Rockler Round Top European Pen Kit

[Ozzie]

Some questions for the experienced penturners. Has anyone made the Rockler Round Top European Pen, Stock #20114? They had a sale about two months ago and I bought some kits to try them. (I have only turned about 20 pens, all Slimlines up to now.)

The instruction sheet that came with the kit is vague and I hope you can answer these for me. One of the tubes is longer than the other and is that the lower or upper part of the pen?[8]

The pictorial shows the center ring as being free but the ID is too large for it to go on the twist mechanism. Do you attach it by glueing it or do you leave it free floating? Are there any better instructions out there somewhere?[8]

The Bushing Kit, Stock #29973 has three different sized bushings/spacers. Which one goes where on the mandrel?

Are the bushings/spacers in the any kit, not just this one, a guide to the proper dimenstion the blank should be turned to?[?]

Finally, a question for Bill Young if you should read this posting. You used Aleene's glue in some of your other endeavers(sp). Do you think it holds as well as the yellow wood glues? I am thinking of using it to edge glue some 1/2" boards about 15" long to make some scroll saw pictures for Christmas presents.

Thanks for any help you all can give me.

 

[DCBluesman]

I'm pretty sure the Rockler kits is made by Berea, in which case the longer barrel is the lower part of the pen (where the nib holder is). The center ring sits on a tenon which is cut onto the upper barrel .240" wide and to a diameter of .412". Vernier calipers help immensely with the fitting. It should fit snuggly, but if it is loose it can be fixed with a touch of super glue.

The lineup of the bushings and blanks are as follows: .360" bushing (smallest), then the longer blank, .425 bushing (largest), then the shorter blank, finally the .405" bushing (middle-size). Let us know if you need more help.

Hey folks, we need some instructions on how to make this pen. Who's up for it? [8D]

 

[William Young]

Ozzie;
For my part of your question,I use Aleene's Tacky glue (brown bottle) for assembling all my fretwork clocks and scrollsawed projects because of the 'tacky' feature that it has. It has a shorter open time than carpenters glue and allows the pieces to be pressed together and held for a minute by hand without clamping. Of course some larger pieces of clocks also require some clamping.
It is an ordinary white glue with the addition of an ingreadient that makes it tacky. The manufacturer of it claims it has the same strength as other white wood glues. However , when I am edge glueing up panels like you are referring to I always use a yellow glue such as Titebond 11 for both cost effectiveness and for the moisture proofing qualities of yellow carpenters type wood glue.
Sorry , I am not of any help on your particular pen making question.
W.Y.

 

[melogic]

Ozzie,
Go to this site (http://tinyurl.com/42dor)and click on the instructions. This is what I use for the European pens. Hope this helps!

 

[Ozzie]

Thanks to everyone for your prompt replies[]. Now I can get to work making woodchips.