Easy Fix for squaring blanks

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pen-turners

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I think I have a very easy fix developed for squaring the ends of the larger tubes such as the El Grande and Gent and Baron pens. I'll update this later this afternoon and let everyone know. A little suspense for now!!!!!

Chris
 
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Figured I'de let you guys feel the pain of the time difference for a little while. You don't know how annoying it is to get telemarketers calling you from the east coast at 3 a.m. out here.

Anyway, Here's an easy fix for the Jr. Gent/Barron Pen. I had to try it before posting it. Heres what you do.

For the larger ID tube: Take your barrel trimmer and........... slide the center bushing from a European style kit over the shaft (without the tenon guide). I put a little ca (I MEAN A LITTLE) on the shaft to keep the bushing in place. This bushing is just a hair under the ID of the larger tube and does a great job of cleaning out the tube and keeping the cutters perpendicular to the end of the blank.

For the smaller tube: Same thing except use the smallest bushing from the Euro Kit after you've hit it with a skew a couple of times. Or take a new one and sand it a few seconds with 200 grit sandpaper while it's on the late. When new, it is slightly larger than the ID of the smaller tube of the Jr. Gent. After you sand it, it will fit perfect. Put it on your barrel trimmer and go for it. The barrels are the same size for the Jr Gent/Barron so you can use this with either.

I'll work on the full sized Gent tonight but you have the general gist of it. I used to turn my own bushings but it is amazing how hard it is to get them little buggers exact.


Chris
 
Chris, I feel your pain... 8:00 AM on East Coast, 4:00 AM in Anchorage...

I use Corian epoxied to 7mm tubes. I have a selection of various sizes. All started with 10mm Cigar...[:)]

I don't polish the Corian, fresh from the skew.... Cleans inside of tube... No more forcing parts...
 
I solved that problem by going to the "Buck" store and buying a set of metric drills for a buck and ground down the shafts , on my grinder , to fit the barrel trimmer . A 6mm bit for a 7mm tube , a 7mm for an 8mm tube and a 9mm for a 10mm tube . Only takes a second to switch when you want to . See the pic below . They might not LOOK pretty but they DO work !!

20053265541_Pen%20Mill%20-sm.jpg
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Originally posted by dougle40
<br />I solved that problem by going to the "Buck" store and buying a set of metric drills for a buck and ground down the shafts , on my grinder , to fit the barrel trimmer . A 6mm bit for a 7mm tube , a 7mm for an 8mm tube and a 9mm for a 10mm tube . Only takes a second to switch when you want to . See the pic below . They might not LOOK pretty but they DO work !!

20053265541_Pen%20Mill%20-sm.jpg
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Click to expand...

My pen mill came with shafts for 7mm, 8mm, 3/8" and 10mm so I only needed adapters for the bigger pens.
 
Some good ideas here, thanks!

Woodchucker I did that thing with the telemaketers a few months back and I get zero calls now, it really is nice.
 
Thanks for the tip Chris. I've got a bunch of too small euro bushings anyway. I've got crudely turned acrylic adapters that haven't worked too well. I may do like John and turn a whole set this coming week since I am off work.

John, "Tell my widow", hahaha too funny.
 
Im one of the lucky ones. I have a couple of machine shops where I work. being government the equipment mostly just sets and does nothing. several of the guys enjoy doing little projects when they get bored. so I dropped off a rod of steel one day with a list of pilots I needed. now I have one that fits everything including the gent pens. cost me $12.00 in steel and a six pack.
 
I have taken 1/4 inch bolts (4 inch works well) and cut the head off. Drill a 1/4 inch hole in a piece of corian or I have also used hard maple. Epoxy the bolt into the corian/wood with enough bolt exposed to go through the trimmer head and have enough left over to chuck in the drill press. When cured secure in a jacobs chuck and turn to what ever diameter needed to fit the tube you are using. When done, use it just like you would any other shaft. Note that this assumes that you are using the 3/4 trimmer head like the one sold by PSI that has the 1/4 inch hole. I have found that this works great and other than cure time on the epoxy takes about 15 minutes to make.

Richard
 
Aside to Daniel, How many "Federalized" six-packs will it take to........?

I don't seem to have a dollar store around that carries any metric drill bits but I found a place in N.Y. that has a 25pc. bit set that goes from 1mm to 13mm for $29.80. With shipping , it totaled $35.79.
Best price I found and in a steel flip case. (drillsandtaps.com) Of course now that I got'em I don't wanta grind down the shafts! If I had a metal lathe now,.........Hmmm.....
 
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