Robusto Pen trouble

[log2lumber]

Hello,

I have made 100's of pens and yet the only problem I have is the cap for the Robusto from Woodcraft. The band always has a gap and the cap does not press in all the way.

I have no problem with the body of the pen.

Any suggestions?

 

[hrigg]

I haven't noticed those problems, but it's been a couple of months since I've made a Robusto. Next time I make one, I'll be sure to look for them.

 

[RHunter]

Hello,

I have made 100's of pens and yet the only problem I have is the cap for the Robusto from Woodcraft. The band always has a gap and the cap does not press in all the way.

I've made about a dozen Robusto's (El Presidente from AS), so I'm no expert mind you...

I have had better results if you finish your cap body, and then cut the tenon for the cap. I was doing the cutting then the finishing, and found I had been rounding off the edge leaving a gap... or filling the tenon with CA that I would have to scrape off before I pressed (assuming I remembered to scrape off before I pressed, and when I didn't, crooked cap or crushed tube AAARRRGGGHHHH! )

Also, you REALLY need to measure for the tenon carefully!

Too little and you can't get the cap on all the way, and the body won't screw into the cap as far as it should if at all.

Too much and you get a gap.

If my memory works right, it works out to an 1/8"- so I am thinking of ordering an 1/8" parting tool for it- mine is 3/16" so it is too big, and I've tried to use my skew as a parting tool with somewhat medocre results...

I love the feel and look of these pens, and I enjoy making them (frustration included even) so I am trying to specialize in these as much as I can, and with 20% the kit from Woodcraft....it beats AS prices...

Good luck!

-Doug

 

[GouletPens]

The only pens I'm aware of (there are probably others) that require a tenon are the robusto (or other names), euro and classic (flat top) american, which are all 1/8" tenons. I used to use a 1/8" parting tool for this, but on the euros it would bind up against the bushing when tenoning and it was really tough to get exactly a 1/8" gap, it would either end up bigger or worse, the thing would bind up near the end of making the tenon, kick out, and gouge out the wood, rendering it useless. I have since gotten a 1/16" parting tool (Robert Sorby), which allows me to make reliefs cuts and do exactly 1/8" tenons without raising my heart rate.

 

[aggromere]

I quit building pen kits that require the tenon. It was just too much trouble.

 

[GouletPens]

I quit building pen kits that require the tenon. It was just too much trouble.

I did too....but the darned euro is just too popular....I have a love/hate relationship with it. If I had my choice I'd make NOTHING but sierras and emperors! I guess it really is my choice, but y'know what I mean.

 

[Sabaharr]

I have been putting a lot longer tennon on my Euros than 1/8". I seat them all the way to the bottom of the band. Am I doing something wrong? I have only been at this about 6 weeks now and after 20 or so euros I haven't had one to malfunction (at least not for the tenon length, LOL). I have had the tenon too narrow and had to glue the band on to keep it in line with the barrel, but that was because the band on the bushing was stuck and would not slide over the tenon, so I kept going. Now I take a leftover band from an OOPS and disassemble many times till I get the diameter and length where I think it should be. I bought digital calipers from HF but they won't give me the same reading twice in a row so they will be going back next time I get over there. THe "cut-to-fit" method has served me well, but if its not the right thing to do I really want to know.

 

[RHunter]

I quit building pen kits that require the tenon. It was just too much trouble.

Wow, I must be in the minority... I actually like working with and cutting a tenon (even as troublesome as they can be...) but then again, I'm not happy unless I am beating my head against the wall guess I like a challenge... :mad-tongue:

And the Tenon Bushing on the Woodcraft European Bushing makes it easier to cut that tenon- I wish they had one for the Robusto.

Brian, I like the idea of the 1/16" parting tool- I may have to take a crow bar to my wallet and pony up the big $$$ to get a Sorby.

-Doug

 

[GouletPens]

Wow, I must be in the minority... I actually like working with and cutting a tenon (even as troublesome as they can be...) but then again, I'm not happy unless I am beating my head against the wall guess I like a challenge... :mad-tongue:

And the Tenon Bushing on the Woodcraft European Bushing makes it easier to cut that tenon- I wish they had one for the Robusto.

Brian, I like the idea of the 1/16" parting tool- I may have to take a crow bar to my wallet and pony up the big $$$ to get a Sorby.

-Doug

It's not that bad......it's on sale at WC right now for under $27.....a lot less than a lot of other tools. There might be others that make them though, but this is the only one I saw and I stopped looking once I bought it. Works great.

 

[pssherman]

I've had that problem also. A gap often shows up because the band makes contact with the centermost part of the tenon instead of the outermost part. Here is what I do to eliminate the gap at the band.

Turn the tenon as normal. If you closely inspect the face at the base of the tenon you may see that the face is not flush. The centermost part does not get cut as much as the outermost part. This is can be caused by the parting tool being pushed sideways slightly as the tool moves in. You can square off the face using the parting tool in the following manner.

Start by holding the parting tool perpendicular to the blank with the cutting edge on the centerline. Rotate the tool about its axis so that the cutting tip is now at an angle to the centerline with the lower edge of the tip being next to the face. Now swing the back of the tool sideways away from the face. Touch the tool against the face until all of the face is in contact with the tool.

If this is done correctly, the face will now be slightly undercut at the center without adding extra grooves in the tenon. Now the band should make first contact with the outside edge, thus eliminating the gap.