CA finish and bushings

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Aurorafishingdoc

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Newbie here, but I've done about 10 CA finishes so far. I haven't yet tried the BLO step, but I will. Instead, I've used a spray accelerator.

My question, when removing the bushings from the completed blank (with the CA finish applied) it is necessary to "break" the bushings off of the blanks. At times this has chipped the finish and leaves a visible defect on the pen.

Is there a way to avoid that? Am I doing something else wrong as well?

Thanks in advance. :)
 
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Try using a utility knife as a parting tool before taking it off the lathe. You will like the way BLO lubricates and smooths as you add coats.
 
Aurorafishingdoc said:
At times this has chipped the finish and leaves a visible defect on the pen.

Is there a way to avoid that? Am I doing something else wrong as well?

Thanks in advance. :)
Click to expand...

This was the problem that drove me to the Between Centers (Mandrel-less). When you do this, you do NOT use bushings for finishing . . . which will eliminate the problem. I tried scoring with the fine point of a skew but I still had problems on occasion, particularly on oily blanks such as ebonies.

BLO will not help and has the potential of causing more of the problem. Waxing the bushings will keep the CA from sticking so hard to the bushings, but if there is a layer built up, the snapping will still cause chips, which you do not want. Again, the best way around this is Between Centers turning.

Between Center's turning - It is not nearly as difficult as not-yet-a-user can imagine, it is much more simple than using a mandrel and eliminate several problems caused by mandrels and bushings.
 
So when you turn between the centers, do you turn the full piece, sand / finish, cut into 2 pieces, drill, insert the tubes, mill the ends, then assemble?

Harris
 
As an alternative to the between centers finishing noted above, I use the cone center bushings (available from John @ penturnersproducts - member johnnycnc -- or you could make your own if you have a nylon or Delrin rod large enough) on a mandrel.

I'm sloppy with my CA finish and need a method to mill the CA off the ends of the blanks. I use a Jacob's chuck with small disc sanding mandrel in the headstock and a collet chuck with a mandrel shaft/milling sleeve in the tailstock. Other less expensive ways to do this - using what I already had. You could also use sandpaper on a block and twist the blank to sand off the CA if you have a steady hand (I don't!).

Eliminator cone bushings:
http://penturnersproducts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_15&products_id=136


Milling setup to remove CA from blank ends (tube only shown):

DSCN0202.jpg
 
Harris said:
So when you turn between the centers, do you turn the full piece, sand / finish, cut into 2 pieces, drill, insert the tubes, mill the ends, then assemble?

Harris
Click to expand...

No -- cut blank in 2 pieces and turn/finish each piece separately. I mark inside of each tube at the center band end with a sharpie to maintain any grain/acrylic swirl pattern orientation.
 
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Harris said:
So when you turn between the centers, do you turn the full piece, sand / finish, cut into 2 pieces, drill, insert the tubes, mill the ends, then assemble?

Harris
Click to expand...

No, you turn each section at a time. A few people don't like this and continue with a mandrel for this reason. You cut, the blank, drill, glue tube, just like normal. Only you turn each section separately. Mandrel and mandrel problems of OOR and not round blanks are eliminated.

Mandrels may sound simple but in fact have far more steps and possibilities of problems plus more time consuming for mounting and taking apart than TBC.

For TBC, Look at the simplicity in the 5th post in the link below and click on the picture in that post for a larger view.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?p=932118#post932118

What that does not show, nor is it explained - is that it is easy to remove the bushings for finishing, or change blanks in 2 to 3 seconds without a problem. To remove a blank and check it for what ever reason on a mandrel - too much removing and replacing of spacers and bushings along with dropped spacers etc. At least a minute. That is not much, but when you get to really checking that special created pen that will be worth $$$ when finished, most people at this level will spend minuteS removing and replacing, while on the TBC it is almost instant.
 
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When you turn between centers, during the turning phase do you still use bushings to get to the proper circumferences, or do you use calipers?
 
PaulSF said:
When you turn between centers, during the turning phase do you still use bushings to get to the proper circumferences, or do you use calipers?
Click to expand...

I use calipers and never trust the bushings. Bushings are usually sanded down or touched with the chisel. For a long time, many people considered the bushings as a disposable item because it was constantly being worn down. And as it wore down, then sizing became a problem. So, if calipers are used, you never have to depend on the bushings for sizing.

One reason for calipers is this: the nib end, the center band and the clip end - all vary .001 or even .002 or more from the bushings. I always turn my blanks to the sizing on the CB, nib or clip end. Never to the bushing. Actually I turn it down .003 or .004 below and build that back up with CA for a more precision fit.
 
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