# Pen Blowup



## JRowan (Nov 17, 2004)

I have only been turning pens for a couple weeks now, started with a couple starter kits from PSI.  

Well, last week I try the Comfort grip pen - pencil kit that was in there.  First one, with bloodwood, as soon as I used the parting tool and got down to the brass things went to heck in a hurry.  Ok, so I had blanks glued up for 2 complete pen -pencil sets, so I grab another and start turning it.  As soon as the parting tool gets down to the brass tube, same thing happens.  

Ok now I had turned several slimlines up to this point and no problems with any of them.  Using Titebond Poly glue to glue the tubes into the blanks, letting them set overnight before doing anything to them.  I couldn't figure out what the heck I was doing wrong.  

Come to find out, the bushings that came in the starter set for the Comfort Grips had been chamfered on the ends enough so that as soon as the parting tool was going thru the brass tubes were then the longest part and they happened to fit nicely inside the chamfered part of the bushing.  So last night I tried my luck on another one, only this time before I took the parting tool to it I re-arranged the bushings so that I had a square shoulder to rest against the tube.  Worked fine.  

Hopefully this will help someone else in the future.


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## DCBluesman (Nov 17, 2004)

Thanks for this insightful post!  I'm sure it will help others avoid the problem that you experienced.  Oh, and WELCOME!  [8D]


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## Doghouse (Nov 17, 2004)

I have had the same problem with the PSI 7mm bushings.  Check your bushings, you may find a lot of these.  I have since changed over to the woodcraft 7mm (Barea I think) the bushings are much longer, but are square on the ends.


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## wayneis (Nov 17, 2004)

After using 7mm bushings from all the Companies, I like Craft Supply the best.  Better metal, seem to last better and longer and I've never got a rounded or chamfered edge on a CS bushing of any kind actually.

Wayne


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## elect1960 (Jan 21, 2005)

This is probably a stupid question, But
Could you sand down the bushing?[?]


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## JRowan (Jan 21, 2005)

I suppose you could sand it, would be better if it was machined to get a surface 90 deg. to the mandrel.


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## KKingery (Jan 21, 2005)

Mmmm--- I think I'll go take a look at my bushings!


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