# Delrin TBC Bushings



## Philip_TOPS (Aug 15, 2015)

Hi All,

It has been a while since I have been on IAP.  It is good to be back!   

I have been turning between centers with JohnnyCNC bushings for a few years now and they have been great.  However I am looking for some Delrin bushings.  Anyone know of folks out there that have/make them?

Phil


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## flyitfast (Aug 15, 2015)

I bought some at Woodcraft.  I know I've seen them elsewhere but can't remember where.
Gordon


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## Dan Masshardt (Aug 15, 2015)

Everyone sells that cone ones.  I don't think anyone is selling the tbc ones anymore.  

I have several but don't really use them as finishing directly on the centers is so easy.


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## mecompco (Aug 15, 2015)

Dan Masshardt said:


> Everyone sells that cone ones.  I don't think anyone is selling the tbc ones anymore.
> 
> I have several but don't really use them as finishing directly on the centers is so easy.



I agree--turned some bushings from UHMW when I was still using a mandrel for finishing. CA still stuck to them. Now I just remove the bushings and (carefully, so as not to overly expand the tube) chuck the blank between centers.

Regards,
Michael


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## TurtleTom (Aug 18, 2015)

mecompco said:


> Dan Masshardt said:
> 
> 
> > Everyone sells that cone ones.  I don't think anyone is selling the tbc ones anymore.
> ...



So that's how you guys are doing it.  I didn't think there would be enough friction to turn it but if you are only finishing between centers it should work fine.  So, cut on the mandrel but finish between centers.  I'll do that next time I get the nerve to try CA again.  Not working out too well.


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## Dan Masshardt (Aug 18, 2015)

I don't use a mandrel for anything if I can help it but plenty of folks do.  

Many do all their turning in centers directly.  

I use steel tbc bushings for turning then remove the bushings and finish the. Polish directly on the centers when using ca.


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## duncsuss (Aug 18, 2015)

Dan Masshardt said:


> I don't use a mandrel for anything if I can help it but plenty of folks do.
> 
> Many do all their turning in centers directly.
> 
> I use steel tbc bushings for turning then remove the bushings and finish the. Polish directly on the centers when using ca.



Me too -- except I put the between-centers bushings back in while sanding and buffing. I find it cuts down on my tendency to over-sand the ends of the barrels (I was sanding through the CA, just at the ends, quite often till I put the bushings back in)


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## TurtleTom (Aug 19, 2015)

I suppose using a mandrel saver saves time since you no longer have to thread the brass nut onto the mandrel.  
tbc bushing makers seem to have  disappeared.  Found some in Oklahoma for $10 a set for slimline and I may do it yet.  
I have a lot of carbide metal lathe cutters from when I was a machinist and I look at the wood lathe and think how easy it used to be to make something like tbc bushings and how hard it would be to try to make them on a lathe without a carriage or cross slide.  I'm  tempted to try making them with a boring bar setup and light cuts.  I will post if I do.


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## darrin1200 (Aug 19, 2015)

I use the standard bushings to rough turn, to within about a millimetre. Then I go directly between centers, no bushings, for final turning and finishing.


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## TurtleTom (Aug 19, 2015)

I took the advice and made a dead center from a steel tent peg and chucked it in the keyless in the headstock.  Make a walnut slimline, easier than the red oak.


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## mecompco (Aug 19, 2015)

TurtleTom said:


> I suppose using a mandrel saver saves time since you no longer have to thread the brass nut onto the mandrel.
> tbc bushing makers seem to have  disappeared.  Found some in Oklahoma for $10 a set for slimline and I may do it yet.
> I have a lot of carbide metal lathe cutters from when I was a machinist and I look at the wood lathe and think how easy it used to be to make something like tbc bushings and how hard it would be to try to make them on a lathe without a carriage or cross slide.  I'm  tempted to try making them with a boring bar setup and light cuts.  I will post if I do.



Tom, if my lathe were a little more accurate, I'd make you a set. I made a set of TBC slim and comfort bushings and they work pretty good. They are within a couple thou, which is the best I can do until I get my lathe tuned a little better. It is about 5 thou off over 1.5". I suppose that is not unexpected from a lathe from the late 40's/early 50's!

Regards,
Michael


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## TurtleTom (Aug 19, 2015)

I appreciate the thought.  That's an old lathe!   With old lathes you get it as close as you can on the + side and file it the rest with the Chinese milling machine.  Kinda hard to do boring though.  I'll figure out something for sure, truth is, as much as I've run a lathe checking with micrometers as a go I know I can do that almost as fast as using bushings anyway.   I lost a lunch bet to my father in 1972 at the machine shop where we were both working.  He bet he could eyeball cut a piece of 1/2 inch rod to 1/4 inch within 2 thou. Naturally I took that bet hook line and sinker but I should have known better.  The dials were covered up and away he went.  I got to do the mikes when he said it was done, and it was 0.001" over.   I bought lunch.


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## Skie_M (Aug 19, 2015)

TurtleTom said:


> mecompco said:
> 
> 
> > Dan Masshardt said:
> ...



Get some solid vinyl stock and turn yourself some cone bushings .... CA won't stick to the vinyl.


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## TurtleTom (Aug 19, 2015)

I have a rod of HDPE coming from Amazon, I'll try that, since I already ordered it.  After I ordered it I saw a video on how to make it from your milk jugs.


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## Skie_M (Aug 19, 2015)

Yeah, I bought some HDPE too ... it turned fairly well, once I got a 7mm hole drilled through it and stuck it on my pen mandrel.  

It's flexible, so cut it into smaller sections and work them like beads, I guess...  It only took me about 10 minutes


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## TurtleTom (Aug 19, 2015)

Thanks Skie, oh, I see you are a deacon of the PTAM.  I probably need sponsoring.  
I discovered a B letter drill goes through the 7mm tubes perfectly.  I haven't been to Lawton in a while, I used to kayak that lake down there 25 years ago, guess i was the first one.


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## mecompco (Aug 23, 2015)

TurtleTom said:


> I appreciate the thought.  That's an old lathe!   With old lathes you get it as close as you can on the + side and file it the rest with the Chinese milling machine.  Kinda hard to do boring though.  I'll figure out something for sure, truth is, as much as I've run a lathe checking with micrometers as a go I know I can do that almost as fast as using bushings anyway.   I lost a lunch bet to my father in 1972 at the machine shop where we were both working.  He bet he could eyeball cut a piece of 1/2 inch rod to 1/4 inch within 2 thou. Naturally I took that bet hook line and sinker but I should have known better.  The dials were covered up and away he went.  I got to do the mikes when he said it was done, and it was 0.001" over.   I bought lunch.



That's amazing! I'm lucky if I can pick the correct wrench out of the pile w/o reading it! I really never realized how small .001 is until I set my depth mic to it. But, those .001s add up! 

Totally off topic, but we've been doing some fiber splicing at work--the fiber (IIRC) is around 9 microns--just blows my mind that a little desk-top machine can splice that perfectly!


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## TurtleTom (Aug 23, 2015)

I'd like to watch some of that at the 9 micron level.  I've cut to 5 millionths but I can't imagine splicing at .127 of that.


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