Firefyter-emt
Member
I was just out in the shop tonight turning a pen with some original bushings because I have not had time to make my own. I like to take my pen blanks down undersize about .005" to allow the CA to build up the the measured thickness once the CA has been sanded back down. I have found that my coats tend to be about .002" and once I knock it down with sanding the .008" CA coat is pretty dang close to .005"
The problem with using stock bushings is it's hard to get a nice sharp line .005" under the bushing. I have taken the bushings off and sanded between centers without the bushings to just get the ends just right. Well tonight I tried sanding it fully between centers without the bushings. This worked so nice, easy to check with calipers, no "metal drag" from the bushings and easy to sand the blank right at the ends.
I think this will become my new sanding method seeing how nice it worked right thru the steps of sandpaper. After the 4 coats of CA and an overnight dry time, I use my sandpaper pen mill to knock the tube ends flat of the CA build up and return the blank between bushings and sand. The bushings (if at the right size) will keep the CA sharp and not rounded over. This could very well be "the next step" in this great method!
PS.. sure saves some wear on your bushings too!
The problem with using stock bushings is it's hard to get a nice sharp line .005" under the bushing. I have taken the bushings off and sanded between centers without the bushings to just get the ends just right. Well tonight I tried sanding it fully between centers without the bushings. This worked so nice, easy to check with calipers, no "metal drag" from the bushings and easy to sand the blank right at the ends.
I think this will become my new sanding method seeing how nice it worked right thru the steps of sandpaper. After the 4 coats of CA and an overnight dry time, I use my sandpaper pen mill to knock the tube ends flat of the CA build up and return the blank between bushings and sand. The bushings (if at the right size) will keep the CA sharp and not rounded over. This could very well be "the next step" in this great method!
PS.. sure saves some wear on your bushings too!