# Are you making your own bushings?



## Dan_F (Sep 17, 2008)

Just curious if kitless folks are making your own custom bushings, or going without them? 

If you make them, do you find they fit consistently? I'm wondering if drilled holes are as consistent as brass tubes?

I've been working without them, but the clearance between pen and center is practically nill. 

Dan


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## Texatdurango (Sep 17, 2008)

Hi Dan, 

In my case, the only time I use bushings is when I have blanks glued to brass tubes. 

With my "kitless" pens, I don't use brass tubes anymore and just deal with the blank itself when turning to shape, drilling and tapping and use the Beall collet chuck a LOT.  I found that getting away from the tubes, bushings and mandrels is what opened up new design possibilities for me.

I do however apply a slightly thicker coat of CA on my kit wood pens than most folks so I take advantage of my new metal lathe and make my own bushings which are a tad smaller in diameter than factory bushings.  This allows me to sand down slightly under size then build up with CA to match the mating kit parts.


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## workinforwood (Sep 17, 2008)

His drilled holes are consistent but mine sometimes require the extra expanding glue!  I do have that same problem with the CA.  I turn the pen to bushing size, then remove the bushings, spin between centers and sand away more material.  I use straight CA and it gets thick and glossy.  I'll sand the finish and mic it as I go before going into the fine wet sanding which doesn't remove much finish.


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## ldb2000 (Sep 17, 2008)

It all depends on what kind of pen I'm making , for a True kitless pen ( a fountain or rollerball pen ) there are no bushings to work with and they really are not needed , everything gets measured with a caliper .
For the Ultra modified kit pens ( kitless slimlines and kitless cigars ) I only use the bushings to hold the blanks on the mandrel ( when I use one ) and turn the blanks down untill I get to the size I want , measured with a Caliper .


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## Dan_F (Sep 18, 2008)

For kitless, the only purpose for bushings for me would be to get the work out away from the centers for better access, and to give a rough idea of where to stop for shaping. And perhaps they might lend a little stability when the walls start getting thin. My concern with plastic bushings made on a wood lathe would be accuracy, square shoulders, and consistent fit into the barrels. 

Tex---I use a collet chuck in the early stages, but I'm leery of going back to it once the cap or barrel has been removed, because it never seems to orient exactly the same way, causing a bit ov wobble when turning. Is there a trick to getting repeatability? I try to line it up using the live center in the tailstock, but without a prehensile tail or third arm, it can be tricky.

Dan


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## Texatdurango (Sep 19, 2008)

Dan_F said:


> ...
> Tex---I use a collet chuck in the early stages, but I'm leery of going back to it once the cap or barrel has been removed, because it never seems to orient exactly the same way, causing a bit ov wobble when turning. Is there a trick to getting repeatability? I try to line it up using the live center in the tailstock, but without a prehensile tail or third arm, it can be tricky.
> 
> Dan



Hi Dan,

I wouldn't call it a trick but here is basically what I do when making a pen out of acrylic for example.

1. If not already a cylinder I turn the blank into one so I can chuck it into my collet chuck.
2. I drill out the blank using several bit sizes so the converter/refill will fit.
3. I tap the inner threads for the nib assy and the outer threads for the cap
4. I shape the lower body all the way down to within 1/2" or so of the lower end.
5. I then remove the pen from the collet chuck and insert a closed end mandrel modified to fit snugly into the diameter I drilled the blank in step one.  It's then a quick process of shaping the last 1/2" of the body and the pen is sanded and polished.  When using the closed end mandrel I do align it with the tailstock when I start turning down the end section.

This whole process only requires one change out of the collet chuck.  I basically follow the same steps for the cap.

There are probably better, more efficient ways but this works for me.  When I start cutting my own threads on the metal lathe, things may change up a bit.

I hope this makes sense and hope it helps or at least gives you some ideas.


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## Dan_F (Sep 19, 2008)

Texatdurango said:


> Hi Dan,
> 
> I wouldn't call it a trick but here is basically what I do when making a pen out of acrylic for example.
> 
> ...



George--- Is the mandrel stepped to match the stepped holes in drilled in the barrel? Does the threaded end of the barrel need support too, or just the last 1/2" or so that you are shaping at the end?  

Thanks,

Dan


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## Texatdurango (Sep 19, 2008)

Dan_F said:


> George--- Is the mandrel stepped to match the stepped holes in drilled in the barrel? Does the threaded end of the barrel need support too, or just the last 1/2" or so that you are shaping at the end?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Dan



The mandrel is stepped.  The portion that makes contact with the interior threads is just snug enough to fit against the threads but too tight as to crack them.


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## Dan_F (Sep 21, 2008)

Texatdurango said:


> The mandrel is stepped.  The portion that makes contact with the interior threads is just snug enough to fit against the threads but too tight as to crack them.



George---Can you post a picture of your mandrel? I'm wondering if it is all one piece or uses spacers which may be exchanged for different pen shapes?  What's it made of?

Thanks,

Dan


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