Le Roi Royale tube size

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

sorcerertd

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,657
Location
North Carolina, USA
My barrel trimming kit doesn't seem to have a "bit" that fits in these tubes. It sounded like this should be a 3/8 tube, but the EB page did say that a letter N drill bit would work better for it. For those that have made this pen, what did you use to trim/square the barrel ends with?

I should really just order one of Rick Harrell's barrel trimming jigs. I don't have a perfect fitting transfer punch, either, but it's a lot closer than any of my barrel trimmer bits.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Charlie_W

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
5,918
Location
Sterling, VA USA
You can drill and turn a sleeve for your barrel trimmer to fit the tube ID. Then you can trim square.....like wise for squaring on the lathe. Make a sleeve for a smaller transfer punch.
 

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
Hey Todd!

A sharp barrel trimmer works GREAT!! Unfortunately to resharpen properly, all the veins on the head need to be EXACTLY the same length and the same angle. NOT EASY to achieve.

So, we suggest using the sanding disk, I have a demo video here:
Give it a try, you won't regret it.

Ed
 

sorcerertd

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,657
Location
North Carolina, USA
Thanks Ed! You were the next person I was going to ask about this if nobody had an answer here since you sent those kits to me. Planning to get a few more soon. I'm all out of peanut M&Ms.

I did actually make one of these a while back with a small faceplate, a piece of MDF, and peel and stick sanding discs, but the sandpaper got clogged/worn down really fast. Your method of fastening/repositioning it would certainly help with that. Maybe a coarser grit paper would help, too? I think I used 150 and it was very slow going.

Charlie, I might be too lazy for that, but might give it a try if I can find something durable enough to make it with.
 

Dehn0045

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2017
Messages
1,533
Location
US
I turn round, mount in a chuck (4-jaw or collet) and square off with a skew (sharpened on a bit of an angle with a point).
 

TonyL

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
8,904
Location
Georgia
Thanks Ed! You were the next person I was going to ask about this if nobody had an answer here since you sent those kits to me. Planning to get a few more soon. I'm all out of peanut M&Ms.

I did actually make one of these a while back with a small faceplate, a piece of MDF, and peel and stick sanding discs, but the sandpaper got clogged/worn down really fast. Your method of fastening/repositioning it would certainly help with that. Maybe a coarser grit paper would help, too? I think I used 150 and it was very slow going.

Charlie, I might be too lazy for that, but might give it a try if I can find something durable enough to make it with.
i clean mine with this big rubber eraser-like thing: https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/bs99116/?inMed=GSTORE&dfw_tracker=18711-BS99116
 

greenacres2

Member
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
1,686
Location
Northwest IN
+1 on TonyL's crepe stick--those work great and really extend the life of sandpaper.

As for alternative sized center punches...early in my pen turning i accidentally bought a set of lettered drill "blanks" instead of lettered drill bits (like a machinist might purchase to turn their own bits). I chalked it up to inexperience, but when i started barrel trimming on my sander--i found that those worthless drill blanks were able to fill in several tube sizes that were in between the 1/64" spacing of my center punches. Another source could be a cheap set of lettered drill bits (or even metric)--as long as they are straight enough. Doesn't matter is they are sharp--just make sure to mount with a little distance between the end of the bit and the sanding medium...just like a center punch in that regard.

earl
 

keithlong

Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
1,602
Location
Athens, Alabama
You also make a sleeve from a pen blank, just take a 7mm tube and glue it in a blank and trim it square and just turn it to fit the inside of the larger tube you want to trim. I have some that I have been using for a long time.
 

sorcerertd

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,657
Location
North Carolina, USA
You also make a sleeve from a pen blank, just take a 7mm tube and glue it in a blank and trim it square and just turn it to fit the inside of the larger tube you want to trim. I have some that I have been using for a long time.

This is what I was picturing when Charlie mentioned making a sleeve since I don't have any metal working tools



I used one of those for my belt/disc sander. I'm probably being too impatient with the sanding and pressing too hard.
 
Top Bottom