PSI comfort question

[Marnat3]

Am I correct in thinking that to make a comfort pen without using the rubber finger grip, I would just turn to the bushings. the instructions don't mention if it changes the length at all.
The instructions just say to remove 1" of the lower wood down to the brass. I just think that losing that much wood to a rubber grip is a shame.
Sorry if this is a silly question but I'm new here.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Smitty37]

Am I correct in thinking that to make a comfort pen without using the rubber finger grip, I would just turn to the bushings. the instructions don't mention if it changes the length at all.
The instructions just say to remove 1" of the lower wood down to the brass. I just think that losing that much wood to a rubber grip is a shame.
Sorry if this is a silly question but I'm new here.
Thanks in advance.

Yes you would, I almost never use the soft grip, I think they look awful on what is otherwise a very nice pen.

 

[Exabian]

Am I correct in thinking that to make a comfort pen without using the rubber finger grip, I would just turn to the bushings. the instructions don't mention if it changes the length at all.
The instructions just say to remove 1" of the lower wood down to the brass. I just think that losing that much wood to a rubber grip is a shame.
Sorry if this is a silly question but I'm new here.
Thanks in advance.

Its not a silly question. If you choose to leave the wood on (no rubber grip) you will be making a trimline style pen in essence. Now there is a way to do it with out wasting wood.

When you cut you blank leave off 1", basically leave the brass exposed. to shape the wood you can stop the lathe when you think you close to bushing size and measure, or have a 1" pre-drilled blank on hand to go over the exposed brass (good for protecting it during turning). That is what I do, I have even gone as far as to pre-shape that piece so I have a gauge to go off.

Hope this helps.

 

[its_virgil]

Throw the rubber grip in the trash and just turn like any other pen. No change in the length.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Am I correct in thinking that to make a comfort pen without using the rubber finger grip, I would just turn to the bushings. the instructions don't mention if it changes the length at all.
The instructions just say to remove 1" of the lower wood down to the brass. I just think that losing that much wood to a rubber grip is a shame.
Sorry if this is a silly question but I'm new here.
Thanks in advance.

 

[QuiltinMom]

It is a different bushing if you don't use the rubber grip. Ask me how I know. The instructions don't clarify that but if you look in the paper catalog it tells you which bushing to use instead. Don't remember which one it was.

 

[WriteON]

Look awful.... not. And very functional for people with bad hands.

 

[kovalcik]

It is a different bushing if you don't use the rubber grip. Ask me how I know. The instructions don't clarify that but if you look in the paper catalog it tells you which bushing to use instead. Don't remember which one it was.

That is a change from when I got my first comfort kit. Just use a standard 7mm bushing for the nib. The "new" bushing set uses one the same as the center bushing on the nib.

 

[sbwertz]

The comfort pens are very popular with some of my older customers with arthritis. They are easier to grip with arthritic fingers.

 

[Marnat3]

Don't get me wrong. I don't dislike it. I know they are nice for some, but for me, I would not like the rubber. I like the style but want more wood to show.

 

[jzerger]

Don't throw the rubber grips away, make an entire pen using four grips for the "blanks"... A rubber pen.

 

[Smitty37]

It is a different bushing if you don't use the rubber grip. Ask me how I know. The instructions don't clarify that but if you look in the paper catalog it tells you which bushing to use instead. Don't remember which one it was.

That is a change from when I got my first comfort kit. Just use a standard 7mm bushing for the nib. The "new" bushing set uses one the same as the center bushing on the nib.

If you are going to use the rubber grip there is no reason to turn to a tip bushing because the tip faces with the rubber grip. If tuning without the grip I think a slimline bushing still goes for the tip.

 

[Marnat3]

Don't throw the rubber grips away, make an entire pen using four grips for the "blanks"... A rubber pen.

Would I use it to write "Rubber Checks"

 

[Smitty37]

Don't throw the rubber grips away, make an entire pen using four grips for the "blanks"... A rubber pen.

Would I use it to write "Rubber Checks"

Do people still take checks?

 

[Marnat3]

I write quite a few every month. There is always a hand out looking for $$

 

[DrDave2k]

I turn a lot of comfort pens

In the last 5 months I have turned 51 Comfort pens and only used 2 rubber grips, one because the wood split and one because I messed up with the skew chisel and couldn't recover the end of the nib section. To answer your question in detail if you are using the grip then use the comfort bushings on the nib end and center so that the barrel will be "straight" so the large end of the grip fits correctly, if not using the grip then use comfort bushing only in center and standard 7mm (slimline, trimline) bushings on both ends. As for comfort for people with arthritis, I usually turn the lower section with a wide hourglass shape to make it easier for them to hold.

 

[Marnat3]

Thank you. I ordered the 7mm 8 pen assortment from PSI and it came with the bushings for each of the 3 diff pens Comfort, Designer, Slimline and Trimline. So I should have the correct bushings to do what I want then.

 

[LeeR]

Another option is to save all those grips, because eventually someone here on IAP is going to be looking for grips to convert a bunch of slimlines!

I made my first one recently -- I'd had the kit for several years and decided to give it a try. I used a black acrylic blank on the bottom, to somewhat hide the grip, and the upper blank is a red acrylic blank. It ended up being a pretty nice looking combination, fells pretty good, and is my carry pen now.

 

[Smitty37]

Thank you. I ordered the 7mm 8 pen assortment from PSI and it came with the bushings for each of the 3 diff pens Comfort, Designer, Slimline and Trimline. So I should have the correct bushings to do what I want then.

You have a strange way of counting.......:biggrin:

 

[Marnat3]

:bulgy-eyes:Yeah, it goes like that sometimes.

 

[Hendu3270]

I've only turned a couple of the Comforts kits. I didn't use the rubber grip and don't recall if the bushing was used or not, but I typically don't rely only on a bushing anyways. I'm checking with calipers to make sure there are no surprises. One thing to keep in mind though, is the Comfort kit is very similar to the Trimline kit, yet the Comfort is more expensive. So if you're going to throw away the rubber grip anyways, why pay the extra price for it? Just use Trimline kits. Just my opinion...

 

[Marnat3]

The comfort pens came in a bundle. I would have bought Trimline instead.
Just wanted to know how to modify it without the rubber.
I am just going to use the Trimline bushings .

 

[Band Saw Box]

I've had two comfort pen's using a cigar kit and a grip Evelyn picked up the dollar tree. I think they look nice and you have a choose of colors.