Turning your own bushes

[Indie Shed]

I am going to turn some bushes for the larger pens on the mandrel and wondered what material is best?

I have some beech, do you think it would be up to the job?

 

[Grump]

Use Corian, Delrin or ally why waste wood?

 

[Indie Shed]

I have none of the above and it might work out cheaper to buy the bushes?

 

[rayf6604]

If bushes are available I'd never bother making them, unless you want the challenge of doing them, then good on you. I have a stack of corian if you want some. As long as what you are making doesn't require a diameter greater than 12mm which is the thickness of corian. Pm me your address if you'd like a bit.
The other alternative is there is a corian seller in the Leeds area who will send you corian samples for free

 

[Walter]

If you are capable of accurately turning bushes to size why do you need bushes?

Just turn between centres and ditch the idea of bushes altogether.

 

[Indie Shed]

Thanks for the offer, Ray, 12mm should do, I will let you know.

Hi Walter, I can't remember which kit it was I wanted to turn but it wouldn't fit well over the single pin drive centre properly to get a good enough grip on it. I can turn and measure with a vernier but it's slow going.

 

[Themackay]

Walter,Am I right in thinking you can turn between centers using bushes made for that use,I take it what you are referring to is just the tube mounted between centers so one would have to be carefull with tailstock pressure not to splay out the ends of the tube

 

[Bigblackdog]

I have only turned 3 pens but...

I turn between a deal and live centre using the standard bushings. When I started, 3 pens ago, I researched but preferred to do so without using a mandrel because it was one less variable.

I did look for tbc bushings but there were none readily available. Probably because they are not really needed.

 

[Walter]

Walter,Am I right in thinking you can turn between centers using bushes made for that use,I take it what you are referring to is just the tube mounted between centers so one would have to be carefull with tailstock pressure not to splay out the ends of the tube

Yes, that is correct Alan. Care is needed.

 

[Dalboy]

I just use the tapered bushes I got with the kit does not take long to take the blank down

 

[silver]

Exactly as Walter said.

Unless you want to rip off allot of pens quickly in an assembly line then turning between centre or on the cones that comes with Mandrels is the cheapest option for turning pens.

Agree you have to be carefull but that is what pen turning is all about.. Isn't it?

 

[Indie Shed]

Thanks for all the advice. I haven't any cones for my pen mandrel. I only have 5 x 7mm spacers. I have made three pens between centres and three on a mandrel, none of them with bushes. Two problems occurred on the last one I made between centres, one was the ring that was cut from the end cap leaving a twinwall section on the end and the other was a bit of cracking at the end of the live centre which is 60 degs cone.

This is my headstock drive at the minute.





Can anyone show me a pic of their centres please or a link to the one they use.

 

[Bigblackdog]

I use this one. Centres - Arc Euro Trade top pic, mt2.

 

[Jim]

A 60 degree dead center is all you need Jimi ..

 

[Penpal]

I use this one. Centres - Arc Euro Trade top pic, mt2.

I note the end mill holder is a ready made mandrel saver of class using a sleeve of brass there are so many solutions in this referred sellers stock, I am indeed grateful for this Live and learn every day thank you.Also I designed a tap holder to thread pen kits in my head just now. Double thanks.Oh what a wonderful morning.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

I would make them out of S/Steel.