Pen Making Questions

This is a forum for intermediate to advanced woodworkers. Show off your projects or share your ideas.

Moderator: admin

User avatar
navycop
Gold Member
Posts: 368
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:25 pm
Location: Virginia Beach, VA

Post by navycop »

Well I made my first pen today. It wasn't that hard. I had to find the right setup (gouge and chisel support height). I was trying to attach picture. How do I make it 600x800?
Mark V 520, Ryobi 12" mitersaw, Delta 10" tablesaw, DC 3300.
Mike
pennview
Platinum Member
Posts: 1634
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:04 am

Post by pennview »

Navycop, download IrfanView -- it's free.

Then run the program and open the photo you want to downsize. Click on the menu item "image" and then on "resize/resample" Then simply select the new size you want for the image and then save it under a slightly different name.
Art in Western Pennsylvania
User avatar
navycop
Gold Member
Posts: 368
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:25 pm
Location: Virginia Beach, VA

Post by navycop »

Okay. Here is my first pen. I just used some minwax stain I had left from another project. I think I could of went down closer to the bushings. I know they sell extra ink refills, but do they sell extra springs for the pen kits?
Attachments
30OCT2010 032a.jpg
30OCT2010 032a.jpg (26.72 KiB) Viewed 2007 times
Mark V 520, Ryobi 12" mitersaw, Delta 10" tablesaw, DC 3300.
Mike
jimthej
Gold Member
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:35 pm
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Contact:

Back to the original question:

Post by jimthej »

I was having the same problem. After spinning out 3 in a row, I examined the tool I was using. The shank of the cutter had a larger diameter where the end trimmer was. I had it adjusted so that larger diameter entered the tube and grabbed it. That was an easy fix for that problem. I have a trimmer from PSI.
Jim in Bakersfield:D
User avatar
navycop
Gold Member
Posts: 368
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:25 pm
Location: Virginia Beach, VA

Post by navycop »

I did my second click pen today. The problem is it doesn't click. I can get it to work (both top and bottom halves) when they are apart. As soon as I put them together the ink tube does not extend out the nib. Does this mean I cut the bottom part to long? I marked it at the end of the tube.
Mark V 520, Ryobi 12" mitersaw, Delta 10" tablesaw, DC 3300.
Mike
User avatar
rkh2
Platinum Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:56 am
Location: Lewisburg, TN

Post by rkh2 »

I believe that this may be your problem. This is for the twist pens so not sure if the click pens are set up the same. If you have the brass tubes even with the turned stock I believe what your issue may be is that you didn't insert the inner section coupling far into the blank. Usually there is a line around the outside of the inner section and it is inserted into the blank to that line. I have had that happen before where I didn't press it in far enough and the tip of the pen would not extend out far enough.
Ron from Lewisburg, TN
User avatar
wa2crk
Platinum Member
Posts: 3080
Joined: Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:37 am
Location: Leesburg, Fl

Post by wa2crk »

Navycop;
Some of the pen kits require that the twist mechanism be pressed further into the blanks to a depth other than the scribed line on the mechanism. An example is the "cartridge bullet " pen from Rockler and Woodcraft. Download the instruction for this pen from either of these sites and you will see what I am talking about. The correct insertion of the mechanism is critical to the successful assembly and operation of the pen.
Bill V
User avatar
navycop
Gold Member
Posts: 368
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:25 pm
Location: Virginia Beach, VA

Post by navycop »

rkh2 wrote:you didn't insert the inner section coupling far into the blank. Usually there is a line around the outside of the inner section and it is inserted into the blank to that line.
I didn't need to insert an inner section. The pen just had the brass tubes and the ink tube (woodcraft kit #127671).
Mark V 520, Ryobi 12" mitersaw, Delta 10" tablesaw, DC 3300.
Mike
User avatar
RobertTaylor
Platinum Member
Posts: 566
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:28 am
Location: North Canton, Ohio

click pen

Post by RobertTaylor »

i have not made any click pens, but if you ask for help at penturners.org i am sure those guys will help you figure it out.
Bob
1954 greenie, 1963 anniversary edition now a mini,
1984 500, 1985 510, 1987 510, pro-planer, bandsaw, dust collector
hoagie
Gold Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: SoCal

Post by hoagie »

Looking at the instructionsfor that pen kit on the Woodcraft website, did you make and use the "press block" that is called for? If not, you may have compressed the click mechanism when you pressed the pen together, damaging it and preventing it from operating correctly when it is under the tension of the spring.
Hoagie - B.P.O.E. - NRA Benefactor
Mark V 520, Band Saw, Jointer, Planer, Belt Sander, Biscuit Joiner, RingMaster
Delta Dust Collector, Jet AFS
All generalizations are dangerous. Even this one.
Post Reply