# HELP!!!  Trouble with Chechen Burl and I have a deadline!



## rodtod11 (Apr 1, 2015)

I have a deadline and I'm not going to meet it. I am doing a Majestic set in Chechen Burl. Its not stabilized, just 7/8 blanks I got from Exotic Blanks. They have been really great in helping get me everything FAST!  Wonderful group. BUT......I am doing a CA finish. Because it isnt stabilized. Maybe I picked the wrong wood or wrong method. After I apply the CA I try to take the bushings off. The end of the blank tears off! The letter opener was fine....but the pens...NO!  I tried applying a finish coat, then taking the bushings off , one piece worked one did not!  

SO.......how can I NOT break the ends OR  is there a better finish than CA that would show the qualities of the wood?  I order more blanks so Its not too late to do another finish.

If I can get a good finish that is durable using something other than CA , I would be willing to do it!


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## Notscottish (Apr 1, 2015)

I have had problems with glueing the bushings to the pen blank while finishing with CA.  Now I either apply the finish between centers with no bushings or I have also used plastic bushings that do not stick to CA.

Overall I prefer to do my finishing between centers with no bushings.


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## rodtod11 (Apr 1, 2015)

Notscottish said:


> I have had problems with glueing the bushings to the pen blank while finishing with CA.  Now I either apply the finish between centers with no bushings or I have also used plastic bushings that do not stick to CA.
> 
> Overall I prefer to do my finishing between centers with no bushings.



Now thats interesting!  Finishing between centers. Never thought of that and without bushing, solves a lot of problems. How do you prevent the glue from getting inside the tube?  Do you apply with a paper towel?  Anything I should be aware of before I do this?  You may have saved my tail on this one!

Follow up:  Just went out and tried it on a scrap piece. THANK YOU!  I really think this will solve the issue. I have to have a three piece set done in a week! And I work a full time job!


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## robutacion (Apr 1, 2015)

Yes, I agreed with the last poster, if you get or make some Teflon/plastic conical bushes and you remove the pen barrel(s) from its original metal bushings and mount the barrel(s) in between centres with the mandrel and you can them repeat the CA finishing and have no issue with the ends.

You still need to square the barrel's ends.

If you are going to remove most of the CA that you have on the barrel(s) do so with the metal bushings just in case, you remove too much...!

Good luck...!

Cheers
George


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## robutacion (Apr 2, 2015)

rodtod11 said:


> Notscottish said:
> 
> 
> > I have had problems with glueing the bushings to the pen blank while finishing with CA.  Now I either apply the finish between centers with no bushings or I have also used plastic bushings that do not stick to CA.
> ...



Sorry mate, I was typing my reply when you were typing your reply but, you have found the correct way to solve that problem of yours...!

Cheers
George


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## magpens (Apr 2, 2015)

Warning !!  Conical plastic bushings may not be all they are cracked up to be !!

I tried them once and found that a lot of CA accumulates in the "V" crevice between the plastic cone and the end of the blank.


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## rodtod11 (Apr 2, 2015)

Good point, putting it back on the bushings to polish it. I really appreciate the help I get here guys. I can t tell you the stress. I worked with this guy for 25 years, were good friends. I made a set as a Retirement Gift for a 35 year employee. When my friend Marv announced his retirement, he called me right after and asked if he could get the same thing.....except in burl. ( previous one was tru stone )  Were close friends, so it wasn't presumptuous of him to ask. So, the stress I have placed on myself to have it done in time is TREMENDOUS! Your support is appreciated far more than you realize!


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## jsolie (Apr 2, 2015)

If you get glue in your tube, careful use of a round file will clear it out.

If you get a glob on the end of your pen blank, use the method Ed shows here with a sanding disk to clean it off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzQ2Gla41dU

My son in law turned a full size Gent with one of those chechen burl blanks and he used CA for a finish.  The pen turned out gorgeous!  I have a set of those Delrin finishing bushings, and he used those on a mandrel so no worry about gluing the pen to anything.


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## Notscottish (Apr 2, 2015)

My centers have an angle that does not allow CA to get inside the tube, I do end up sanding the blank's ends after finishing in order to remove excess glue and square them up so that the pen hardware butts up flush with the wood.


The plastic bushings do not always allow the blank to spin cleanly, so I do not use them between centers very often.

I use bathroom tissue to apply the CA.




rodtod11 said:


> Notscottish said:
> 
> 
> > I have had problems with glueing the bushings to the pen blank while finishing with CA.  Now I either apply the finish between centers with no bushings or I have also used plastic bushings that do not stick to CA.
> ...


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## rodtod11 (Apr 5, 2015)

ITS DONE!  I got it. Thanks to all of you hear that helped out with your suggestions. I learned a lot this time around.....including, never accept a deadline this short! The TBC minus the bushings was brilliant. That got me through. I'd attach a picture if I could figure out how!


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## Janster (Apr 7, 2015)

..one may also use a parting tool or a skew to separate the bushing from the blank, CAREFULLY! Also a bit of wax on the bushing shoulder will help.


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