What are Bushings Really for?

[BKind2Anmls]

Hello all,

Like I said in my introduction, I'm an experienced flatboard woodworker but have no experience turning. I did take a beginning class and turned a mallet. I bought a lathe and want to begin by making pens. I have read three books and several Internet articles but I have a question about bushings, which is not mentioned in anything I have read.

If you use a micrometer to measure the center band, the tip and the top of the pen kit, and then turn/sand the wood to those diameters, does a bushing then merely become a way of keeping things separated on the mandrel? And if so, isn't it true that I don't need to buy a set of bushings for each different pen kit since I'm not using the bushings for sizing?

Thanks.

---Susan


In oth

 

[ed4copies]

Welcome Susan.

Not necessarily. (Assuming you are using a mandrel) The bushing also supports the inside diameter of your tube (if it is not a simple 7mm).

IF you are turning 7mm pens, on a mandrel, you are correct. Bushings are "guides", not "requirements".

Sufficiently obscure????

 

[skiprat]

Bushes also stop the <s>wood/plastic/metal/bolt/nut </s> blank from getting rounded at the ends, thus ensuring a nice match to the kit.

Using centres without bushes can stretch the tubes if you are not careful

 

[wdcav1952]

Susan, Ed and Steven are right.

 

[workinforwood]

Bushings are a big benefit in that they can guide you down fast to the point where you need to stop and get out the micrometer, thus saving time.

 

[skiprat]

Originally posted by wdcav1952

Susan, Ed and Steven are right.

Susan, so is Cav

Welcome to the looney bin[xx(]

 

[gerryr]

Actually the looney bin is in Canada, as well as he tooney bin.

Also, without bushings, you would need probably 30 different size mandrels for each different tube size, assuming of course you use a mandrel.

 

[Rmartin]

I rarely use a mandrel anymore, but always use bushings. Without bushings, the brass tube can become deflected; out of round. You certainly don't need to purchase bushings for all your pen styles though. If you are using a micrometer (which is recommended), bushings can be made from various materials. I like making bushings from corian.

 

[desertyellow]

In my opinion bushings are the way to go.
They are not that expensive and they earn their keep.
It would be a wise investment.

Tony,
Las Vegas

 

[BKind2Anmls]

Thanks all. I wasn't aware that the tube actually fit over the bushing, nor that some bushings had a tenon. The ones I saw were the same size across the length. So I'll just need to buy bushings for each barrell diameter.