Pen Bushes 1B Size

[_fly_]

Hi,
I have some flat top american twist pen kits I'd like to do.
These are not flat top americana (with an 'a' at the end).

http://www.penblanks.ca/instructions/english/FlatTopAmerican.pdf

I know it uses an 8mm drill for the tubes (the 'a' one uses 9.5mm).

I have no bushes to do them so will need to make a temp set but have no idea of the diameter dimensions.

I've looked at the IAP PDF but that doesn't look right.
It says 0.485 0.485 for one tube and 0.485 0.388 for the second tubes.

But if you look at the picture It looks like 2 tubes each with their own diameter (maybe .485 and .388)

I also looked at the bushings 2.0 software but that has nothing listed for the Flat Top American.

I looked at buying a set from penblanks.ca (where the instructions came from) but the 4 dollar bushes had a $70 postage fee.

If anyone has a set of 1B bushes they want to sell or want to measure for me that would be appreciated.

Peter

[_fly_]

I took a picture and dimensions of the parts in case that helps.
Maybe someone smarter than ma can work it out?

I did find a Rockler Flat Top American kit in the IAp list that was .492 both ends of the top and .394 both ends of the bottom.

When I went to Rockler site they had no listing for any part of it.

Peter

[DJ’s Timber]

Peter

I have feeling that I have a set of those, will check later tonight for you :2tsup:

[issatree]

Hi Peter,
Why not have a go at making them, either out of Wood or Aluminum.
Wood could be a bit of Cotoneaster or Camellia, both very hard.
There maybe a bit of hit & miss, but it should work.

[_fly_]

Hi Peter,
Why not have a go at making them, either out of Wood or Aluminum.
Wood could be a bit of Cotoneaster or Camellia, both very hard.
There maybe a bit of hit & miss, but it should work.

I would but have no ideas of the bush dimensions. There seem to be 6 or 7 different Flat top american(a)'s.
I know the title says bushes 1B but I though that was what they were, now that I've seen the rockler dimensions.
Maybe its something else, You see the kits are not labeled.
Ah well.

Peter

[DJ’s Timber]

Checked my bushes and I have the 2B set not the 1B set. Sorry

[_fly_]

Checked my bushes and I have the 2B set not the 1B set. Sorry

OK DJ,
Thanks for looking for me.

[gawdelpus]

Fly ,instead of making bushes try turning to size between centres ,you can obviously do the measurements no problem, just remember you need a tenon on one end of the clip end :) you may need a short tool steady to do it though ,but I do almost all my straight turning between centres ,as its quicker than finding my bushes :) when I have them hehe. A quick short tool rest is a bit of steel angle about 3 inches long welded onto the head of a bolt that will fit into your tool rst clamp. Looking at the pen you have pictured it will be 2 parallel tubes, the clip end and the centre band as one size, and the joiner end and the nib end as another size , Hope that is some help ! cheers ~ John

[_fly_]

I'll give it a go, Can't ruin more than one pen.

[gawdelpus]

I'll give it a go, Can't ruin more than one pen.

Bushes are like learner wheels on a pushbike hehe , just need a fixed centre in the headstock and a good live centre in the tailstock , not overdone on pressure ,just enough to allow the chisel to cut the timber , you might surprise yourself :)
cheers ~ John

[switch62]

If you really want the bushings try Bear Tooth Woods they have a Flat Top Pen (http://www.beartoothwoods.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_27) that looks like your kit. They have the bushings and their freight charge is about $18-$20 for USPS Flat Rate Box. I know that's expensive for a set of bushings but if you get some other stuff you can spread the freight cost.

BTW not sure if you know the B bushings won't work on a standard 1/4" (A) mandrel used for 7mm pens and other kits. The B mandrel is thicker, so the B bushings would be very loose on an A mandrel. Bear Tooth Woods also have bushings for the A mandrel as well.

Also look at the B bushings it has a table of the bushing sizes and where they go, the sizes match what you've already stated.