Making pen bushings

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ttpenman

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Joined
Jun 8, 2004
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356
Location
Ashland, WI, USA.
Please excuse my ignorance, I'm not a metalworker. I have 2 questions regarding the making of pen bushings. I have a Sherline lathe. 1 -- what grade metal would work the best to make TBC and other bushings as far as ease of machining vs wear? 2 -- what tool works best for making the 60 degree chamfer in the end of the bushing?

Hope some of you real smart guys can help me out.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin
 
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I don't have any experience with Sherline lathes so I don't know how they handle different metals, but I would recommend cold rolled 1018 steel. I have had very good luck making bushings out of it and found that it machines fairly easily and will not wear very quickly from sanding. For the 60 degree center, just get a set of 60 degree center drills like these. Center Drills, Set of 5 (Numbers 1-5) 1230 - LittleMachineShop.com
If steel turns out to be to difficult to machine, I would use brass. It is not as wear resistant as the steel but it should work fine.
 
ttpenman said:
Please excuse my ignorance, I'm not a metalworker. I have 2 questions regarding the making of pen bushings. I have a Sherline lathe. 1 -- what grade metal would work the best to make TBC and other bushings as far as ease of machining vs wear? 2 -- what tool works best for making the 60 degree chamfer in the end of the bushing?

Hope some of you real smart guys can help me out.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin
Click to expand...

A Sherwin can handle cold rolled from the hardware store. Just takes longer. Go slow. Use your center drill for the 60 degrees.
 
Go to sherline.com and find their videos. THey have a slew of them that show the sherline cutting all sorts of materials. It also gives the feeds and speeds and depth of cut they used. I used a sherline for years it will do what you need it to do. You will need a center drill and a "D" drill bit for the mandrel.
 
Thanks for all the comments, it is greatly appreciated. One last question -- I bought a set of center bits, can I make 60 degree tapers on my existing bushings? I know I can but will they work OK?

Jeff in northern Wisconsin
 
ttpenman said:
Thanks for all the comments, it is greatly appreciated. One last question -- I bought a set of center bits, can I make 60 degree tapers on my existing bushings? I know I can but will they work OK?

Jeff in northern Wisconsin
Click to expand...

If the existing standard bushing fits loose in the tube.........it will still fit loose in the tube. Not as good as a bushing machined as a TBC bushing. I have heard of stock bushings being off center themselves. It should be better than using stock bushings on a mandrel.
 
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