Tube Sizes

[Rockytime]

Not a newbie but not a veteran either I am having difficulty with tube sizes. Just exactly, how many tube sizes are there? I have used 7 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm tubes. Are there 12 mm tubes or other sizes? Can anyone tell me the exact OD and ID of these in thousandths. with MM is ok too. I can convert. Id is hard to measure exactly with calipers. What other sizes are there. I have worn out my eyes looking at the charts from the various distributors here and in the library. I would like to know because I occasionally have a kit for which I have no tubes or bushings. I can make the bushings easily but need to know tube dimensions. Perhaps I am missing something from the charts but after a while my old eyeballs get tired. I hope I'm not the only one that is confused, that would make me look stupid.

 

[lorbay]

Well on those charts it gives you the inside Dia of the tubes for the bushings and also the drill sizes. Not sure what ele you need.
Lin

 

[mredburn]

This is the chart in the library I use. It has inside dimensions outside dimensions and lengths and even the body diameters if you need them.

http://content.penturners.org/library/general_reference/bushingsandtubes.pdf

oh and other tube sizes, 3/8, 27/64ths, 10.5, 11.5, 12.5. 14mm and different manufacturers can have slightly different dimensions and sometimes different runs in the same model will have slightly different tube sizes as they switch suppliers.

 

[magpens]

Les,

I haven't encountered any 12 mm tubes

Other common tube sizes are (nominal) 10.5mm, 12.5mm, 3/8" and the "big" tubes for the Majestic, Emperor, Gentleman, Statesman

Browse the table Mike referred you to and you will get exact OD, ID, length, etc.

Yes, the tables are hard on the eyeballs, but you don't have to get all the info at one single sitting.

 

[mredburn]

Besides the vendors that sell 10 inch tube lengths of certain sizes, Exotic blanks sell a lot of the other kit replacement tubes in individual sets. You could buy a set of each size tube to have on hand to measure. The jr gent is one size that is a common sized set of tubes used in many kits.

 

[KenV]

Then there are vendors who use similar but different tube sizes - Roman Harvest, LeRoi V2,

And let alone diameters, the Sierra et al has enough variations in tube length now to require care when grabbing a sierra tube.

 

[ed4copies]

Bear in mind that NONE of the tubes are the stated sizes!!

We, as a group refer to the kit by the size of the recommended drill bit. So, clearly the tubes are ALL SMALLER than the "stated size".

Dumb, but true!! Which is also why SOME "10mm tubes" are actually NOT THE SAME as some other 10mm tubes. Your pursuit of the actual OD is a GREAT path to pursue!!

 

[Rockytime]

Bear in mind that NONE of the tubes are the stated sizes!!

We, as a group refer to the kit by the size of the recommended drill bit. So, clearly the tubes are ALL SMALLER than the "stated size".

Dumb, but true!! Which is also why SOME "10mm tubes" are actually NOT THE SAME as some other 10mm tubes. Your pursuit of the actual OD is a GREAT path to pursue!!

That explains why am confused as to sizes. I was hoping I could turn just a few tube size bushings for turning between centers. I know I can do this without bushings just relying on the brass tube on the centers. I just don't like to do that. Oh well. scrap that idea.

 

[magpens]

That explains why am confused as to sizes. I was hoping I could turn just a few tube size bushings for turning between centers. I know I can do this without bushings just relying on the brass tube on the centers. I just don't like to do that. Oh well. scrap that idea.

No!! .. Don't scrap that idea. .. That's how I turn my pen blanks, and it seems to be successful for me. .. One challenge is to prevent the brass tube from slipping at the headstock end .. I do this by using a diamond dust coated cone to provide the friction. .. I bought this item from Lee Valley :

Economy Chisels & Bits for Mortisers & Drill-Press Mortising Attachments - Lee Valley Tools

 

[mredburn]

Its really not that hard to do. First you probably already use a certain kit from certain vendors so the tubes will probably be pretty consistent within a kit. You can always order just the tubes you want to use and make bushings for them.
Get a Plano fishing tackle flat box with the dividers and put a set in each compartment for different sizes and put a sticker or something that tells you what they are for in with them.
If the tube sizes change later on then make new ones. You can make them up as you need them.