Gentlemen's Pen compatibility

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wayneis

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Yes they will, the only bushings that I have found that will not work with regular mandrel is the Berea B mandrel which is a larger mandrel. I know this is not your question but speaking of mandrels, I like the Berea mandrel rods better than any of the others. They seem to stay true better, at least to me.

Wayne
 

jkirkb94

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pssmith I think I know exactly what you are asking. I had that same questions when I tried to put the bushings on my mandrel (Woodcraft). They wouldn't fit. I did not call them (should have) and bought a mandrel from Craft Supplies (didn't need to). Bushings still didn't fit! Called (finally) and found out that they just need a little filing on the inside of bushing. Just a little filing needed and now they fit both mandrels. It was exactly the Craft Supplies Gentlemen's bushings. Hope this is what you were asking and hope it helps. Kirk [8D]
 

pssmith

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Thanks to all for taking time to give me a quick answer to this. That's what I was looking for. I asked because I've read that due to various levels of preciseness between suppliers, not all kits / mandrels are created equally. Lou, nothing has happened, I'm just looking into things before I purchase and have to jump through hoops to either buy another mandrel where that pen's bushings fit as opposed the the PSI mandrel that I currently use. Now, I can just buy the kits, bushings, and 7/8" wood.

Talk about a nice looking pen. I'm kind of fired up about making some of these.
 

DCBluesman

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Glad to hear that you had not had a problem, Patrick. I just knew that if you had, you'd probably want more of an answer than I gave. A quick word on suppliers. I don't use XXXX. The reason is, of all of the suppliers that are talked about here, they seem to have more complaints than the others. With that piece of information, and no experience with XXXX, I choose not to deal with them. My suggestion is when you find a good supplier, stick with them. Most of the prices are reasonably close, most of them have pen kits that are reasonably close...heck, if it works, I'm not in the mood to fix it. [8D]
 

wayneis

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Lou, I really think that you are being unfare to PSI. PSI has some good products. You running them down doesn't even has anything to do with the original question. You telling people not to buy from a company that you have absolutly no expenence with, thats just not cool and not even called for. If I heard that someone had a problem with your product and without trying it, I started telling everybody not to buy it you would be madder that h... Don't forget that you are in the process of starting a business yourself and I would think that you want a fare shake.

Wayne
 

DCBluesman

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Ok, Wayne, I can take the heat. But if you <u>closely</u> read what I said, you will note that I mentioned only what I have read in these forum discussions AND I was very clear about the fact that I have had no experience with XXXX. My advice was to find a good supplier and stick with them. <b>I still think that advice is good.</b> And if I lose a vote or even the election over expressing my opinion, so be it.
 

Doghouse

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As someone who has had problems with kit quality and with the owner of PSI telling me "You must be doing something wrong, our kits do not have problems, we sell hundreds of them!" Is a prime example! Please refer to the PSI Quality thread for more information.

Return to topic at hand, and stop the public personal attack. That is what e-mail is for.
 

wayneis

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Lou can you honestly look at a PSI catalog and say that there is not one thing that would be worth purchasing? I may not buy a lot of there kits but when it comes to tools their Benjimens Best line are very good tools. The blank hilder for drilling I have and have drilled hundreds of blanks, I would consider that a pretty good tool for those that want it. I've also bought some of their blanks and have also found those to be of good quality, as good as any others on the market. As far as their kits go, there are a couple that I use because they are different. Their kits are also good for the occational pen maker. They do have a few titanium kits. What I took ofence to was that nothing in the orignal question called or asked for an opinion on PSI or any Company for that matter. He just wanted to use bushing from one Company on anothers mandrel. You chose to take a jab at PSI and then admitted that you are just going on what a few others have said. Do you think that if we wanted to run a contest for an example, and wanted donations, that PSI would comply when the President of this organization (if you are elected) slams them for no reason. I was Vise Persident of a large non Profit org for three years and if I waould have said something like that I would have been booted from the board. And don't get me wrong, I am NOT asking you to step down, I'm just saying that PSI as a Company is not a total waiste.

Wayne
 

wayneis

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I've just been accused by one of the "Moderators" of "Attacking" Lou, I just went back and re-read what I posted and other than my terrible spelling I don't see that I did anything wrong. I disagreed with him and said that as a possible Predident I didn't think it appropreate to slam a Company in this manner. If we cannot state our opinions, what is this board for? If Lou and the rest of you believe that I attacked him I will remove my post as I was ordered to do in the email that I recieved, that went on to say that because the sender had problems with PSI himself it was OK to attack their Company.

Wayne Swindlehurst
 

DCBluesman

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I have edited my posts in this discussion to remove the name of the supplier. I have done this because I have not had personal experience with them or their products. I will not add further to this discussion as it has become personal in nature and has strayed from the original discussion points.
 

jeff

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Wayne, I don't think you "attacked" Lou and I made that point to the moderator. You posted a strong opinion and while I might have chosen different words, you are certainly entitled to say it. We have over 600 members here and I'd guess about 600 different ways of saying things. Sometimes things come across the screen differently than they might have been intended by the writer. I think the points on both sides have been made.

On a positive note, I think I'll give those Benjamin's Best tools a look! My favorite gouge (a super-cheapie from my dad's shop) has seen better days.
 

wayneis

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Thank you Jeff and I think that you will like the Benjamin's Best tools, someone recommened them to me when I was ready to upgrade and I have been happy with them. For an inexpensive tool, they are pretty darn good. I started with a set from Harbor Freight that did me good for awhile and like most of us, I like to keep movin on up in the world. I won't quit buying tools untill I have at least one of each.

Wayne
 

Scott

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Well, it looks like I missed all the fun!

I think the original questions was something about turning the CSUSA Gentleman's pen, or Jr. Gent, on a PSI mandrel. This should work fine. The only hedging I might add is that PSI mandrels are just ever so slightly smaller than many other manufacturers mandrels. This and the fact that PSI makes their bushings to fit their mandrels, is why many PSI bushing may not fit other people's mandrels all that well. Now understand that this in not "the rule" but rather a possibility. In my own experience I have had only a few of the PSI bushings even seem a bit tight on my Berea mandrel.

So what's my point? Well, two things. If the PSI mandrel is slightly smaller (and "if" is the big word here) then there is the possibility that the CSUSA bushing may be a little sloppy on the PSI mandrel. If they are, it could cause the pen you turn to be slightly out of round. The second thing is if (again that "if" word) the mandrel is smaller, it might be more prone to flexing, which can also cause a pen to be out of round. Now these are pretty slim possibilities, but if anything, this would be why you may not want to mix one company's bushings with another company's mandrels. I find that usually it is not a problem.

I use some kits from almost all the different manufacturers. From PSI, I particularly like their Titanium slimline, and the Black slimline. I just like the shape of their clip!

Scott.
 

pssmith

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Again, to all, thanks for the input. I'm going to give the Craft Supplies Gentleman Pen and it's bushings a try on my PSI mandrel. But just so I don't invest a lot in it, I'll cut my blanks from a framing 2 x 4[:D][}:)]. Just kidding. Thanks again for taking time, I appreciate the help.

On a side note, Wayne, I've heard the steel on those chisels is very capable, particularly since my first set of tools are from the infamous HF set all with new tool handles (a project that will definitely improve skew chisel use) out of poplar and oak. Even the HF tools rehandled with a Wolverine Grind Jig and slow speed grinder cut well without a whole lot of sharpening...been needing a straight scraper and am eyein' the 3/4" one from them.

Again, Thanks
 

wayneis

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Patrick, If you do get in the need for a new mandrel berea has a very good set. If you ever plan on turning some of the kits from Berea and they have some very good kits you will need their B mandrel rod. Their El Grandes make a nice looking pen as do the Perfect Fit Convertable. I don't know, there are so many nice kits out there and I just heard that CSUSA has just sent out new catalogs with some new kits that are really nice. Can't wait to get mine, I'm always looking for new kits. Have fun with the Gents, that and the Jr. Gent are two of my favorite pen kits. I have done many of each.

Wayne
 

WoodChucker

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Wayne, I agree with ya on the Gent and Gent.Jr, but there's two things I don't like about them that I wish they would change. One is with the (Gent), I wish they made it so the cover would stack on top of the pen like the Jr. But maybe it would be to long if it did. And I wish you could take the cover off and put it back on and have the grain line up each time. You take the time to match the grain when you make pens and then it ends up not making any difference because it never lines up the same way each time you screw it back on. Have you found that to be a problem? Thanks!

R.T.
 

wayneis

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As far as the Gentlemens pen goes, I think that the pen would be too heavy, especially with some woods if the cap were posted. On both the Gent and the Jr. Gent most of my customers prefer that it not have the posted cap, they feel that it has a cleaner line with out the threaded end sticking out. Unless a customer requests to be able to post the cap I only purchase the unthreaded Jr. Gents's. As far as the grain matching up, you will have that with every kit that has a screw on cap. Only the snap cap kits are we able to match the grain. Actually there is a way to get the grain to at least come close, if back the cap off a notch and then screw it on if you do this enough you will eventually come close to linning up the grain.

Wayne
 

WoodChucker

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Yeah I figured that might be the case with the Gent. I really like the Jr. best anyway, and I don't mind the threads on the end, but like you said, if the customer doesn't like it, then that's whats important. But the grain thing bugs me, [:D] .

R.T.
 

Vern

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R.T., I've done a few of the Gent & Gent Jr and have found that if I first install the threaded end of the cap and second, thread the nib holder (excuse my terminology) into the cap and finally match the grain of the pen body to the cap you can get real close. There are 4 "sets" of threads on the things so you can get the grain to match.

Vern
 

PenWorks

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Hi, hear you guys talking about the Gentlman & Gent Jr pens. I saw the new kits that just came out. Very nice & very pricy. Anyway of getting a group together and buy 50+ that could be 7.00 off per pen !
Anthony
 

PenWorks

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The Statesman in Rhodium in a Gentlemans pen with a a different clip , band & top. In Roller it is 23.99 & fountain 29.99 I would be happy to put the order together to get it started, I would take 5 rollers & 5 fountains. It is also available in Rhodium and 22K trim 29.00 RB & 34.00 FP , 50 quanity is less 20%
 

WoodChucker

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Thanks Vern, I'll try what you said and see if it works for me.

Penworks, do you have a way of scanning a pic of the new pens and posting them here? If I liked um I'd be interested in a group order.

R.T.
 

PenWorks

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RT, I will try & see if I can get something scanned. I have really good luck matching the grain by this assembly process. After the bottom of the pen is completey assembled, I slide the cap over the nib and line up the grain. I do not have the threaded bushing in place at this time. While holding the cap in place and matching the grain, I then position the clip where I want it. Then press fit the clip. I then screw the bushing onto the nib and then take the cap and line up the clip and grain as I had it earlier and hand push the bushing in enough to hold it in place. Then I just back the bushing & cap out and press fit. Anthony
 
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Bill Baumbeck

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Scott and all:

To the best of my knowledge PSI's mandrels measure .241" to .242" in diameter. The Craft Supplies, Berea, and WoodCraft mandrels measure .245" to 247" in diameter.

The bushings sold by Craft, Berea, WC, will have some looseness if used on a PSI mandrel.

BB
 

Scott

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Hi Bill! Nice to see you drop by!

I think that a group buy on the Statesman kits would be a great thing! Craft Supplies really doesn't deal through any of our favorite re-sellers anymore, so there is no help for us there. If we want a better price, we'll have to do a group buy ourselves. But here's a novel idea - lets take this group buy discussion over to the Group Purchase forum, and get it going!

Scott.
 

fhinde

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Originally posted by Bill Baumbeck
<br />Scott and all:

To the best of my knowledge PSI's mandrels measure .241" to .242" in diameter. The Craft Supplies, Berea, and WoodCraft mandrels measure .245" to 247" in diameter.

Hmmm, I wonder what effect the smaller PSI mandrel would have on the out-of-round problems people have with 7mm tube based pens. The tubes could be off center on the mandrels up to .006" per Bill's measurements and then add in any bending of the mandrel as well as other factors causing the out-of-round problems could add up to a lot of frustrations with the outcome. Just a thought.
 
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