TBC Converter Bushings

[Todd in PA]

TBC Adaptor

Bushings

www.tbcbushings.com

I'm wondering if anyone has experience to share with this item. TBC bushings aren't available for some of the kits I have and the regular bushings are chewing up my live and dead centers (https://www.penturners.org/threads/protecting-dead-and-live-centers-when-doing-tbc.174772/). I'm looking at the picture and not really sure why there's three items there. I feel like I just need a pair of the middle one + my regular bushings. Thanks.

Todd

 

[KenB259]

I tried a cheaper version with very lackluster results. Those, I'm assuming, are way higher quality than the ones I tried.

 

[boatemp]

I believe they are showing 4 bushings. The bigger one is showing what they look like together. I think there are 4 bushings.

 

[its_virgil]

The center one is the adapter, the one on the right is a standard bushing, and on the left is the two mated together with the standard bushing on the bottom. The adapter works fine. Anything from Brian at TBCbushing.com will be the best you can find.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[sorcerertd]

Yes, they are fantastic quality. You can't go wrong. I use that exact set on every pen I make, at least to get close to the bushings before I go directly to TBC. Brian Nikitas, the owner/machinist is a member here, though I don't see him around much.

 

[sorcerertd]

I take that back. I have a dedicated set of TBC bushings for Jr. and for Sierras. I use the adapters on everything else.

 

[Todd in PA]

My results were very poor. I would not recommend this product to anyone.

The pink fleck tube was turned with the converter bushings. The purple and white was turned in the exact same manner and I used the same bushings shown here, minus the TBC converter. The one using the converters is obviously out of round. The other I couldn't tell how out of round it is without calipers.

.006 is within tolerances— for me at least.
.022 is not. I'll be putting these items directly in the trash.

 

[Todd in PA]

UPDATE - 11/16/2022

I received a replacement set of converter bushings from Brian, and also separately purchased a new pair of 60 degree centers to try for a better result.

My findings are that I still get a slightly out-of-round barrel when using these converters. However, the non-concentric issue smaller. I have compensated for this by stopping a but short of final dimension, and then removing the bushings altogether to finish directly between centers. This strategy was recommended by people on IAP. It saves me from accidentally cutting the bushings as well.

Using non-TBC bushings was wearing grooves into my centers. My hope is that the TBC-converter bushings will significantly reduce wear on my new centers.

Todd in PA

(sorry for the double post. I wanted to post the update both places for anyone reading my experience)