# Tips on Drilling Nibs



## hewunch (Sep 8, 2008)

OK, I got an idea for a pen. The nib will be similar in shape to a bullet nib, so some of you bullet guys (and anyone else with experience) could you help me figure out how to drill the nib centered and plumb?

Thanks!
Hans


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## Daniel (Sep 8, 2008)

collet chuck


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## hewunch (Sep 8, 2008)

Yeah, I was thinking on a drill press.


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## gwilki (Sep 8, 2008)

I'm with Daniel. I chuck bullets in a collet chuck and drill them on the lathe.


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## hewunch (Sep 8, 2008)

The problem is my quill travel is not so hot.


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## Daniel (Sep 8, 2008)

a little more seriously and hopefully helpful. there are some tutorials on making bullet pens with some suggestions about how to get them drilled. most end up with a collet chuck or some variation of it but I seem to remember at least one or two drill press suggestions. If I remember right one of the drill press ideas is a make it yourself type set up. I would not even consider drilling bullets on my drill press but it is not even close to being accurate.
I drilled all my bullets (100 50 cal BMG) using a center drill to start the hole. I messed up one by not getting the starter hole deep enough so do not know how you would get one started with out the center drill. I was drilling from the tip into the bullet rather than from the back. 
the collet chuck is repeatable and consistant and in my experience 100% success. my one failure was my fault in not paying attention to how well I drilled the pilot hole.


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## rherrell (Sep 9, 2008)

The closest way I can think of on a DP would be to make your own wooden collet and put it in your blank vise. Turn your piece round to whatever size collet you make and you can get it pretty dang close. You can turn the piece over and drill from both ends this way. Look at my tutorial on cartridge pens in the library. It shows a photo of one.


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## rherrell (Sep 9, 2008)

One more thing. Do all your drilling BEFORE you shape the piece. This will give you greater accuracy when you turn the piece over to drill the other side.
Do you have two drill chucks? Try the one from your DP and see if you can get it to fit your lathe. If you have two drill chucks, after you drill your piece, use the same wooden collet in the headstock and in the tailstock mount your other chuck and put the same drill you used in BACKWARDS. Insert it part way in the nib BEFORE you tighten up the collet and it will act as a center to keep everything lined up while you do your shaping.
After you shape one end, measure the diameter and make another collet to fit. Turn the whole thing around and do the same thing again.


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## Sylvanite (Sep 9, 2008)

I tried drilling bullets with a drill press, and on the lathe with a scroll chuck and homemade collets, but was never satisfied until I got a Beall collet chuck.  Nothing else held the bullet firm and true without marring.

That said, if you have a vise on your drill press that centers accurately and repeatably, then you can make a set of wood jaws.  Rip a piece a wood in two (at an angle if you are using a pen blank vise).  Clamp the pieces in your vise with ripped faces mated.  Drill a hole through the center a little smaller than the piece you are using for your nib.

As long as your press and your vise line up the same way each time, you now have a concentric clamp for your workpiece.

Regards,
Eric


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## 1JaredSchmidt (Sep 13, 2008)

CNC mini metal lathe.


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## byounghusband (Sep 17, 2008)

You will find the necessary info in two of the tutorials in the Library. Go to http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1488 .

Scroll down to the Pens section and see 
 ...Cartridge Pen article by Don Ward 
 ...Cartridge Pen(How To Drill A Bullet) by Rick Herrell.  

That should give you a couple ideas ....


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## workinforwood (Sep 17, 2008)

I read you said it's shaped like a bullet, but you didn't say it is a bullet.    When I do drill a bullet, I do it in my pen vise.  I only use hollow points.  I stick the bullet in the vise, I use a small bit and drill into the hollow point through to the back side.  Then I flip the bullet, drill the back side larger so I can melt out the lead.  Is that as good as the other guys...I can't see any difference.  The back side looks sloppy, but it's hidden in the pen, and the ink comes out straight through the center.  For a wood one or other home made nib...hmmm, that's different indeed.  The most important part though is the same, and that's the exit hole.  That's the hole that must be in the center.  Inside the pen if it's a bit off, isn't so big a deal unless you have x-ray eyes.  We with lesser tools just have to make due.  If the inside is way off though, then you'll turn the nib open when you spin it, if you spin it too thin.  With a bullet, you don't spin the outside of the nib with a chisel, so no worries.  I think an alternate material nib, I'd have no choice but to figure out a way to fit my drill chuck into my lathe and use a step drill from the back side, and one of Rick H's wooden chucks to hold the wood or whatever the material is.  His chuck idea is darn nifty and on my to do soon list.


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