# Barrel trimmer and drill press



## Neededwill (Mar 5, 2014)

So I see many people use their barrel trimmer in their drill press to square blanks.  Well I tried this but it seems to take more time to put it in a vise, center to trimmer and get it in the whole exactly.

I use a cordless drill and a vise now but wanted to see how others are using the press for squaring.


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## Dan Masshardt (Mar 5, 2014)

Why use a vise?  I usually just hold it or use a pair of pliers. 

Of course I hardly ever use a barrel trimmer so I'm prob the wrong one to give advice.


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## fisher (Mar 5, 2014)

I just hold the blank in my hand and use a battery drill .Wearing a glove holding the blank .


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## Mike Powell (Mar 5, 2014)

I just hold it


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## shastastan (Mar 5, 2014)

I was using a pen mill with the drill press with a pen blank vise.  The holes were always a little off.  I bought a better quality drill chuck and changed to link belts.  Still a problem so I got rid of the vise and started using a wood clamp.  The other day, the pen mill tore up a nice cocobolo blank, but I think that was my fault in some way.  I'm waiting for a trimmer that goes in the tailstock from PSI.  In the mean time, I use my dozuki saw to trim the blanks back to close to the brass tube and finish squaring with a disk sander.  Ah, adventures in pen trimming!


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## Leatherman1998 (Mar 6, 2014)

Dan Masshardt said:


> Why use a vise?  I usually just hold it or use a pair of pliers.
> 
> Of course I hardly ever use a barrel trimmer so I'm prob the wrong one to give advice.



What do you use normally?

Levi Woodard
Sent from my Galaxy tab 3 using Forum Runner


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## rherrell (Mar 6, 2014)

I put the blank in my vise and use a cordless drill.


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## mywoodshopca (Mar 6, 2014)

I do it on the lathe.. PLUS they work better at taking stuff off at LOWER speeds. 

Also, after having one catching once, I now put the blank in the Dedicated Pen Blank Drilling Chuck to hold it securely.


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## kovalcik (Mar 6, 2014)

I usually just hold blank and use my cordless drill.


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## Dan Masshardt (Mar 6, 2014)

Leatherman1998 said:


> What do you use normally?  Levi Woodard Sent from my Galaxy tab 3 using Forum Runner




Used to be belt / disc sander.  Sometimes still do but mainly trim ends on lathe while while blank is in chuck.


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## JohnGreco (Mar 6, 2014)

I put the blank in the pen vise, but do not close it yet. Lower the Drill press until the shaft is in the tube- move the blank around freely until it's in. Then lock the drill press in that position, tighten the vise (which is not bolted/clamped down), unlock the dill press and turn it on. Takes just a few seconds.


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## eranox (Mar 6, 2014)

I use a corded hand drill and a 4" drill press vise that ended up being too big for my drill press.  I used to hold the blank by hand, but if the cutter catches it can really hurt.  I just got set up for sanding on the lathe, so I'll be doing that primarily now.


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## Katsin (Mar 6, 2014)

rherrell said:


> I put the blank in my vise and use a cordless drill.



+1

I have my vice jaws leather lined mostly to the purpose of holding pen blanks for this operation.


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## Ted iin Michigan (Mar 6, 2014)

I use a barrel trimmer in the drill press. The blank is held vertical by a blank vise that I bought/made. 
Handheld blanks!?!? Holy cow! If I did that it would be sure thing recipe for disaster. Can you say Redi care trip to remove wood/plastic from my hand? And stitches. Lots of them. Safety, people! Safety!


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## Wildman (Mar 6, 2014)

Another barrel trimmer mounted in drill press with either wooden handscrew clamp or homemade clamp like this one.  

HUT Pen Drilling Jig-hutproducts.com


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## Edgar (Mar 6, 2014)

rherrell said:


> I put the blank in my vise and use a cordless drill.



I still do that too with cheap wood blanks, but now I have this spiffy Rick Herrell offset lathe sanding jig that I use when I want things really square or when I have a really nice blank that I don't want to take a chance of ruining with a pen mill. :biggrin:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f172/custom-made-penturning-tools-accessories-92501/

Edgar


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## flyitfast (Mar 6, 2014)

Use a jig found in the IAP Library and sand on a belt sander.  Drilling on the lathe does a great job of keeping the hole straight thru the blank.
Holding the blank in your hand and using a mill???????  YIKES!!!!!  Want to see my scars from doing that????
gordon


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## shastastan (Mar 6, 2014)

Wildman said:


> Another barrel trimmer mounted in drill press with either wooden handscrew clamp or homemade clamp like this one.
> 
> HUT Pen Drilling Jig-hutproducts.com



Hey, that's a nice looking and practical jig.  I'm thinking about it, too.  I like the idea of doing three at once.  That saves some time for sure!


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## plano_harry (Mar 6, 2014)

Am I the only one doing this the correct way?:tongue:

I close the jaws on my vise, set the blank on top so the pilot will clear if it is longer than the blank, lower the pilot into the tube.  While holding the blank with an adjustable wrench (square) or pliers (round), turn on the drill press and use the handle to get a smooth trim to the tube guaranteed square with the cutter.

If I have something that I am worried about breaking, I use the transfer punch fixture on the disk sander, but this is not my favorite.

For touch up after finish polishing, I use a small sanding disk that quickly fits my 7mm collet in the headstock and the appropriate transfer punch chucked in the tail stock if I have something that needs a little work.  Otherwise, I just touch up by hand with fine sandpaper on a flat surface.


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## shastastan (Mar 6, 2014)

mywoodshopca said:


> I do it on the lathe.. PLUS they work better at taking stuff off at LOWER speeds.
> 
> Also, after having one catching once, I now put the blank in the Dedicated Pen Blank Drilling Chuck to hold it securely.



I'm going to try your way.  I had one catch while using the drill press.  I used to put a hand drill in a clamp and hold the blank with offset pliers (padded).  That way was a real pita.  I'm waiting for my tail stock trimmer/cutter to get here from psi.  I'm still fuming from messing up a nice cocobolo blank.


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## wouldentu2? (Mar 6, 2014)

If the trimmer is sharp you only need to hold it with your  hand, anything more is overkill and a waste of time. Keep It Simple Stan.


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## carlmorrell (Mar 6, 2014)

Ted iin Michigan said:


> I use a barrel trimmer in the drill press. The blank is held vertical by a blank vise that I bought/made.
> Handheld blanks!?!? Holy cow! If I did that it would be sure thing recipe for disaster. Can you say Redi care trip to remove wood/plastic from my hand? And stitches. Lots of them. Safety, people! Safety!



I have done it hand held with a cordless drill 1000 times. No injuries yet.


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## thewishman (Mar 6, 2014)

carlmorrell said:


> Ted iin Michigan said:
> 
> 
> > I use a barrel trimmer in the drill press. The blank is held vertical by a blank vise that I bought/made.
> ...




Said Nine Fingers McGee.


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## Wood Butcher (Mar 6, 2014)

Having lost more nice blanks to the good old barrel trimmer I developed a way to use it safer. but I turn it backwards on the shaft.  I drill and tube the blank with some excess at both ends, about 1/8" to as much as 1/2".  I use a miter gauge in the band saw slot with a backer board and carefully trim to within a hair's breath of the brass tube.  I then turn the blank(s) between centers without bushings and use a micrometer to get them close to the final size.  I remove and use the barrel trimmer as a shaft mounted sander.  I punch a 1/4" hole in some PSA sandpaper, about 220 grit, and cut it to 3/4" round or square, doesn't really matter which, and stick it to the barrel of the trimmer - on the back side opposite the cutting blades.  Now I hold the blank in one hand and with the other hand I use a held drill to sand the blank down to the brass till it looks nice and shiny.  Back on the lathe for final sizing and finishing.  Haven't lost one since I started doing it this way.  Just another option.
WB


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## kovalcik (Mar 7, 2014)

The problem I saw using the vise/drill press approach is that if the blank is not square and not put back into the vise in the exact orientation that it was drilled, there is no assurance that the tube is parallel to the trimmer shaft. IMO you should not fix both the trimmer AND the blank unless you are sure they are aligned.

As far as the handheld blank and drill method being dangerous, a leather glove or pair of vice grips remedies that.


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## Wildman (Mar 7, 2014)

Made this little clamp about ten years ago after seeing one like it in Hut catalog.  Hut has updated version in their catalog now.  Had to modify original design because matching handles did not work well, so simplified it to what you see now.  Do use a spring clamp on handles, to keep things tight. Hold clamp with one hand & operate drill press with the other to trim my pen barrels.

This simple set up provides me speedy set up & accuracy so think it's a good op.


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## jsolie (Mar 7, 2014)

I've found that I get less chatter when I use my barrel trimmer in the drill press than in the cordless drill. When I use the drill press, I'll hold the blank with a pair of pliers to keep my fingers away from the cutters.

I also make sure that the pilot shafts will cleanly fit through the tubes before I even put the barrel trimmer in the drill press.  Sometimes this can take a bit, depending on how much CA or epoxy has sneaked into the tube.

I'll also make sure to touch up the cutters with my diamond hone about every other use before putting everything together.


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## shastastan (Mar 9, 2014)

Finally got my drill chuck end trimmer.  It looks similar to a forstner bit.

It works quite well and gives a very smooth surface.  No problem in covering a 3/4" blank.  I didn't check to see how large of a blank it will trim though.  The one thing that I don't like about it is that it's harder to see the progress than with a drill press or hand drill--even with a light shining directly on the end of the blank.  However, I was trimming cocobolo blanks and they are oily making the dust stick around the hole.  I had to stop 3 times to check and make sure that I wan't cutting the brass tube.  I don't think I'll get catches as long as I remember to ease  the start very gradually.


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## robersonjr (Mar 9, 2014)

I just hold the blank in my hand and trim it on the drill press, never had a problem, it is fast and easy.


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## mikespenturningz (Mar 10, 2014)

I always square on my lathe. I use a disk sander that I made using the bowl plate with a piece of 3/4 plywood. Purchased velcro at home depot. Then I apply a sanding disk to it. I free hand the bulk of the material that needs to be removed then use a transfer punch in Rick's offset holder. I used to just use my jacobs chuck with a transfer punch. This gets my blanks as close to square as they can be gotten at least by me. Fast, easy, accurate and I like this method. 

I used to just hold the blank in my hand, put the barrel trimmer in my cordless drill and square. I don't like this method because I have had things slip and those barrel trimmers are not easy on the hand, DAMHIKT


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## Band Saw Box (Mar 10, 2014)

I use a drill press along with my pen vise which is mounted to the drill press table so the blank is centered. I don't feel it adds all that much time and I can watch just how much I'm taking off.


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## twinsen (Mar 10, 2014)

plano_harry said:


> Am I the only one doing this the correct way?:tongue:
> 
> I close the jaws on my vise, set the blank on top so the pilot will clear if it is longer than the blank, lower the pilot into the tube.  While holding the blank with an adjustable wrench (square) or pliers (round), turn on the drill press and use the handle to get a smooth trim to the tube guaranteed square with the cutter.
> 
> ...



I also put my trimmer in the drill press and use a hand clamp to hold the blank. Then I just push it on to the spinning trimmer. If I need more pressure I use the pen vise as a stop like Plano (above) just so I don't have to adjust my table and so I don't sink the trimmer into a hard wood surface. I've put the blank in the pen vise in the past but I've had issues with it warping the tube a little which translates to wobble on the lathe.


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## Ted iin Michigan (Mar 10, 2014)

Kovalcik has a real good point. A "square" blank is necessary to insure the hole is centered when drilling. However, the vices have a slot into which the blank fits. As long as the drill bit is parallel to the slot, you're ok. Then, when you're ready to trim, the mills have that shaft which fits inside the brass tube to clean it out. It also serves double duty insuring the mill is perpendicular to the brass tube. Works good.


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## shastastan (Mar 10, 2014)

Just want to follow up to my previous post.  I received the tail stock trimmer/cutter. It works great.  I use it with the pen blank chuck.  I didn't put the blank in all the way until it bottomed out.  I just squared one end first and then put it in all the way.  Actually, I had already drilled the holes and glued the tubes.  You do have to stop a few times to make sure that you don't cut the brass tube.  I left a very small amount of wood on each end and finished off with the disk sander.


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## rblakemore (Apr 5, 2014)

*To endmill or not*

This looks like an endless thread; my wife and I were trained to use the disk sander on a bench top sander.  This is great and easy, except that the disk table slips and it is difficult to keep the ends square, and that horrible gap makes itself known.  I now tighten the blank (with the tube glued in place) in the blank vise and use a barrel end mill trimmer on the drill press.  I have had no gaps since starting this method.  I agree that ensuring the correct orientation to have  both ends square could be a problem; but, that has not occurred yet.


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## BayouPenturner (Apr 5, 2014)

I used the vice and trimmer on the cordless drill.  I purchased the two tools from Rick Herrell but have not tried either.  I was going to use the lathe mounted device initially to trim the blank and the tool trimmer looking tool with the sandpaper face before assembly.


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## shastastan (Apr 6, 2014)

rblakemore said:


> This looks like an endless thread; my wife and I were trained to use the disk sander on a bench top sander.  This is great and easy, except that the disk table slips and it is difficult to keep the ends square, and that horrible gap makes itself known.  I now tighten the blank (with the tube glued in place) in the blank vise and use a barrel end mill trimmer on the drill press.  I have had no gaps since starting this method.  I agree that ensuring the correct orientation to have  both ends square could be a problem; but, that has not occurred yet.



Initially I used a drill vice (looks similar to a hose clamp)  to hold the drill and held the blank with pliers. inserting it on to the pen mill.  Then, I used a wood clamp and the drill press.  I ruined a nice cocobolo blank so I bought the end cutter (looks like a forstner bit) from PSI.  It goes in the tailstock and I use their pen blank chuck.  I don't take it down to the tube metal with this setup though.  For the last 32nd or so I use my 10" disk sander.  I also have a sander with a 6" disk and belt.  I have it mounted to a 3/4" piece of mdf so that I can clamp it to the workbench to hold it in place.   Lots of different ways to square a blank end.


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## Rick_G (Apr 6, 2014)

I always do mine on the lathe.  I trim as close as possible to the brass tube on the band saw, then turn between centers on the lathe until the blank is round.  I then take the right hand bushing out and remount the blank between centers.  I work on the principle that the 60 deg. live center in the tailstock is going to rest on the brass tube slightly before the blank is even with the tube.  now using a small parting tool I made specifically for this using dull thickness planer blades I slowly remove material from the end of the blank until see the brass tube.  Check for square and I'm done one end.  Put the bushing back in, remove the bushing from the other end and remount the blank between centers and do the other end.  
The blade on the home made parting tool is 1/16 in. thick and 3/8 in. wide.  Ground to a point a little less than 60 deg. and the sides on a slight angle so it acts like a small scraper when the point is put between the center and the blank.  Been doing it this way for a few years now and it works great.


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## raar25 (Apr 7, 2014)

Has anyone tried the carbide mill on the lathe?  I was wondering with the added control of the handwheel crank if it will be as prone to catch?


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## jrc (Apr 10, 2014)

I mainly use a 1/2" trimmer head where It is not trimming more wood than I need to. The head does not get hot from friction so to stays sharp longer. If sharp it is very easy to hand hold. If dull I sharpen it with a diamond disk. I make 1500 to 2000 pens a year and my last new trimmer head was around 3 years ago.


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## ashaw (Apr 10, 2014)

My vise is centered all the time for drill and barrel trimming.  I will do a couple of hundred at one time with no problems.


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## endacoz (Apr 21, 2014)

*How to sharpen the barrel trimmer?*

Just wondering if anyone has a video of how to sharpen the barrel trimmer?


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## edman2 (Apr 21, 2014)

There is a tutorial in the library.  Look under tools.




endacoz said:


> Just wondering if anyone has a video of how to sharpen the barrel trimmer?


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## sbell111 (Apr 25, 2014)

I use a vise on my drill press.  The table is set to drill a perpendicular hole through the blank.  It doesn't matter if you are drilling or milling, the hole is still perpendicular.  there really isnt much extra setup when milling.  I clamp the drilled blank into the hole, line up the mill shaft with the hole, and then clamp the vise to the drill press table.  I guess that I'm not seeing the problem.


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## neubee (Apr 25, 2014)

I use a quick clamp to keep my hand away from the trimmer and it supports two wall sides of the blank from potentially breaking away.


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## tool-man (Apr 26, 2014)

For trimming/squaring rough, unturned blanks to the correct length I use a drill press as shown here. The pic shows a blank without the brass tube - that's what I had at hand for the picture - but this is done after gluing in the tube.  The blank is clamped the the visegrip and I hold it by hand.  There is almost no tendency for the cutter to grab the blank, and no need for a vise.  If you use a vise here, you have a dickens of a time ensuring the trimmer and the blank are in alignment. Before I turn the drill press on, I raise the blank so the guide shaft is about an inch or so into the brass tube.  With the shaft in the tube the plane of the cut is automatically aligned perpendicular to the axis (or square.)




Below is a close up of the tool I use, but most of you will of course be using a barrel trimmer which has the same effect.  My tool is a piloted end mill with a #2 morse taper.  Since it is high speed steel I have not yet needed to sharpen the cutters. I use home made hollow tubes for shims when using this on larger diameter pen tubes.

I do not use this after the pen tube has been turned.  I use a lathe jig consisting of a metal rod held in a chuck in the tailstock, onto to which is slid the completed pen tube, and then the tube is slid up against a sanding disk held in the headstock.  Slow speed of course and about 100 grit paper.  Using fine grit sandpaper there is no problem with then end of you finished pen tube cracking or splintering. See this thread http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/my-new-squaring-method-94962/
more ideas
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/barrell-trimming-yep-another-way-107749/



Neededwill said:


> So I see many people use their barrel trimmer in their drill press to square blanks.  Well I tried this but it seems to take more time to put it in a vise, center to trimmer and get it in the whole exactly.
> 
> I use a cordless drill and a vise now but wanted to see how others are using the press for squaring.


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## sbwertz (May 11, 2019)

I realize this is an old post, but it is good info that can use a bump.

I have carbide pen mills and chuck them in the drill press, since we are usually doing thirty or more at a time.   I hold the blank with a pair of pliers and put a thick piece of board under it.  Take TINY passes until the brass shows.  I slide the board out from under to slip the blank off the mill, since my drill press down there only has a 2.5" quill travel.

Carbide stays sharper much longer than regular mills, and I sharpen them with diamond hones when they need it.  We were gifted two carbide pen mills not long ago, and I keep one of them with the 7mm shaft, since that is the one we use the most, and the other I change the shaft for whatever pen we are milling.  For sizes that I don't have shafts for, I turn wooden sleeves with 7mm tubes to fit the tubes of various kits and label them with a sharpie.  I just slip them over the 7mm shaft.


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## Woodchipper (May 11, 2019)

No problem if you are doing several pens as Sharon mentioned. See photo with Harbor /freight machinist's vise. Slip the tube on the bit, raise the bed, keep the blank against one side of the vise, tighten and turn away! I made a disk sander but have to put it on the lathe and square then take it off to turn the blank.


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## EdM (May 11, 2019)

Rick's jig was a real value-add for me. I haven't blown up a blank in the barrel trimmer since I switched over, and the ends wind up properly squared every time !


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