad tight. The parts fit when I put everything together though.
Eugene

 

[tdibiasio]

I called CSUSA today and talked to the tech support guy who was very helpful and friendly - basically he was measuring the inside diameters of the carbon blanks he had on the shelf when I called so that he could respond to my email. He also took some bushings from there stock and fit them to the tubes and they slid in fine........

The problem is that I am more confused now then ever.....

Here some measurements that I came up with:

Carbon fiber blank tubes: .458
Bushings (JohnnyCNC): .4645
JR Gent Tubes from previously purchased kits: .4680

I also meausred some glued up blanks both turned and unturned and came up with roughly .4680 on them as well.

Now I dont know what to do as I think the tech from CSUSA told me that the blanks he has to replace mine measured .458. He assured me he would make this right for me but I just dont know what to do as I have tried for another 1.5 hours tonight to get these to work - round filed the inside of the tube - also sanded with some 220 grit rolled up. I was able to PRESS one of the bushings in but the only way to get it out was to hit it with a punch and hammer. When I did this I could clearly see "rub" marks on the inside of the tube.

Just wondering if anyone has purchased these blanks recently from CSUSA and was able to fit the bushings that Johnny offers into them. I guess the only thing I can do at this point is to purchase the old style bushing and look for my collet chuck and wipe the dust off it

Does anyone know of another source for these blanks in JR Gent II size??? I have a good customer waiting for these pens and think I may have a few others customers wanting the same blanks :-(

TomD

 

[nsfr1206]

Maybe Gary Nicholls?

 

[tdibiasio]

Just talked to the CSUSA tech guy and he is overnighting me some replacement blanks.... You can not beat that level of service.

Hopefully the replacements will work out better.

TomD

 

[wizical]

Ive bought a number of carbon fiber blanks for CSUSA and have had no problem with them! Maybe you were using the wrong bushings....ive made that mistake too

 

[RDH79]

just a little smaller

I would say the tube is just a little smaller and CSUSA had there bushings made to the specs of THERE tube size. Thats probably why he said his fit fine. That happen to me when they first started selling the Appretice JR Gent I. They had to have a local shop make new bushings because they didnt fit, then they sent me the correct ones.

 

[firewhatfire]

Jr Gent 1 is 25/64 or 10 mm and 15/32 jr gent II is 10.5 mm and 12.5 mm.

 

[workinforwood]

I do tube casting under pressure and know from experience tubes can crush a bit. The user needs to sand or file inside just a bit to fit bushings and to make sure parts aren't pressed in so hard they break the blank. Its just the nature of the beast, make it work.

 

[jdmyers4]

Haven't worked with carbon fiber, but can you just drill the ends with the correct drill bit?