How do you sepirate pen blank from bushing after CA?

[Nicholas Briggs]

I usually end up getting some CA on my bushings. When removing the bushings the CA peals off the blank a bit, leaving some bare areas on the blank. How do you guys separate the bushings from blanks? I've heard of waxing the bushings, but CA seems to stick to anything. Any suggestions?

[Keith Christopher]

razor blade is what I use.

[Paul Heely]

One way to avoid the problem is to not use bushings at all when doing your finish. You can use a dead center in the headstock and put one tube at a time between centers and apply your finish. Use light pressure so you don't flare the ends of the tubes or crack the blanks.

[Steve Trauthwein]

The razor blade works well, as mentioned. Some guys use no bushings, as mentioned or bushings made from delrin or some such material.

Before I do the super glue finish I loosen the screw on my mandrel and tic the inside of each bushing with a stick of bees wax, this is sufficient to keep the bushing from sticking to the finished blank and it keeps me from having to add a longer step to the process. That is if I remember to do it.

Regards, Steve

[Bernie Weishapl]

Exacto Knife works great.

[Nicholas Briggs]

Exacto knife or razor blade. Brilliant!

[Nicholas Briggs]

Quick question. Do you use the exacto knife while still on the lathe?

[Jeffrey Fusaro]

i glued the bushings into the last pen that i made.

once off the lathe, i held both bushings (lightly) with two pair of pliers, and gently twisted the bushings until the weaker glue joint released.

i used the handle of an x-acto knife to tap the other bushing out.

everything came apart pretty cleanly. i had to use some 600 grit paper to remove the glue burrs from the ends of the pen tubes.

i guess it would be possible to chip the CA with the twisting technique, but...

[Keith Christopher]

Quick question. Do you use the exacto knife while still on the lathe?

I do, I just place it where I want it and slowly rotate it and apply more pressure each pass, doesn't take much.