# CA finish and glued bushings



## dustmaker (Oct 23, 2009)

Hi, I am new to the group so I help you don't mind a newbie question.  I've been making good progress with developing a CA finish process.  I have a problem I know many of you must have solved a gazillion times by now, but I haven't found many good answers in my searches.  The issue is, how to prevent the bushings from getting glued to your blanks when applying the CA finish?  I have been taking the mandrel off and breaking them loose after each application, but this is getting tedious.  I am always looking for new ideas and better solutions.  Any and all ideas are greatly appreciated!


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## Whaler (Oct 23, 2009)

Welcome Frank.
I use a dab of paste wax on my bushings and it works pretty well. I just received some Derlin finishing bushings from www.penturnersproducts.com but haven't tried them yet.


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## wood-of-1kind (Oct 23, 2009)

Hi Frank,

a couple of suggestions to prevent CA from sticking to bushings:

1. apply/rub wax(candle) to end of bushings to prevent sticking
2. apply CA without mandrel (remove) and by using 'dead' centres. One applied in your headstock and one applied in the tailstock
3. use DELRIN bushings (CA won't stick to) after you have turned to size


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## Chasper (Oct 23, 2009)

There are several options, including improving your application technique until you get very little on the bushings.  One that I've tried is to put a coat of wax on the bushings and it works, but you have to put on more way over and over.  

What I do now is to apply CA between centers without bushings.  Get a headstock drive center that is a 30 degree point, and a tail stock live center that is also 30 degree.  Take the pen parts off the mandrel and put them between the centers, one at a time.  Occasionally you will get some CA on the points, but it can be scraped off easily.  You will probably find that the CA is more managable to apply on one piece at a time as well.  I know it sounds like an extra step, but you will soon find that it is much quicker. 

JohnnyCNC sells the best MT2 dead center here http://penturnersproducts.com/index...id=115&zenid=4f26a61008642cc81a4725bf7d2efa17


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## mick (Oct 23, 2009)

Since I let my CA finishes cure over night I do just like Gerry.After turning and sanding I apply one coat of thin CA to seal everything up then take it off the bushings and apply the finish between centers. Not only does this eliminate the problem of CA on the bushings it also allows CA to seal the ends of the barrels.


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## Chief Hill (Oct 23, 2009)

Yep I just candle wax the bushings before applying them onto the blank.  it seems to help the "stick" situation when it comes time to remove them.


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## dustmaker (Oct 23, 2009)

Thanks folks!  I really appreciate all the help.  I knew there would be more intelligent solutions to this issue.  I have ordered some delrin bushings from penturners products...seems like a no brainer at that cost!  In the mean time I will try wax and/or finishing between centers.  I like the idea of sealing the ends.  Thanks, I hope I can repay the favor soon.


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## jleiwig (Oct 23, 2009)

dustmaker said:


> I like the idea of sealing the ends.


 
You should always do this or there is a chance that you can ruin your blank if water gets under the finish when wet sanding..DAMHIKT! :biggrin:


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## Daniel (Oct 23, 2009)

I have several things I do, but first I will say> I am not at al concerend with glue getting on my bushing anymore. when I am finishing a pen I am worried about getting a good coat on the pen not saving bushings. so I am a very sloppy CA finisher.

1. give all your bushing a good coat of wax such as TSW or other hard wax.
2. I loosen the mandrel nut after each coat of CA and make sure each bushing will spin. I seldom have to remove anything from the mandrel to break it free from just one coat.
3. I do not remove the build up of glue from my bushings. after several coats this itself becomes the barrier to any further glue getting into the gap. 

After making a couple of pens I no longer have a problem with them sticking at least to the inside of the bushing and tube. I do still have to break them free from the blank when I am all done but I never get a bushing glued inside the tube.

Rewax once in a while also just in case.


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## Larry Gottlieb (Oct 23, 2009)

Before I begin sanding, I replace the bushings with short segments of brass tubes. I also apply a  thin coat of vaseline to ends of the blanks. 

Larry
gottliebpens.com


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## dustmaker (Oct 23, 2009)

I really appreciate everyone sharing their techniques!  You all have given me much to think about and try.  I am grateful.


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## hewunch (Oct 23, 2009)

Johnny has delrin bushings that go between centers. I sell some that go on the mandrel. Both are good options


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## dustmaker (Oct 26, 2009)

While waiting on my delrin bushings to arrive, I tried using wax on a click pen I made last evening...it worked like a champ.  Thanks for everyone's help with this!


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## george (Oct 26, 2009)

I had this problem when I was applaying several coats of thin CA. That is why I started doing only one layer of thin CA, followed by several of medium and thick. Never had any problem with bushings since - doe I apply at least 3 layers of medium and 3 layers of thick.


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## dankc908 (Oct 29, 2009)

I put Johnson's paste wax on the ends of my tubes - works great!


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## glycerine (Oct 29, 2009)

If you have an extra set of pen tubes, you can cut off 2 small sections of the body and cap tubes (maybe 1/8 of an inch or less), slide these on your bushings first and then put your blanks back on the bushings.  Then you've got a spacer between the end of your blanks and the bushings.  This will allow you to get to the ends as well if you need to.


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## dustmaker (Oct 30, 2009)

george said:


> I had this problem when I was applaying several coats of thin CA. That is why I started doing only one layer of thin CA, followed by several of medium and thick. Never had any problem with bushings since - doe I apply at least 3 layers of medium and 3 layers of thick.



George, you may be onto something...I have been using just thin CA lately and having some interesting problems...even with the delrin bushings I still get little flaps of glue that have to be carefully removed.  I'll try your method and see how it works for me.  I appreciate the tip.  Do you use accelerator to speed up the curing time?


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## bitshird (Oct 30, 2009)

I've been Leary of contaminating the CA by using wax of any kind, I turn between centers any way so making a set if Delrin bushings was the easiest, you will have a bit of CA on the ends of the barrels, but a light sanding clears that up.


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## george (Oct 31, 2009)

dustmaker said:


> George, you may be onto something...I have been using just thin CA lately and having some interesting problems...even with the delrin bushings I still get little flaps of glue that have to be carefully removed.  I'll try your method and see how it works for me.  I appreciate the tip.  Do you use accelerator to speed up the curing time?



Glad you will try it ; I guess the thin CA finds a way between blank and bushing, when medium and thich goes over the "connection".
I use accelator after 2 or 3 layers ... I usualy do 1 thin, 2 medium, accelator, medium, sand lightly (just to get smooth surface), 2 thick, accelator, 2 thick. I use aproximatly 3 drops of CA/layer for one blank.
I have found out that the best way to apply thin is with lathe off .. I have seen this way on PSI youtube video on making stamp-pen. It makes really smooth surface (doe they apply 6 or 7 coats - me only 1 or max 2).


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