I have been turning pens about 3 years now. I have found that I have a lot of bushings accumulating for all the different pens I have made. Right now I keep my bushings stuck over 3/16 dowel mounted in a thin piece of plywood. which has worked ok. I am looking for something better. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have approximately 40 bushing sets and seem to be adding more.
Pen Bushing organization
- Thread starter BPierce
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Small plastic containers from Amazon fit on set of bushings perfectly, labeled with Brother ptouch
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Tim R
Member
Most of mine have come from Penn State. I just leave them in the little ziploc bags they come in. The bags come labeled and keep them separated. I keep any duplicate sets in a small toolbox from Harbor Freight.
egnald
Member
I use small plastic jars with screw on lids that come in a larger box (12 jars per box). I keep two sets of bushings for each type of pen in a jar, a working set a new, unopened bag. (I also color code the jars according to kit styles and label them so I can easily locate the bushings for a particular kit). I use a Dremel tool to mark each bushing with notches to help me keep them straight without having to measure them each time (one = tip, then two, etc. with four = cap/finial).
If I didn't already have a system I would consider doing something like you did, but with 1/4-inch bolts and wing nuts to keep the bushings captured. I would probably try to also make some kind of holder for the bolts to keep everything organized, maybe using rare earth magnets to hold the bolts in place or something.
Bob Blanford, aka RJBWoodTurner also made an interesting bushing storage project using a drawer and plastic tubes. Here is a link to it:
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Regards,
Dave
PS I also use the same color coding scheme to label the drawers/bins that I keep my kits in which makes it easier to match up the bushings to the kit.
If I didn't already have a system I would consider doing something like you did, but with 1/4-inch bolts and wing nuts to keep the bushings captured. I would probably try to also make some kind of holder for the bolts to keep everything organized, maybe using rare earth magnets to hold the bolts in place or something.
Bob Blanford, aka RJBWoodTurner also made an interesting bushing storage project using a drawer and plastic tubes. Here is a link to it:
Regards,
Dave
PS I also use the same color coding scheme to label the drawers/bins that I keep my kits in which makes it easier to match up the bushings to the kit.
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jcm71
Member
I have an old floppy disk storage cabinet that has about 15 drawers. Each drawer is reserved for bushings that use a specific sized bit. For example all 3/8 inch bushings go in one drawer, and all 10mm bushings go in another. I use old plastic prescription bottles to keep the bushings in, and I label each bottle showing kit name and drill bit size.
I have a couple of the conversations about bushing storage bookmarked. I wish I could bring myself to use Dave's system. At the moment mine are in a tackle box that comes with trays. I keep some of my lathe tools and accessories in the top of the box. Plano molding is nearby so I run over there and browse the factory store occasionally
How I catalog my bushing inventory
After I was well into turning pens, I really started to get a sizeable collection of bushings. Needing a way to store and separate the bushings, I came up with this method of storing as well as keeping all the instructions that came with the pens. First I made an inventory of the kits as well as...
www.penturners.org
Bushing organization
I just obtain a massive collection of pen bushings, most labels PK (pen state?), They are currently in a large plastic bin with those little pullout drawers. This seems like a waste of space, and I don't have the wall space. Any suggestions on how to store and label them? by size, name, or...
www.penturners.org
moke
Member
I have a 3d printer and made these to follow the Penn State version..
I used to use film cans, but they were too big...
I used to use film cans, but they were too big...
jttheclockman
Member
Just curious, what are we looking at? Could you show a single set up out of the drawer. looks interesting
Woodchipper
Member
Need to save pill bottles and figure a way to organize them. Right now, they are in the original Ziplock bags in a storage cabinet on the wall. No particular order just fun looking for the right one. For some reason it's always the last one.
moke
Member
Thanks for asking JT...Here are some photos...these used to be available on Penn State...not sure if they still are...these are a little more delicate than theirs...I could use a different filament, but more $$$ for a spool...and I had this. I have been making pens for 20 years and I have a lot of bushings, and I am not into throwing stuff away...
The last photograph is the way I make my pens...I owned a camera store/studio/ color lab/repair facility...I have a bunch of these trays left over, we used them in the color lab and camera repair area. Now they are used for my pens and each contains the blank, kit, instructions, and bushings.....I make about 20 at a time...One pen per tray...all acrylic...it takes me a couple weeks to do it all... and I am not really working that hard at it....I paint the tubes and inside the blank, I drill, paint, and turn the blank down to close to the bushing on a metal lathe...I can take off almost a 3/16" per pass, then put onto my wood lathe and turn to shape and sand to 400...then buff to finish...then a little ren wax by hand and assemble....while it sounds like a lot of messing around, when doing 20 at a time you can really get them done faster. I also usually have a segment or two going at one time...they have their own tray and are usually all wood. It works great you need to have organization. to make that many at a time.
The last photograph is the way I make my pens...I owned a camera store/studio/ color lab/repair facility...I have a bunch of these trays left over, we used them in the color lab and camera repair area. Now they are used for my pens and each contains the blank, kit, instructions, and bushings.....I make about 20 at a time...One pen per tray...all acrylic...it takes me a couple weeks to do it all... and I am not really working that hard at it....I paint the tubes and inside the blank, I drill, paint, and turn the blank down to close to the bushing on a metal lathe...I can take off almost a 3/16" per pass, then put onto my wood lathe and turn to shape and sand to 400...then buff to finish...then a little ren wax by hand and assemble....while it sounds like a lot of messing around, when doing 20 at a time you can really get them done faster. I also usually have a segment or two going at one time...they have their own tray and are usually all wood. It works great you need to have organization. to make that many at a time.
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GaryMGg
Member
jttheclockman
Member
OK Mike. Now I am not the brightest lightbulb in the package. Have to say I never seen this method and I have seen a ton of methods over the years here. I too have a ton of bushings and need to someday organize. I have bought various small packaging methods and latest those squeeze bottles which I think will be the final method I like most. These are the type that Turners Warehouse ships their bushings in. The thing is I have many sets that I have 2 and 3 duplicates and those bottles will handle them I believe and handle any size. Just need to make some time. Not sure when that will ever be. Thanks for the photos.
What I really need to also do is make a list and and file it plus make it so I can print them out on sticky back paper to adhere to those jars. A label maker would take up too much tape and that gets expensive.
What I really need to also do is make a list and and file it plus make it so I can print them out on sticky back paper to adhere to those jars. A label maker would take up too much tape and that gets expensive.