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Turning Pens

tom_k/mo

paul269 wroteThanks for the info Tom. What does a sink cut out go for in your area?

They throw them away. If you want to dumpster-dive it's free. They might want to charge a buck or so if you ask them to specifically save them for you...

paul269

just checked on ebay and found 400 Corian blanks for $38.00. That is less than $0.10 per blank. By time I find a cut out and cut it into a blank I would have more time and money invested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/400-Corian-Solid-Surface-pen-blanks-100-COLORS_W0QQitemZ320339617646QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a95baa76e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

fjimp

Several weeks ago on another discussion I related my process for turning pens. At that point I did not share pictures of the jigs I have built for cutting blanks on the band saw and drilling them. They are attached here. jim

beeg

paul269 wrotejust checked on ebay and found 400 Corian blanks for $38.00. That is less than $0.10 per blank. By time I find a cut out and cut it into a blank I would have more time and money invested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/400-Corian-Solid-Surface-pen-blanks-100-COLORS_W0QQitemZ320339617646QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a95baa76e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Check closer. I think ya get 100 for the $38.00. They have 4 lots to sell.

paul269

No, The add says 100 different colors, four blanks per color.

navycop

I saw listed on ebay: 7mm Mont Blanc style w/bushings, Parker style double twist w/bushings, 10mm Rod w/bushings. These all came together with some extra bushings also. My questions is Will they fit on the SS? If they do, can I use the drill chuck from the SS?

RobertTaylor

with the info from your post i would say yes they will fit. you can turn any pen on your shopsmith. the mont blanc pen is also known as a "euro" style pen. the parker style pen is also known as a "classic american" style pen. the 10mm rod i don't believe has anything to do with either of those pens. the extra bushings may or may not be used with kits available today. getting unknown bushings is always a fun scavenger hunt to figure what kits they fit. a micrometer or dial caliper is a helpful tool in those cases. most mandrels will work with the drill chuck. some with a #2MT can be removed from the taper and some can not be removed. another method of holding mandrels on the shopsmith is the 1/4" router chuck if you have one.

JPG

beeg wroteCheck closer. I think ya get 100 for the $38.00. They have 4 lots to sell.

FWIW the add says: 4 Lots of 400 blanks(4 each of 100 colors):)

navycop

bettyt44720 wrote most mandrels will work with the drill chuck. some with a #2MT can be removed from the taper and some can not be removed. another method of holding mandrels on the shopsmith is the 1/4" router chuck if you have one.

Only the #2MT (not #1MT) mandrel will work with the drill chuck? I am looking at just doing 7mm slimline pens right now. I know I will have to buy the bushings separete.

jimthej

navycop wroteOnly the #2MT (not #1MT) mandrel will work with the drill chuck? I am looking at just doing 7mm slimline pens right now. I know I will have to buy the bushings separete.

Neither the 1MT or 2 MT will fit any of the chucks. What you have to do is remove the rod of the mandrel from the taper, if you can. Some are threaded. Some are welded or pressed. Threaded are easy to remove. The rod can then be inserted into the Jacobs chuck or 1/4" router chuck.

I bought the SS mandrel from Penn State and find it works beautifully.

navycop

Yeah, I was going to get the starter kit from PS but I can't afford it now. I was going to get the parts individually as I can. Woodcraft has the #1 and

#2MT mandrels.

RobertTaylor

woodcraft also has a replacement shaft for their mandrels that will work in the shopsmith drill chuck or 1/4" router chuck. it is about $3.00. fwiw a 7mm mandrel is not 7mm. the tubes measure 7mm od. the mandrel fits inside the 7mm tube and is 1/4" diameter.

navycop

I was going to get the PS starter kit, but funds are short. I saw that Woodcraft had the #1MT and #2MT.

wlhayesmfs

Just buy the replacemnent shaft 141502 from Woodcraft for just $2.99 and put it in the jacob's chuck. That was what I started with. Cheap and easy start. Then you buy the pen sleeves you need for the kit you build.You can even got the curl nut for the of the shaft for a dollar or two.

Good luck I find once you can find what nice pens or other kits you can turn from just any piece or scrap of wood you can find you won't stop.

navycop

Would these work for pens or are they too small? http://www.amazon.com/8-pc-Mini-Wood-Carving-Chisel/dp/B000NPR3K2/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=12521

rkh2

navycop

JMHO - I don't think I would try to use those chisels for pen turning. They are designed to do carving and I suspect that they would probably cause the tool to catch the pen blank either ruining it or worse and possibly causing injury to yourself. They are designed to take out different portions of wood depending on which type of effect you are trying for. I think the skew is pretty much all you need for turning pens especially if you are starting with a round blank. I use a gouge for a square blank then finish with a skew and I personally prefer the larger tools compared to the smaller pen turning tools.

paul269

Rkh2 is correct. Those won’t work on the lathe. You need something like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SHOPSMITH-SHOPMATE-5-PC-LATHE-CHISEL-SET-NEW-NO-RES_W0QQitemZ140343693593QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ad22d119&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

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