Sanding the bushings

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BobRad

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May 13, 2010
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When sanding/finishing, how concerned should I be to avoid touching the bushings with sandpaper. It seems if I make a lot of pens, then inevitably the bushings are going to be reduced in size and affect the match of the fittings.
 
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Well try not to but I don't know how you can avoid it. Use a caliper gauge to determine the correct size, not the bushings. Bushings are not that precise.

Welcome to the forum. Lots of info here.
 
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You will hit the bushings when sanding and when you start doing CA finishes your bushings will gat larger. At some point you will need to get a pair of calipers because you will find that bushings are not that precise. When sanding light woods such as maple and you hit the bushings and then go back on to the wood you will find that the dust from the bushings will start to turn the wood gray. Then use your skew as a scraper and then clean off the dust until the pen looks clean then finish it. It's a little scary the first time but it does work. Welcome to the forum, you should formally introduce yourself in the introductions forum.
 
Bushings are considered "Consumables" meaning that they are used like sandpaper and should be replaced when they are used up . If you are using regular stock bushings that means after they are no longer the right size you just replace them with new . Most bushings only cost $3 to $5 a set . If you are using special bushings , like JohhnyCNC's between center bushings then more care is needed due to the price of replacements .
A more important reason you should be careful and not sand the bushings is because the sanding dust from the bushings will show up in your finished pen as little specs and stains in your finish .
 
ldb2000 said:
Bushings are considered "Consumables" meaning that they are used like sandpaper and should be replaced when they are used up . If you are using regular stock bushings that means after they are no longer the right size you just replace them with new . Most bushings only cost $3 to $5 a set . If you are using special bushings , like JohhnyCNC's between center bushings then more care is needed due to the price of replacements .
A more important reason you should be careful and not sand the bushings is because the sanding dust from the bushings will show up in your finished pen as little specs and stains in your finish .
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While it doesn't address the staining issue, if you use high quality between center bushings for turning, you could always use standard bushings for sanding. This way you are only wearing down cheap bushings at a point in the process where the high quality bushings are no longer critical.
 
holmqer said:
While it doesn't address the staining issue, if you use high quality between center bushings for turning, you could always use standard bushings for sanding. This way you are only wearing down cheap bushings at a point in the process where the high quality bushings are no longer critical.
Click to expand...

While this is true, you will find that most standard bushings insert too little into the brass tube, and without the 60 deg taper on the outside, they tend to be unstable when not used with a mandrel. Many on the forum have said, and I am a recent convert, that using the bushings to get close, then removing them and putting the blank on the lathe all by it's lonesome and using calipers for size is the way to go!!! This technique also has the advantage of allowing you to turn kits without buying the bushings, which is great for trying out a new kit, for ones you only turn occasionally, or for ones that Johnny doesn't make bushings for....
 
Get yourself a set of calipers and you will never again need to be concerned about bushings, having to buy special bushings, or even the chance the bushings you get are sized differently. In fact, you wouldn't need to ever buy a bushing again if you turn sleeves to fit inside the tubes to use on your mandrel or turn yourself a set of bushings for turning between centers. With calipers all you do is turn the blank to actually fit the hardware. Simple enough and without any stress!
 
I let my bushings wear down and use calipers this serves two purposes. First the bushings are a little undersize so it is a little easier to sand and not hit them, Second the calipers give a more precise mesurement to your pen parts. I do mainly slimlines and find a lot of inconsistencys in sizes, too many to rely on any bushings outside diameter. JohnnyCNC bushings are good but even he has yet to produce one that will expand and shrink depending on kit manufacture!!!....LOL perhaps he is working on it. I find different kits depending on finish are all different sizes.
 
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