# HELP MAKING AN EL GRANDE PEN



## glennw (Jan 20, 2008)

I am in need of some help with turning and elgrande pen from woodcraft. I am not sure about the bushings and how I should mount it all on my lathe. If some one could type here or pm me for my number to talk me thru it on the phone I would apprecieate it. I am not wanting to screw this expensive kit.
It will be my first of this one. I am still also needing to turn a european one to.


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## Firefyter-emt (Jan 20, 2008)

Pretty straight forward kit.  The cap bushings and the body bushings are two sizes. The larger ones are the cap, both the same size and the smaller ones are for the body, both the same size.  Make sure you use the smaller tube for the body blank and the larger tube for the cap and the most you can screw up is the grain.  I use a tiny tri-angle file to file a notch to the inside of the tube to mark grain alignment and which ends meet to "put the wood in line".  This helps a ton when you have turned off all the markings of what is what.

This pen (IMHO) is best done bushing to bushing straight. 

When you want to put it togather you HAVE to use a press block for the plastic nib coupler. Make a block of wood that the plastic threads just fit into and can't bottom out. The sholder of the metal coupler is what you want to press the pen in with, not the plastic threads.

PS.. I PM'd you my number if you still need some help.


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## Tea Clipper (Jan 20, 2008)

Here are the instructions from Bear Tooth Woods if you need them.


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## glennw (Jan 20, 2008)

thanks  these directions make a little more sense.


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## cdcarter (Jan 29, 2008)

Identical to the Churchill and Cambridge, if you have either of those. 

Gotta say, I'm not an el grande fan. Just too light and flimsy feeling to me.


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## hughbie (Feb 7, 2008)

i agree carl.  i use a churchill at the moment.  using it to see if i wanna go high end for myself.
the churchill i balanced and writes well
can't wait to get another one


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## its_virgil (Feb 7, 2008)

To add to what Lee told you I have found the El Grande to be very sensitive to any glue in the ends of the brass tube where the pen parts press into. The wood thickness on this pen is very thin and any glue causes the brass tube to expand (on any kit)and the wood will crack on the El Grande...and maybe on others. So, be sure to clean out any glue from inside the tubes, especially on the ends where the pen parts fit. Better yet, plug the end of the tube inserted into the blank so glue does not get inside. I use wax sheets like Arizona Silhouette sells, but I get it from my neighbor who is a dentist.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


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