+Pen making

[Danny.Finney]

:?: HI, I am completly new to the art of woodturning and I am trying to make pens. The hardest part I find is drilling a home central down the pen blank. Is there a tool or jig??? that can help me?

 

[loz]

Hiya,

Im fairly new to pens also. I was drilling by hand and getting 70% success. ( 30 % having wandering holes, curves holes, large countersunk ends due to wander etc )

i recently got hold of a jacobs chuck to hold my bits in the drive, and haven't messed up one since.

Some people hold the stock in a chuck and drill from the tail. I drill in the drive, and push stock towards the drill from the tail ( holding stock with a spanner to stop rotation ) .

I prep stock by punching a small centre as a guide.

When half way in, i reverse the stock.

Regs

Laurence

- You might wanna post in the lathes forum also.

 

[xy mosian]

I'm not a pen maker, but that sounds like the sort of thing I have used 'Lamp Standard Shell Augers' for in the past. Used because they self centre along the grain. I was looking for a description of those and came across this http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/print.asp?p=1109, all about long hole boring. The dimensions may be wrong but I believe the last Lamp Standard Shell Augers I came across for sale were 1/4". This may be too big of course.

Trying to help not hinder.
xy

 

[laird]

A pen blank clamp, a pillar drill. No probs.

 

[Bluefoxy]

Hi Danny,

Sorry I've only just clocked your query. I am a member of the UK Penturners forum http://ukpenkits.com/catalog/forums/index.php and some time back we had a discussion on the best method to drill the blanks. The concensus was that most of us clamp the blank in pin jaws held in a chuck in the headstock. The drill bit is held in a jacobs chuck in the tailstock. The drill is then fed into the blank at slow speed ie. 400-700rpm. The bit should be withdrawn every 20mm or so to clear it and of course not be allowed to get too hot. Bit of a slow process but as you have already discovered it is the most difficult part in making a pen. It obviously helps to keep the drill sharp. There is also a range of drills by Colt specifically for drilling pens but they are expensive. Since adopting the above method I have not had a failure unless I try and rush it

I recommend the above forum if you intend to make pens it is a fountain of knowledge and you would be made most welcome.

Regards,

Ray

 

[xy mosian]

I've just remembered. In a recent post, this year I think, about long thin drills. Pete Maddex suggested that grinding a lip and spur type end, on a twist drill, helped keep the holes straight and centred. I've not needed to try this yet, but it sounds very useful.

xy

 

[Jonzjob]

Still on the subject of pen making. I haven't ever made any, but I've been thinking of making 3 or 4 as Christmas pressies. I have a pillar drill, lathe with various chucks including a Jacobs, band saw and various other woodworking tools.

Question. Is it really necessary to get things like mandrills and the other bit and bob tools to make just a few pens? Nice to have, Yes, but it would start to increase the price..

 

[Daven]

Hi Jonzjob,

I manage with a pillar drill a drill vice and a mandrel.

I would say the mandrel is worth every penny. I dont often buy the extra bushes but use calipers instead.

The barrel trimmer is useful too. I use a normal vice to assemble the pen being careful to get the inserts square

Colt drill bits are worth getting but not essential

Hope this helps

Dave

 

[stevebuk]

Its also very easy to drill out the centre using the lathe, put a jacobs drill and bit in the tailstock end, your blank in the headstock and bobs your aunties nephews sons brother... :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[mikec]

Hi Jonzjob,

I use a pillar drill with a bullet point drill that has a small pilot tip on the end of the drill. I bought a set made by Pirhana.

It depends on the wood, some breaks down into free flowing chips while other woods tend to clog the tip and cause heating up of the tip.

The best advice whatever method you use is to keep clearing the drill by retracting the drill at regular intervals. Don't use excessive pressure and listen, if it starts sqealing then retract.

Hope this helps.

Mikec

 

[beejay]

Hi Danny,
All as stated by the other guys.
You didn't say so I assume you are cutting the blank into 2 parts before you're drilling.
regards, beejay

 

[Jonzjob]

When/if I do make pens then the blanks will be cut in 1/2 to drill. As much as anything else because I don't have a drill long enough otherwise and as I said originally I will only be making 3 or so pen/pencils so I don't want to spend enough cash to gold plate them, metaphorically speaking

Can anyone tell me the best place to get a few of the pen kits from please? I have had a look at Axminster, but they don't seem to do the range they used to. I've seen reference to suppliers on here before but can't find them at the mo..

 

[Jensmith]

I am also fairly new to pen turning and have made 4 so far. I only have a mini lathe so have to turn one half of the pen at a time but I would say a pen mandrel is essential if you want a good finish as you turn the blanks down to the diameter of the bushes.

A blank trimming tool also helps get the ends of the blank square though I've had problems getting mine to work and ended up sanding them.

You need to cut the blanks in half and then drill from the centre out to get the best match. You also need to mark the centre so you can match the grain.

I have found that drilling and finishing are the hardest parts to get right. I have bought a lip and spur drill which gives a better hole and drilling in the lathe is a bit more accurate than the pillar drill though with a blank vice and a good drill bit you should be ok.

he end grain of the wood can make the drill wander off centre which I've had problems with though once you turn the pen it turns out ok anyway as long as you have enough to turn down.

The other tip is to make sure you sand the turned blanks carefully as this really makes all the difference.
be careful not to burn the wood by causing too much friction and watch not to sand the bushes and drag metal into the wood. I've made both mistakes and a black end to the pen spoils it.

You can use a bench vice to assemble the pen but in the end I was having so many problems with the tip not going in straight and other problems that I got a pen assembly tool. It was causing me too much stress otherwise!

hope that helps.

Jennifer,

 

[Jonzjob]

I doubt if I will be using bought pen blanks as I have enough wood of all sorts to make them from. Box to some ebony with lots inbetween in colour.

 

[NikNak]

Jonsjob...... look here for 'cheap' pen kits...

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/fun-e-turnz/m.ht ... m=&_ipg=25


this is where i buy all my cheaper kits. The only ones i wouldn't buy again are the Classic & Classic Elite kits as the threads leave a lot to be desired... :shock:

But i have tried most of the colours in the slimline 'fancy' kits (5 kits for £7.50) with no problems at all.

But if it's quality you're after you need to go somewhere like Turner Retreat, Stiles & Bates etc. Like everything in life..... you get what you pay for.




Nick

 

[stewart]

If you've not come across this site yet it is stuffed with info about making pens: http://www.penturners.org/

 

[Dalboy]

Here is also a good supplier of kits

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source ... PmaYQZ1Epg