CA Glue & Bushings

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dhallnc

dhallnc

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2010
Messages
219
Location
Kings Mountain, NC
I tried my first high gloss pen today and totally destroyed it trying to pry it loose from the bushings:frown:

What's the secrete here?

Thanks
Darryl
 
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Use a little Johnson's or MinWax Finish paste wax on the bushings. OR you can buy delrin "eliminator" finish bushings from JohnnyCNC on this forum. Those are well worth the very few dollars I paid for them.
 
Some suggestions:

1. Some people use a skew to carefully cut the bushing from the pen blank.
2. Some people apply wax to the bushings before applying the CA finish.
3. Some people substitute bushings made from HDPE (plastic kitchen cutting boards).
4. Some people uses finishes other than CA
 
I can make CA stick to ANYTHING it's not supposed to stick to, but the wax really helps and the "eliminator" bushings are conical and the CA stops a the end of the pen barrell.
 
I have used a spearpoint chisel to cut through the finish on the bushing just a hair away from the blank. Any more, I use a sharp Exacto knife to score the finish in the same manner. I also so this with Enduro since I dip the blanks on the bushings. Enduro is a bit more brittle and I haven't had a problem with the finish tearing and lifting off of the end of the blank. I get a cleaner separation.
 
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You can also cut out washers from plastic milk jugs and place between the bushing and pen tube with a little wax - problem solved.

Good luck
Wes
 
After I trun and sand the pen blanks, I apply the first coat of BLO and always make sure to coat the bushings with it and the CA wont stick to them. Of course I only turn wood and such, I have not ventured into turning acrylics yet.
 
Something I've done is to take some brass tubing and replaced the bushings with that. Just some of the same brass tube from slimlines. Just don't torque down on the nut on the end of the mandrel. You'll regret it almost instantly. But, no more CA fails due to bushings.
 
I use wax on the bushing. I also loosen the mandrel nut after each coat of CA has cured, then, break the pen loose from the bushing, then, re-tighten the mandrel nut.

The Delrin bushings are on my 'covet' list. CA glue will not stick nearly as well to Delrin (and in fact, I think JohnnyCNC's bushings are conical, so it's almost like mandrel-less turning) as to steel.
 
I take the entire glued together "stick with a hole in it" off the mandrel and lightly tap the bushings one at a time on the lathe bed rotating it as I do. It may take several taps but the glue joint will break and then you can rotate the blank end on a sheet of 220 sandpaper to smooth the edge. I've never had it fail. I have lately been turning and finishing between centers and that's good too. Be sure to soak the bushings after three or four pens to remove the CA build up. I put 'em in a 35mm film plastic can and cover with WalMart Equate nail polish remover for 20 mins. and the CA wipes off with a paper towel. JMHO.
WB
 
Stuck bushings.

What I do is I take a skew or parting tool to just past then end of the blank, but try not to go all the way to the bushing. Then I take the blank, bushings and all over to a 4" diameter piece of steel, I put just the busing end on the steel and very litely tap it with a small hammer until it come loose, then I trim the end with a sharp mill slowely, or sand it. then I start with the lowest of the MM and turn the blank between my fingers and the MM. This rounds the ends ever so slightly, but if your blank is a little to large this makes the lip dissapear and the pen feels much more even and finished. I work from 2400 up to 12000 MM and thend end look great even before assembly, and look even better afterwards. I alos like the idea of the milk jug disks, will be trying that one soon. Good luck.

Sheldon
 
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