Pen bushings staining

[Stewart Enyeart]

I keep getting black gunk off of my pen bushings and it is staining my wood. It is happening with all my bushings, even the ones that are supposed to be hardened steel. When I use EEE and even Renaissance Wax it gets real messy. I can put a clean rag up against a bushing and it always comes off black. I can see this the first time or two but I have busuhing I have made over 20 pens with and it still happens. Yesterday I was making a pen out of holly and when I switched from regular 400 sandpaper to micro mesh the holly turned black on me. I had to go back and sand from 150 again to get it out and had to just stop at the 400 level. I'm not sure if its the sandpaper, bushings, or combo of both casing the mess but it is making it hard to keep the grains looking nice. Any tips would be much appreciated.

[Stephen Hibbs]

you could put a bit of clear tape over. Not too thick, but it'll keep the gunk off. Personally, I've not had that problem, but I hear it stems from touching the bushing with the sandpaper and transferring the metal bits over.

[Michael Cody]

I keep getting black gunk off of my pen bushings and it is staining my wood. It is happening with all my bushings, even the ones that are supposed to be hardened steel. When I use EEE and even Renaissance Wax it gets real messy. I can put a clean rag up against a bushing and it always comes off black. I can see this the first time or two but I have busuhing I have made over 20 pens with and it still happens. Yesterday I was making a pen out of holly and when I switched from regular 400 sandpaper to micro mesh the holly turned black on me. I had to go back and sand from 150 again to get it out and had to just stop at the 400 level. I'm not sure if its the sandpaper, bushings, or combo of both casing the mess but it is making it hard to keep the grains looking nice. Any tips would be much appreciated.

This is a common problem with lighter woods. Turn yourself some wooden bushings. Use something like maple or osage orange (something hard).. then turn down close to size with the metal bushings, replace with wooden ones, then turn to size then sand. With a light touch, good tool control, and easy sanding, they last 40-50 pens at least.. only take a few minutes to make. Otherwise turn almost to size with metal bushings, then put a pen tube on for a bushing (you can cut it down of course) and size by eye. It's not that hard.

[Stan Cook]

Coat the bushings with thin CA to avoid the black gunk. If it does get on your blanks, it will clean up with denatured alcohol.

[Anthony Welch]

The EEE when smeared from the metal bushing turns black across lighter woods (probably all woods, just shows up more on lighter woods.) What I've learned to do is on my lighter woods I micro mesh up to 12000, darker woods I use the EEE. You'l find others won't even use EEE at all, but I've got x2 jars of the stuff and really like it. It also makes my MM last longer. I've just learned how light colored of a piece of wood I can use EEE on. Also this goes for 0000 steel wool, it'll gray the pores of light colored woods, deer antler, and corn cob.

[Dario Octaviano]

Turning your own bushing is the best remedy.

Best material to use is DELRIN especially if you use CA as finish. CA won't stick to it and anyone who uses CA for finish knows how important that is.

[Jon Shively]

Also a thought. Depends on the heat generated on your sanding procedures. MM is glued to the backing paper and if you don't keep it cool and moving on the blank, the glue will release the material to the blank and may be showing up dark. Slow down, clean your MM by tapping it on your hand and keep it moving.