Pen turning 101

mbcabinetmaker · Post by **mbcabinetmaker** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 7:21 am

JPG40504 wrote:It appears someone has a separate chuck for use on the quill different from the one he uses on the tailstock!:D

That to keep them from working 'backwards'?:rolleyes:

Not at all JPG they are for drilling and undrilling.

dasgud · Post by **dasgud** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:28 am

Would someone please point out the chapter in PTWFE for undrilling? I can't find it anywhere...

that was funny

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:22 am

What happened to the pics in Post 20?

mbcabinetmaker · Post by **mbcabinetmaker** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 7:22 pm

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This is the way Gorilla glue works. It is polyurethane glue and bonds to about anything and has good gap filling ability as it expands.

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I just touch two sides one the disc sander to knock off any glue. Just make sure that it is not the side with the grain alignment mark.

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Now with two clean sides I can just touch the ends to clean them up. If you prefer you can also hold them still and advance the sanding disc on the quill.

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Next post we will clean the glue from the inside of the tubes.

mbcabinetmaker · Post by **mbcabinetmaker** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 7:27 pm

terrydowning wrote:What happened to the pics in Post 20?

Terry are you having a problem viewing the pictures?

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 7:44 pm

mbcabinetmaker wrote:Terry are you having a problem viewing the pictures?

I can see them now. dunno what happened.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:07 pm

[quote="dasgud"]Would someone please point out the chapter in PTWFE for undrilling? I can't find it anywhere... ]
I don't know where the undrilling section is in PTWFE, but if yer gonna do it, ya gonna need one of these!:D

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hdtran · Post by **hdtran** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:19 pm

I personally prefer using 5 or 15 minute epoxy. You don't need to clean out the insides of the tubes afterwards if you use epoxy, and you're reasonably careful about applying it (popsicle stick & disposable take-out chopsticks)

I have heard that polyurethane glue (such as Gorilla glue) may push the tubes out when it cures, so that you want to put some wax paper & a clamp at the end to prevent the expanding glue from possibly pushing your tube out.

After I square the ends (I use a pen mill, but you could use the disc sander with a jig), I re-mark the blanks radially out from the brass tube. I'm sure you'll be showing the squaring of the ends next. (Pen mills have the advantage that they will clean out the insides of your tubes if you have stray epoxy or gorilla glue).

Great pictorial tutorial! Looking forward to seeing more! Thanks!!!!

hdtran

mbcabinetmaker · Post by **mbcabinetmaker** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:30 pm

hdtran wrote:I personally prefer using 5 or 15 minute epoxy. You don't need to clean out the insides of the tubes afterwards if you use epoxy, and you're reasonably careful about applying it (popsicle stick & disposable take-out chopsticks)

I have heard that polyurethane glue (such as Gorilla glue) may push the tubes out when it cures, so that you want to put some wax paper & a clamp at the end to prevent the expanding glue from possibly pushing your tube out.

After I square the ends (I use a pen mill, but you could use the disc sander with a jig), I re-mark the blanks radially out from the brass tube. I'm sure you'll be showing the squaring of the ends next. (Pen mills have the advantage that they will clean out the insides of your tubes if you have stray epoxy or gorilla glue).

Great pictorial tutorial! Looking forward to seeing more! Thanks!!!!

hdtran

I used to use epoxy but switched to polyurethane and I like it better. Never had a tube move and I've done a few hundred. As to squaring the ends that is all taken care of with drilling the blanks on the Shopsmith with the chuck. You wont get any more square than they are in the last post. I have had tear out problems with pen mills. I now only use the bit portion of the mill to clear the glue from the tubes. The important thing though is to find a system that works for you and the equipment that you have.

mbcabinetmaker · Post by **mbcabinetmaker** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:48 pm

mbcabinetmaker wrote:I used to use epoxy but switched to polyurethane and I like it better. Never had a tube move and I've done a few hundred. As to squaring the ends that is all taken care of with drilling the blanks on the Shopsmith with the chuck. You wont get any more square than they are in the last post. I have had tear out problems with pen mills. I now only use the bit portion of the mill to clear the glue from the tubes. The important thing though is to find a system that works for you and the equipment that you have.

This is the first time I have ever quoted my self but these pictures make more sense if you read the above. Keep in mind that this is a system that I have perfected that works for me but there are other ways to achieve the same results.

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I chuck up the correct size drill bit from a pen mill kit that I purchased several years ago. Any drill bit the correct size would work just a well.

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Then with the Shopsmith on the slowest speed I simply hold the blank and work it onto the bit to remove the glue. I guess a safety flag could be thrown here but you would have to try hard to hurt you self doing this.