# CARBIDE PEN MILLS-UPDATE



## OSCAR15 (Aug 31, 2006)

I have used carbide pen mill all week. I do not suppose that there is any difference in how it is supposed to be used. Like my HSS, I chucked it in my drill and trimmed away.
On soft woods, it works great.
On hard woods, it it has a different feel.  OK once you get used to it.  I think this may be due to two blades on head rather than four.
I attempted to trim 3 acrylic blanks with it, and the results were all the same. SHATTERED TO PIECES. I plan to contact PSI to find out what the deal here is. If it employs a different technique than wood, it would have been nice to know before I blew out three blanks. If it not suitable for plastics, would have been good to know that also. If I do not like their answer, it will be returned. I do not wish to have two pen mills for wood and plastics.
Anyone here use it successfully on plastics? If so, what did you do that you didn't end up with a destroyed blank? Thanks..Oscar


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## Dario (Aug 31, 2006)

JimGo gave a review somewhere here.

Read about it here http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14966&SearchTerms=carbide


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## Nolan (Aug 31, 2006)

Got one and works super!
Nolan


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## chigdon (Aug 31, 2006)

It doesn't look like it will fit the shafts from Craft Supply and AS.  Is that correct?  I would love to have it if it did.


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## OSCAR15 (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks... Dario, It seems that thread you linked is still open about the cutter being worth the difference or not...Guess I'll watch and wait....Thanks...
Chris...I have the standard set from PSI and I am not sure if the head fits those or not....
Will be interesting to see what folks say after they try them.

Nolan....did you put it (the cutter head) on PSI shafts?
I have gone thru 2 standard psi cutter heads already. Yeah they sharpen easy but there seems to be a limit on how many times before the cutters change shape enough to where they drag bad and stop cutting efficiently.  Anyone know a easy way to sharpen? I usually run 600 grit paper on back , and sometimes on faces of blades...Thanks...Oscar


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## Sylvanite (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by chigdon_
> <br />It doesn't look like it will fit the shafts from Craft Supply and AS.  Is that correct?  I would love to have it if it did.


It looks like the mill head should fit over any 1/4" shaft (preferably with a flat spot for the allen screw).

I never used a pen mill until PSI offered the carbide version, so I don't have anything to compare it against.  It seems to work quite well.  The only problem I have at all is that it doesn't quite cut flush to 1/4" pilot.  When milling 7mm tubes, if I happen to touch the tube end, brass winds up protruding up from the blank end by a few thousandths.  That is easily corrected with a few swipes on a diamond-stone, but is annoying nontheless.  Can anybody say if the steel pen mill does (or does not) exhibit the same behavior?

Also, are there larger diameter pilots available?  Right now, I'm using a disk sander to trim my larger tubed (27/64, 1/2, 9/16, etc.) projects.  Perhaps I should just break down and turn pilots out of some corian I have lying around.

Regards,
Eric


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 31, 2006)

It seems I have read that carbide is not as sharp(?) as HHS.
I know Paul sharpens the HSS ones.
I had my local saw srpener shrpen my HSS one and the difference was like night and day.
I ahve touched up the vertical faces prior to having them sharpened.
It was an improvement but a real sharpening made all the difference in the world,


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## gerryr (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by OSCAR15_
> <br />Thanks... Dario, It seems that thread you linked is still open about the cutter being worth the difference or not...Guess I'll watch and wait....Thanks...
> Chris...I have the standard set from PSI and I am not sure if the head fits those or not....
> Will be interesting to see what folks say after they try them.
> ...



Send them to Paul in OKC to be sharpened.  I had him sharpen mine and they were super sharp when I got them back, even cut myself removing the plastic tape he puts on them to protect the edges.  I need to send them off to him again since it has been quite a while.


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## mdburn_em (Sep 3, 2006)

> _Originally posted by OSCAR15_
> <br />Thanks... Dario, It seems that thread you linked is still open about the cutter being worth the difference or not...Guess I'll watch and wait....Thanks...
> Chris...I have the standard set from PSI and I am not sure if the head fits those or not....
> Will be interesting to see what folks say after they try them.
> ...


Oscar,
I'm not Chris but I can answer that this does fit the standard PSI kit.  I purchased the kit from PSI and then purchased the 1/2" carbide head when it became available and it fits just fine on the shafts.  IMO it's way better than the original head and I will probably buy a 3/4" carbide and use the steel one to throw at the Starlings in my quonset.[]

Eric, 
my steel head is far worse than the carbide head at leaving brass protruding if I'm not paying attention when squaring my blank.

Because I'm so new at turning, it took me awhile to figure out that my steel head had gotten dull after only a few (30 pens) pens.  I've used this carbide cutter on about 30 pens and it appears to be as sharp as when I purchased it.  As I said, IMO, well worth the money.

I would also like to know if these heads will fit Berea or CSUSA shafts.


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## OSCAR15 (Sep 4, 2006)

Mark,,,I just ordered one....
I think Ill have Paul sharpen my carbides as backups...Thanks,,,Oscar


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## mdburn_em (Sep 5, 2006)

> _Originally posted by OSCAR15_
> <br />Mark,,,I just ordered one....
> I think Ill have Paul sharpen my carbides as backups...Thanks,,,Oscar



Oscar,
Let me know what you think after you've put it through it's paces.  By the way, I mis-spoke myself, I have the 5/8.

Gerryr, 
How many blanks do you think you were able to get out of your sharpened mills before you decided it was time to get them resharpened.  Maybe that was my problem with the one I got in my kit.  I've learned chisels aren't sharp when purchased off the rack either...same thing might apply to these.

Eric,
There's a post floating around about making adapters for pen mills.  I think Corian would make a great adapter.  I don't have any corian so I use scrap wood.  You can buy them but they range up to $20 ea.  For $20, I can use a lot of scrap.

Mark


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## OSCAR15 (Sep 6, 2006)

Mark..Just tried it for first time (on three blanks). Works great!  Longevity of edges is yet to be seen...
Now, they (PSI) sent a new catalog with my order, and they now stock...CARBIDE  tipped chisels!.
Great idea, and should last long before going dull...BUT...How would one sharpen these? Might have to start another forum here.....  OSCAR


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## Nolan (Sep 7, 2006)

Oscar sorry it took so long to answer. Yes I put it on the PSI shft I had (if my memory is correct) I also seen the carbide tipped chisels and thought about trying them. I figured I would wait as I am still trying to recover from surgery and havent even turned my lathe on in 2 months or so. Cant even check the IAP threads regularly.
Nolan


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## OSCAR15 (Sep 10, 2006)

Gentlemen...
I have used carbide pen mill all week.  I do not suppose that there is any difference in how it is supposed to be used. Like my HSS, I chucked it in my drill and trimmed away.
On soft woods, it works great. 
On hard woods, it seems to "catch" and bind somewhat. Workable, but may take some getting used to. I think this may be due to two blades on head rather than four.
I attempted to trim 3 acrylic blanks with it, and the results were all the same.  SHATTERED TO PIECES.  I plan to contact PSI to find out what the deal here is. If it employs a different technique than wood, it would have been nice to know before I blew out three blanks.  If it not suitable for plastics, would have been good to know that also.  If I do not like their answer, it will be returned.  I do not wish to have two pen mills for wood and plastics.
Anyone here use it successfully on plastics? If so, what did you do that you didn't end up with a destroyed blank?  Thanks..Oscar


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## wood-of-1kind (Sep 10, 2006)

Oscar, what speed (RPM) are you using with your carbide trimmer? I find that higher RPM is required with carbide vs. HSS trimmers.

-Peter-


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## OSCAR15 (Sep 10, 2006)

Peter...Not really sure of speed. It is a variable speed  Rigid (corded) drill. I run it wide open. Wood not a problem...Plastics are.  Have you trimmed acrylics with yours? OSCAR[8D]


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## mdburn_em (Sep 10, 2006)

Oscar,
I quit using the drill to trim my blanks awhile ago.  I now put the trimmer in my drill press and I find that I screw things up less this way, I think I have a little more control.  After your post, I had to go out and make a pen (I have an order for a combo pen out of the pink acrylic from PSI).  Sadly, I ended up shortening the tube too much and the barrel is too short for the pen I was trying to make. 
The carbide cutter just goes through everything including the brass tube like a hot knife though butter.  I realize now that I have used this before on the acrylic because (I make sure I use light pressure) the shavings come off in ribbons just like the ribbons I get when I'm turning (If I'm doing it right).  I have my drill press running about 1100 rpm.
Did you say if you had the 3/4 or 5/8 cutter.
Sorry it didn't work for you.


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## chigdon (Sep 10, 2006)

I would also suggest the drill press instead.  That really may help.


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## OSCAR15 (Sep 11, 2006)

Mark, I have a 3/4 cutter...Chris, Mark and all others who replied Thanks..Perhaps I haven't given it a fair chance...Oscar


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## gerryr (Sep 15, 2006)

I have both the 5/8 and 3/4 heads.  The 3/4 stays sharp much longer because I only use it occasionally.  If I remember correctly, I probably got 20-30 pens worth out of it before I started touching it up with a diamond home after every 4-5 blanks.  I've done probably a hundred pens since they were last sharpened.  They're off the Paul now for resurrection.[]  And I will be extra careful when I remove the tape when I get them back.


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