a couple pen making questions

[Barry Lyndon]

Does anyone have a trick to lining up grain or design for screw cap pens (like this or this)? I'd like it so that when the cap is screwed all the way on (pen closed) the grain or design lines up. This is easy to do with something like a 7mm pen where you just push the two halves together but I can't seem to figure out how to do it with screw cap pens. I've tried screwing the "cap" piece onto the body and lining up the cap blank then unscrewing the cap piece and pressing it together but that doesn't seem to work out.

Second question - I use CA glue for finishing. As a result, sometimes when I'm done with 5 or 6 layers of glue, then polishing, when I try to take the pen off the mandrel the blanks/bushings are glued to the mandrel *or* everything comes off the mandrel fine but the blanks are glued to the bushings. Often, just tapping the bushings on the lathe a bit will loosen it up enough to twist off but other times it's pretty stuck on there and I have to really work at getting them apart. This results in some peeling up of the glue (or cracking) on the end of the blank and messes up the finish. Any tricks you have learned to fix this other than just being more careful to not get glue on the bushings (which I don't think it possible for me)?

[Brian Brown]

I'm no help on the grain alignment, but for the glue issue, I remove the bushings after sanding and replace them with the spacers that came with the mandrel. They are smaller in diameter, and don't get as easily glued on as the actual bushings, but do allow you to tighten the brass nut enough that the pen parts won't spin on the mandrel. If they do get glued, the smaller diameter keeps them from lifting and peeling glue when you break them off.

[Barry Lyndon]

I'm no help on the grain alignment, but for the glue issue, I remove the bushings after sanding and replace them with the spacers that came with the mandrel. They are smaller in diameter, and don't get as easily glued on as the actual bushings, but do allow you to tighten the brass nut enough that the pen parts won't spin on the mandrel. If they do get glued, the smaller diameter keeps them from lifting and peeling glue when you break them off.

Great suggestion. The only issue I see with this is I'm not quite understanding how the blanks would stay centered on the mandrel. Most of the pens I make have bushings that partially fit inside of the brass tube on the blank. If I then took those off and replaced with spaces that don't fit inside of the tubes wouldn't that cause the blanks to no longer be centered on the mandrel so when spinning they would be uneven? My mandrel didn't come with any spaces, but I assume they can be bought separately if that solution would work.

[Grant Wilkinson]

For glue sticking, wax the bushings. If you get sticking anyway, or you don't like waxing the bushings, score around the joint between the bushing and the blank with a razor knife before you try to separate them. You can also either make or buy Delrin bushings. CA does not stick to Delrin.
As for the grain/pattern alignment, you have the right idea. Simply thread the cap coupler onto the barrel, then press the blank onto the cap coupler lining up the grain/pattern as you do. Keep in mind that all of the kits use 3 or 4 start threads in the cap, so when you screw the cap on another time, it may not line up. Simply back it off until you feel it start in one of the other spots and try it again.

[Greg Ketell]

1) for finishing, get some Delrin or UHMW plastic. Drill them to the size of the mandrel and then turn the so the are cones. You will need 4. Slip them into the ends of your pen blanks and apply your finish. CA doesn't stick (well) to the plastic so they come off/out easily.

2) for the grain alignment: a) you have to turn out as much wood as the width of the metal parts of the cap. B) assemble the base of the pen, thread on the cap bits, align the grain (I've used a laser to shoot down the length of the pen to help with the alignment), press the cap tube on keeping the alignment.

[Barry Lyndon]

Thanks guys, it sounds like I had the right idea with the grain alignment I just wasn't paying attention to the fact that there were multiple start threads.

The Delrin sounds like a great solution. I'll track some of that down and try it out. Do you guys get that locally somewhere? Or do you order it from the internet?

Thanks again!

[Aric Krueger]

This guy sells Delrin and some pre-made bushings. Most of his bushings are for turning pens between centers without a mandrel but he does have some universal finishing bushings. I'm sure he has something you can make work for you. I think he can custom make them also.

http://penturnersproducts.com/index....index&cPath=36
http://penturnersproducts.com/index....roducts_id=136

[Jim Burr]

It's critical to remember that 2 barrel pens in kit form have triple start threads...the pen cap can be screwed on at 3 different points. This means that screwing on the cap will only align with the grain in one position, the other 2 will be out of wack. For the CA thing...wax on the bushings or Delrin, even though CA will stick to that a bit. All these answers are on IAP.

[Dan Hintz]

Looks like you're good on the alignment part.

For CA, one option is to use a parting tool to trim down the built-up CA on the bushing... I use that one when I've been particularly heavy on application. Also, you could move to TBC (turn between centers), which removes bushings from the equation altogether.

[Fred Belknap]

What Dan said about TBC. Use a dead center in the end of the tube on the headstock (drive side) and the live center on the tail stock. Just tighten up enough to get the barrel to spin.

[Barry Lyndon]

I'll try to TBC when I'm making a one piece pen. Most of the pens I make are 2 piece so in the interest of saving time I'd rather do them on the mandrel. I ordered this - http://penturnersproducts.com/index....roducts_id=136 so hopefully they will do the trick for me.

Thanks again for the advice fellas.