Ceramic bushings.....

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Lol, I'd be the last person. I've used a micrometer about 5 times. I have no idea of measurements and tolerances.
 
Why ceramic bushings? Have I missed something? Is there an advantage? Bushings are used as a guide only for me. I use calipers to determine final diamaters on each pen...even if I'm doing multiples of the same kit. I mic each part of each kit. [?][?][?]

Do a good turn daily!
Don
Originally posted by Skye
<br />How can we talk a company into manufacturing them?

Easy question, right? [:D]
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Originally posted by its_virgil
<br />Why ceramic bushings? Have I missed something? Is there an advantage? Bushings are used as a guide only for me. I use calipers to determine final diamaters on each pen...even if I'm doing multiples of the same kit. I mic each part of each kit. [?][?][?]

Do a good turn daily!
Don
Click to expand...

For those of us that aren't that meticulous (were you ever a nuke?), it seems the bushings would last longer.
 
Some pool cue makers use sanding guides when finishing their cues. The ones I know are as picky if not more so than I am about fit and finish. These are made of carbide, run close to $300 a set! What d'ya think?[:D]
 
I don't uderstand why everyone thinks bushings should last a life time.
The MOST I have ever pasid for a set is maybe %.00 or $6.00.
Lets say I only made 10 pens with a set of bushings.That amounts to $.50 a pen whican easily be ammortised into the cost of a pen.
You should not be wearing out your bushings.If you are you need to practice your technique turning or sanding.The object being to concentrate on the material BETWEEN the bushings.[:D]
That being said I have been know to make a little"slip" at times.
There are a couple of things I do to lengthen the life of my bushings.
Put a coat of thin CA on them before I get to finished dimension.
or
Take the lid from a milk bottle and drill to the closest size for the bushing.
Use a counter sink to zero in on the exact Diameter for the sleeve of the bushing.
For 7mm pens drill what ever is a snug fit on the mandrel.
As you turn the blank down turn the plastic lid down.It acts as a spacer and protects the bushing.
 
Anything that can last a lifetime, should. If I could get (and afford) some ceramic turning tools, I'd have them. Sure, there's something to be said for a person who can razor hone his own tools, but why do it if one blade will last. Same for bushings. Sparkplugs that never burn down? Sign me up. Tires that never lose their tread, shoot yeah.

Sure, they're cheap, but if I dont have to re-buy them, I dont see why not.
 
Originally posted by JimGo
<br />I like that idea Eagle, thanks! I don't drink milk, but I'm sure I can come up with a suitable substitute.
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Soda bottle caps. fruit juice caps, CA doesn't stick to that type of plastic either(this does not constitute a tutorial.)
 
I would suspect that ceramic turning tools would chip rather easily. Same would apply for ceramic bushings. We use some ceramic tools in our lathes but if they take a shock load they tend to crack and chip. I think it might be possible to make a ceramic skew and a skew that rarely needed to be sharpened would be something I would probably buy.

I do know of a place that could make us carbide bushings and they would gurantee the size to .0002" (two thethousandths of an inch) on diameter and .0005" total runout for concentricity but we would have to order 25 sets minimum and the price would be $87.56 for a sierra set and $135.68 for a cigar set. I suppose that for some it might be economical if you make thousands of pens a year but the 88 bucks would buy me more than a dozen sets of sierra bushings.

I did read recently about a new type of ceramic material that was being used for production saws so your wish might not be too far off.
 
I know that ceramic kitchen knives are the sharpest thing out there but you have to use them with deboned meet or they will chip -- and that is with a chicken bone.

As for Eagles sentiment, I agree. I replace my bushings pretty often but still need to do it more often. They really are pretty cheap. If I could pay $20 for bushings that would last forever I would but not $300 for carbide![:0]

I also like Eagles ideas for the caps.[}:)]
 
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