Thread: Removing bushings

Hi Arry,
I guess you're talking about CA finishes ?
Check out this thread:
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f69/re...l-rods-151695/

It starts out with a different question but at post #5 it starts talking about using acetyl bushes (also called delrin). They save a lot of heartache and make life a lot simpler. Acetyl bushes are discussed in a number of threads but you may have to set the search parameters to longer time periods to pick up the older ones.

Hi Arry,

I know exactly what you mean. I started pen turning about 9 months ago had the same problems, so much that once I had to hammer a bushing out of the tube. The thin CA had flowed between the inside of the tube and bushing.

I tried seperating the bushings after 10 coats, sanding the excess CA on the edge and then doing the last 10 coats. That helped getting the bushings off. But sometimes the CA would snap off at the edge of the wood or lift a bit. Either way it would need to be redone.

I then found these finishing bushings. They are made of delrin and the CA won't stick to them. They are very cheap but I have no idea what shipping might cost or how long it will take.

Instead I made my own, I used HDPE instead of derlin. I bought a 20 mm dia rod off-cut for $5, drilled a 1/4" hole down the middle, put it on my pen mandrel, and turned the cones.

Now when I'm ready to do the CA, I swap to these and put the full 20 coats. With the larger pen tubes you can just wriggle the cones and the CA snaps at the cone. There is also less CA as the cone contacts the inside edge of the brass tube and not the wood. On the 7mm tubes the cone will touch the wood but I score the CA on the cone and it comes away easily.

You may need to sand the ends as you can get build up of the CA on the edge. I usually remove the tubes from the cones after the 20 coats, sand the ends with 400 and/or 800 wet and dry (depends on the thickness of build up), then put it all back for sanding and polishing. Worst thing is doing all the sanding and polishing, and then cracking/snaping the CA finish.

You will get a build up of CA on the bushes, just throw them in a sealed jar of acetone overnight. The CA will dissolve, good as new.

Tony

Arry

Do yourself a favour and buy a set of delrin bushes for applying CA. They never stick. You can also make your own out of a kitchen chopping board (the white ones) but I found it easier to buy a couple of sets. They seem to last forever. Any time they clog up with CA just gently squeeze them with a pair of pliers and the CA will break off to give you your delrin bushes back to perfect condtion again.

I don't suppose you have tried to coat the bushings with paste wax? We turn and sand between centers but remove the bushings for finishing. The live and dead centers get a quick application of the wax before the tube is put back on for the CA.

Pete

the other question is how are you applying your CA.

I cant say I've ever had the problem that I cant remove the bushings and definitely have never glued a pen a bushung to my mandrel.

BUT
I apply CA using a cotton bud, and do so sparingly, I also go easy near the ends of the tubes.

you may find you will use less CA and have less problems.

cheers