# Pen Blank Sanding Jig



## byounghusband (Feb 21, 2010)

Here is an idea for sanding Pen Blanks instead of using a Barrel Trimmer.
At SWAT this past summer, I saw Colin Nelson (Ken Nelson of Kallenshaan Woods' son) and he had a new idea for sanding blanks. He had a aluminum block on a MT2 that fit in his tail stock.  Into the block, he had shafts that were the Inside Diameter of specific pens.  In his Headstock, he had a sanding disk.  He would use the shaft in the tailstock to keep the pen blank square to the sanding disk. The only problem I saw was that only one small part of the sanding disk got used....

Enter the Pendant Backer Plate that Richard Joyner makes. Many of you are familiar with it.   I use it and it's multiple holes to mount the pilot shaft and thus use much more of the sanding disk.

Here is the Pendant Backer Plate in a Jacob's Chuck in my tailstock.  A Sierra pilot shaft is in one of the 8 holes in the Backer Plate





Sierra blank is on the Pilt Shaft ready to sand.
Headstock View



Tailstock view



Sanding the blank by simply sliding the blank towards the sanding disk in the headstock.



Sanded Sierra balnk.




I had the Pilot Shaft made by JohnnCNC. They are threaded 3/8" x 16 to fit in the Pendant Backer Plate.  I only had him make the Sierra shaft to start so I could test it.  It works great, especially with the FRAGILE laser cut blanks.

I am going to ask him to make other Pilot Shafts for other pen kits.


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## gmanblue (Feb 21, 2010)

Great Job


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## johncrane (Feb 21, 2010)

Great idea Bob!


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## jttheclockman (Feb 21, 2010)

Now that has potential. I look for this in kit form coming to an IAP site near you in the future. Great job.


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## fitzman163 (Feb 22, 2010)

I could use one.


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## Whaler (Feb 22, 2010)

Great idea, something else to add to my want list.


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## jbostian (Feb 22, 2010)

Great idea, I think Iwill be making one soon.

Jamie


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## Woodlvr (Feb 22, 2010)

Another justification to have a metal lathe- great thinking.  Of course John does great work.


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## Texatdurango (Feb 22, 2010)

Really neat idea, makes use of the entire sanding pad!  Even though I just made my mini disk sander that works great, I think I might just look into this as well, never can have too many ways of making ones life easier and more enjoyable!


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## johnnycnc (Feb 22, 2010)

Pretty nifty idea, Bob. Glad to hear it worked out for ya!


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## greggas (Feb 22, 2010)

Great Idea....what is SWAT??


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## Scoots (Feb 22, 2010)

SouthWest Association of Turners.  They have a large symposium every year (in Waco, Texas for the next 3 years).  Here's the home page:

http://www.swaturners.org/welcome/welcome.shtml


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## rherrell (Feb 23, 2010)

Seems like alot of different parts. If you're off just .001" on each one it can add up and you won't get that perfectly square end that you're shootin' for.:wink:


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## Bree (Feb 23, 2010)

I think it's a good idea and a cool additional use for the Joyner Plate.  Looks like you got John a bunch of business!
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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