Daniel
Member
has anyone else noticed that there are only 4 pen mill pilots although there are over 35 different sizes of tubes used in pen kits?
When I first started turning pens, way back in the dark ages. those 4 pilots where pretty close to a full set. the big fat pen was a cigar and it uses a 3/8 inch tube.
as pen kit design evolved somehow the pen mill became the forgotten step child.
although we have managed to figure out ways to cope with that. I originally bought my mini metal lathe with the idea that I could make my own bushings and my own pilots. I learned in short order that making the pilots takes a long time adn that it was not something I could do and offer to other turners.
I did end up with this nifty little list though. that took a lot of effort to make by the way, of every pilot needed to fit any tube size for any pen kit. and I held onto it always wanting to do something about it.
well that chance may have arrived.
in a nut shell we now have 4 pilots available when what we need is 24.
keeping 4 sorted out as to size by eyeballing them is one thing, but 24 would start to be a problem so they need to be marked for the size of tube they are for.
and they need to be cheap. at the current going rate for pilots $14.99 to $19.99 a full set if even available would be about $400.00.
anyone got any thoughts on this, cause I am on the edge of being able to make it happen. the only thing still in question is price. and I hope to have an answer on that in the next day or two.
When I first started turning pens, way back in the dark ages. those 4 pilots where pretty close to a full set. the big fat pen was a cigar and it uses a 3/8 inch tube.
as pen kit design evolved somehow the pen mill became the forgotten step child.
although we have managed to figure out ways to cope with that. I originally bought my mini metal lathe with the idea that I could make my own bushings and my own pilots. I learned in short order that making the pilots takes a long time adn that it was not something I could do and offer to other turners.
I did end up with this nifty little list though. that took a lot of effort to make by the way, of every pilot needed to fit any tube size for any pen kit. and I held onto it always wanting to do something about it.
well that chance may have arrived.
in a nut shell we now have 4 pilots available when what we need is 24.
keeping 4 sorted out as to size by eyeballing them is one thing, but 24 would start to be a problem so they need to be marked for the size of tube they are for.
and they need to be cheap. at the current going rate for pilots $14.99 to $19.99 a full set if even available would be about $400.00.
anyone got any thoughts on this, cause I am on the edge of being able to make it happen. the only thing still in question is price. and I hope to have an answer on that in the next day or two.
