CA Glue and Bushings

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toyotaman

toyotaman

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
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925
Location
NW Georgia (USA)
I use CA finishes on my pens and I'm having problems with my pen blank and my bushings getting glued together. I've tried paste wax on the bushings and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. What is your method for adding a CA finish and not glueing the blank and the bushings together? I know there is a simple way to do this. Thanks.
 
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I use a smear of vaseline on the bushing (remove them to do this). Also, when I am done with the MicroMesh and polish I use a sharp X-acto knife to cut any CA that might have spread past the blank. Just run the blade between the blank and bushing.

Soon I will be trying the "no bushings" method of finishing.
 
ROBCTRY69 said:
after i turn to size i take the blanks and put just them in the centeres to apply ca and finish
Click to expand...

As Rob said - ALA TBC - Turning Between Centers, without the bushings, without the mandrel, KISS - Keeping it simply simple. More space between the blank and centers that bushings offer. Helps every time.
. . . but you will need to use calipers to determine the sizing.
 
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ROBCTRY69 said:
after i turn to size i take the blanks and put just them in the centeres to apply ca and finish
Click to expand...

What do you use to support the blanks? 60 degree cones or something unique? Do you clean up with acetone or similar? I'm using delrin, but want to get away from that.
 
Cherie said:
ROBCTRY69 said:
after i turn to size i take the blanks and put just them in the centeres to apply ca and finish
Click to expand...

How exactly is this done??
Click to expand...
You need a 60 degree live center for your tailstock, and a 60 degree dead center for the headstock. Just put the blank between the centers, tighten just snug. and apply as usual. Some people that use a mandrel don't like finishing 2 piece pens this way. But that's about the only negative. You do need to use calipers to be sure you don't build up too much CA, and also that you don't remove too much when sanding/polishing.

But you can also do all the turning using this method too. I don't even own a mandrel.
 
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I used to use a mandrel, and then I moved to TBC. The other day, for times sake I wanted to speed things up so I pulled out the mandrel in order to speed up the sanding process. Turns out that was a bad idea, so I put it back pretty fast! TBC makes the CA finish WAY easier. At least it did for me. But, as stated before, get good with those calipers!:biggrin:

David
 
This is the easiest and one of the best ways to solve that problem..

#1 Purchase an extra set of bushings (they are cheap...$2 -5 per set)
#2 Sharpen your roughing gouge
#3 Turn your extra set of bushings DOWN by at least HALF (done very easily with your sharp roughing gouge.
#4 USE this set of bushings for your finishing with CA (works PERFECT every time)
#5 KEEP this set of bushings in one of the spare bags that come with your pen kit (mark it with the pen kit name and that they are finishing bushings Helps)

That will be $39.95... and the good news is...I accept pay pal and credit cards!! :~P
 
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I put a dab of Johnson's Paste Wax on the end of each blank before I start to turn. 90% of the time I have no problem separating the blank from the bushing after finishing with CA. Those few times that they do stick are easliy solved by gently tapping the bushing out with a disassembly rod. I have yet to have a problem with the finish cracking when doing this.
 
toyotaman said:
I use CA finishes on my pens and I'm having problems with my pen blank and my bushings getting glued together. I've tried paste wax on the bushings and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. What is your method for adding a CA finish and not glueing the blank and the bushings together? I know there is a simple way to do this. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Get a dead center, Then after your done turning take the blank of the bushings and finish it. I never have to worry about it sticking ever again. You will not regret it.
 
this may be old school or repetitiveness but, after loosing a couple mandrels it was time to make a change. Whenever using wood, and after squaring the end, the ends are treated with hot CA to prevent any fraying. Then a candle is lit and the wax spread on the ends. It is easy to clean out of the tubes and not one mandrel has been lost since that practice.
 
nava1uni said:
Cherie said:
ROBCTRY69 said:
after i turn to size i take the blanks and put just them in the centeres to apply ca and finish
Click to expand...

How exactly is this done??
Click to expand...

JohnnyCNC makes delrin bushings that you can use for finishing pens. He has them has a set and they work great. Easy to use and the CA doesn't stick to them. Check out this link Penturners Products!
I use them a lot.
Click to expand...

This is the method I use. BUT I make my own bushings very simple. Start with a piece say 1" long of plastic Delrin preferably 3/4 round. Drill a 1/4" or "D" hole though it. Put it on you mandrel turn it to a cone like a center. Make 2 of them now you got finishing bushings that will fit any size pen tube. And CA dose not stick well to delrin after doing your finish just take the point of your skew and very carefully score/cut close to your tube to break away or you could chip your finish. Then the extra CA will scrape off your bushing real easy with your skew.

This is the only photo I could find on hand that shows them. Should you get an idea. Taper the point rite down to your mandrel.

P8150011.jpg​

.
 
Where can you get a 60 degree dead center. I called Woodcraft (they don't have one). I checked in Craft Supply catalog and didn't see one. I have a 60 degree live center.
 
toyotaman said:
Where can you get a 60 degree dead center. I called Woodcraft (they don't have one). I checked in Craft Supply catalog and didn't see one. I have a 60 degree live center.
Click to expand...

Matthew gave some good suggestions on where to get them. I will add in WHY pen turners don't usually see them being advertised.

1. MOST pen turners use wood lathes. Wood lathes don't use or have centers supplied with 60° as a standard. Wood is different than Metal, of course!

2. Metal lathes DO usually have 60° centers.

3. Pen turners use metal (bushings and mandrels) with their wood. So there is a need for the live (and in come cases dead centers) to be 60° when interacting with metal parts.

4. Most large stores' employees don't know the difference, so they don't see a need and the person who orders don't order them.

5. Advanced pen turners know this and shop between metal lathe parts suppliers and wood lathe parts suppliers.

We live in 2 worlds. :biggrin: :biggrin:
 
toyotaman said:
Where can you get a 60 degree dead center. I called Woodcraft (they don't have one). I checked in Craft Supply catalog and didn't see one. I have a 60 degree live center.
Click to expand...
Try grizzley or amazon. Amazon actually sells the grizzley dead center. And there is no reason to get the carbide tip. I've used a standard HSS tip for over a year without a problem, and I can see it easily lasting several more.

Here's the grizzley link.
 
BSea said:
toyotaman said:
Where can you get a 60 degree dead center. I called Woodcraft (they don't have one). I checked in Craft Supply catalog and didn't see one. I have a 60 degree live center.
Click to expand...
Try grizzley or amazon. Amazon actually sells the grizzley dead center. And there is no reason to get the carbide tip. I've used a standard HSS tip for over a year without a problem, and I can see it easily lasting several more.

Here's the grizzley link.
Click to expand...

Thanks, To be used just for pen blanks while finishing it will work fine. I need to order some bandsaw blades anyway.
 
bruce119 said:
nava1uni said:
Cherie said:
ROBCTRY69 said:
after i turn to size i take the blanks and put just them in the centeres to apply ca and finish
Click to expand...

How exactly is this done??
Click to expand...

JohnnyCNC makes delrin bushings that you can use for finishing pens. He has them has a set and they work great. Easy to use and the CA doesn't stick to them. Check out this link Penturners Products!
I use them a lot.
Click to expand...

This is the method I use. BUT I make my own bushings very simple. Start with a piece say 1" long of plastic Delrin preferably 3/4 round. Drill a 1/4" or "D" hole though it. Put it on you mandrel turn it to a cone like a center. Make 2 of them now you got finishing bushings that will fit any size pen tube. And CA dose not stick well to delrin after doing your finish just take the point of your skew and very carefully score/cut close to your tube to break away or you could chip your finish. Then the extra CA will scrape off your bushing real easy with your skew.

This is the only photo I could find on hand that shows them. Should you get an idea. Taper the point rite down to your mandrel.


.
Click to expand...

This photo that Bruce posted is the way to go. I bought the set from Penturners Products which is a three piece set used to finish both upper and lower at the same time. Before using this setup I had nothing but problems. After trying this system I've had zero problems.
 
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