Roman Harvest bushings?

[Lenny]

I have seen mention of the fact that Berea Cambridge bushings will not work with the Timberbits Roman Harvest version of that kit .... Can anyone confirm that, one way or the other?

I have a couple RH fountain pens ordered and ASSumed I could use my existing bushings. :frown:

Thanks !

 

[wizard]

Lenny,
I've made one of the Roman Harvest Pens and tried to fit the Cambridge Bushings from Berea as well as the Churchill/El Grande/Cambridge Bushings
from Woodcraft and had a really hard time with the tube for the cap being too small for the both sets of bushings. I enlarged the ends of tube using an adjustable jewelers ring mandrel to get the bushings to fit. However, as expected, when it came time to put the pen together both the cap/clip section and centerband insert into the top tube fit loosely enough that I had to glue them in. I need to get with David at Timberbits to find out what I can do about it..right size bushings? I'll let you know what I find out. Regards, Doc

 

[Lenny]

Thanks Doc!

I was getting set to order some of John's bushings but he has a warning about the compatibility issue (thanks John) so I held off!

 

[johnnycnc]

Thanks Doc!

I was getting set to order some of John's bushings but he has a warning about the compatibility issue (thanks John) so I held off!

I just got news a few days ago on this myself, from a good natured customer who is also a member here.
I trust his findings, and thus the disclaimer.
He said it was not by much, but the bushings just would not go in a clean, deburred tube.
Apparently these kits are made to somewhat different specs, my guess
would be a different factory altogether, but who knows... :biggrin:

 

[MartinPens]

I concur here. I did some measuring and the tubes are made of a thicker brass, therefore throwing off compatibility by just a fraction.
Who makes the delrin bushings? A new set of bushings will be needed for this kit. I have to keep parts separate for this kit (I use tubes from different sets here and there) because of the slight difference.

This is a nice kit. I hope they get the brass tube/parts issue solved or make new bushings available. I like the slightly thicker brass tube. If you go with a closed-end mandrel instead of bushings you shouldn't have an issue.

Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

 

[timberbits]

The Roman Harvest pens use a slightly different set of bushings to the Cambridge Bushings.

1. As noted by others, the tubes walls are slightly thicker but the outside finished diameters are the same. This results in the internal diameter being slightly smaller.

2. I have not gone down the path of forcing people to use 2 separate diameter mandrels. All my bushings fit on the standard 1/4" mandrel. You will not need to purchase a "B Type" mandrel.

If you want to use the Cambridge bushings, don't thin the walls down the walls of the tube. If you do then you will end up with the parts fitting loosely onto the tube, use Epoxy or thick CA to hold the pieces.

You can reduce the outside diameter of the part that goes into the tube of Cambridge bushings With a HSS tool or carbide tip tool enough so that it can fit into the tube.

Regards

Timberbits