Making bushings

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ChrisN

ChrisN

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Mar 23, 2013
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Denver, PA
I have a few pen kits that I don't have bushings for. Rather than buying bushings, I would like to make some. I would like something that harder to cut so accidental hits with a chisel don't cause too much damage. We use some 1" phenolic rods here at work that I think would be fairly durable, but they are rather expensive. What material would you guys recommend?

Thanks!
 
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I think I would go the opposite direction. Rather than durable, make them out of something like delrin that is easy to turn. That way it is easier to replace them when damaged.

I would also make them cone shaped so they center the tube. Then just use calipers to measure the pen kit and to turn the blank to the same size. I have started doing this with all of my pens. I use the stock bushings to quickly get them close to size but stop when I am just proud of the bushing, then use calipers and cone shaped delrin bushings to get it to the exact size.
 
I already have a set of cone-shaped bushings, but like you, I use the stock bushings to get close before using my calipers. That's what these would be for - to give me a reference point when turning.
 
I use a metal lathe to make bushings. I would not try it on a wood lathe. I have made them out of plastic rod, stainless scrap, brass scrap, even made a quick one out of a dowel.
 
ChrisN said:
I already have a set of cone-shaped bushings, but like you, I use the stock bushings to get close before using my calipers. That's what these would be for - to give me a reference point when turning.
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In that case, if you don't have access to a metal lathe to make them from steel, I would use Delrin because it is cheap and easy to turn. Or maybe even HDPE, I don't really like HDPE for finishing bushings but it would work just fine for regular bushing and is cheaper than Delrin.

Anything that you make them from, if you use woodturning tools to make them, are going to be damaged when they get hit by woodturning tools so I would make them with whatever is cheap and easy.
 
There was an article in the Library on making bushings.... I can't seem to find the link right now .... it recommended corian. That's what I often use.
 
I have gone the full route; mandrel with bushings, TBC bushings with no mandrel and then I read where somebody (CRS) here mentioned turning with no bushings. I had a number of Aero component sets I bought about a year ago and hadn't done anything with them because I didn't have the bushings. I looked in the Bushings and Tubes list and found that Aero uses a bushing that is unique - no other component set uses that same bushing.

I have turned three of the Aero pens between the live and dead centers with no bushings - just calipers.

They turned out great.

I don't need no stinkin' bushings.:biggrin:
 
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Lenny said:
There was an article in the Library on making bushings.... I can't seem to find the link right now .... it recommended corian. That's what I often use.
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Yeah, I saw that article. The problem is that the corian I have is glued up into a blank. :befuddled:

larryc said:
I have turned three of the Aero pens between the live and dead centers with no bushings - just calipers.

They turned out great.

I don't need no stinkin' bushings.:biggrin:
Click to expand...

I might try that... sometime! :smile:
 
I've used Delrin, UHMW and several different plastics. Those work fine for finishing but thay will flex enough that I do not use them for turning to size. For that I use brass. I tried copper but it is too difficult to turn neatly.
 
I made a set of TBC bushings for slimline kit from aluminum rod this afternoon on the metal lathe.. Cut it close and used a fine file for final fit in the tubes.

Then I screwed it all up when the bit wandered slightly of center drilling the 60 deg drive ends..

Try again tomorrow but this time drill the 60deg bits first and turn the bushing between centers just like it will be used.
 
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