sanding tip

[workinforwood]

I'm sure I didn't invent this idea, but I was having problems with sanding my CA finish at the ends. It's usually an issue caused by the bushings. I clean the bushings off with a scraper, but that's still the toughest spot to clean up..finish likes to accumulate at the end of the blanks a bit. Plus a bit of black can travel from the bushings to the blanks sometimes. A thought came to me..I removed the blanks and switched out to a smaller bushing. Now the bushings are not in the way, cleaning up the ends is a breeze !

 

[alamocdc]

If this works for you that's fantastic, but there is a potential problem with this method. I'm not really trying to throw water on your idea, but switching to the smaller bushing CAN result in the ends of each barrel being rounded over during sanding. This rounding (even if slight) can be telegraphed once the pen is assembled and the blanks match up (or don't) to the bushings. So I would advise anyone who tries this to be extra careful at the ends of the barrels to prevent this rounding problem. I know about this first hand b/c I used to cut my tenons BEFORE I finished the pen. On more than one occasion the edge would be slightly rounded over and make it look like it did not fit the CB very well.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

I use smaller diamater delrin bushings that I make just for sanding/finishing. I also dress the ends of the pen with my pen mill by hand. It cleans any finish off and squares the pen off.

 

[workinforwood]

right..I"m not doing this to sand the end end, just the face of the pen at the end. Especially works good when wet sanding the finish, the grey from metal doesn't get on the finish because the pads don't come in contact with the bushings.

 

[alamocdc]

Originally posted by workinforwood
<br />right..I"m not doing this to sand the end end, just the face of the pen at the end. Especially works good when wet sanding the finish, the grey from metal doesn't get on the finish because the pads don't come in contact with the bushings.

Understood. And neither was I, at the tenon, but the end rounded over anyway. And I thought I was being very careful. I just wanted to warn you and others of what can happen.[]