Drilling pen blanks

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:25 pm

beeg wrote:Also Major Bob. We THANK YOU for your service to our country.

AND putting Ft Leo Wood Mo in your profile so it always appears on all of your posts would be informative and useful. Go to 'User CP'.

curiousgeorge · Post by **curiousgeorge** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:26 pm

I use this complicated piece of machinery on a drill press...

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:33 pm

curiousgeorge wrote:I use this complicated piece of machinery on a drill press...

The blank goes into the two notches in the jaws? What did you use to cut the notches? Mortising bit? Band saw? ???

jbooher · Post by **jbooher** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:59 pm

There have been several methods for clamping mention in this thread and which ever one you use should work. What has not been mention is that when you start drilling holes more then 10 mm you can have the hole blowout and ruin the blank. To solve this problem use a blank longer then needed and drill about eight of an inch deeper then you need, but not all the way thru. Then cut the blank to the correct length with the bandsaw.

James

tom_k/mo · Post by **tom_k/mo** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:33 pm

jbooher wrote:There have been several methods for clamping mention in this thread and which ever one you use should work. What has not been mention is that when you start drilling holes more then 10 mm you can have the hole blowout and ruin the blank. To solve this problem use a blank longer then needed and drill about eight of an inch deeper then you need, but not all the way thru. Then cut the blank to the correct length with the bandsaw.

James

Good suggestion James, I've found that to be true myself, and it works well. It requires an extra step in cutting/drilling the blanks, but since doing this, I've not split or blown out the end of a blank yet.

earlmorton · Post by **earlmorton** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:01 pm

This is the jig I made. The base is held to the table with two SS T-nuts. That ensures that the bar between the blank and the clamp is parallel to the drill bit. The slotted bar slides to accommodate different sizes of blanks. The backer block is just any available scrap of wood or MDF.

After I drill and glue up the blanks in a batch, I use the same jig with the sanding disk to square off the ends. I just don't tighten the T-nuts so it slides.

Someday I'll replace the hex bolts on the T-nuts and slotted bar with knobs that I can tighten without a wrench. I just keep forgetting to buy some when I'm at a store that sells them.

The fly on the fence just snuck in for a photo-op! I didn't realize he was there until I was back upstairs writing this post.

major_bob · Post by **major_bob** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:28 pm

Thanks Earl,
Truly a piece of beauty !

flyslinger · Post by **flyslinger** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:32 pm

Major Bob,
Hello from Washington State, I lived at Ft. Leonard Wood in the late 60's and early 70's as a young teen and sure was some great bass fishing there.
As far as a jig for holding your pen blanks I use a couple of scrap maple pieces 2.5" wide and about 6" long w/ a dado in the center 3/8 x 3/8 and hold my pen blank in the dado with a screw clamp and just drill a bunch of blanks at the same time so when I find the time to turn a pen I don't have to set up everytime...... have fun turning...and again Thank You for your service..

curiousgeorge · Post by **curiousgeorge** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:46 pm

JPG40504 wrote:The blank goes into the two notches in the jaws? YES What did you use to cut the notches? Mortising bit? Band saw? ???

I use a Band saw..

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:06 pm

curiousgeorge wrote:I use a Band saw..

Gracius!:)