# Homemade Pen Press



## cpmech216 (Jan 24, 2014)

Anybody have any pictures of shop made pen presses that they would like to share?  I am thinking of making one and would like ideas.  Thanks Brian


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## Lenny (Jan 24, 2014)

This is what I made ...
Woodturning Online :: Building a pen assembly press - Woodturning Online offers wood turning projects, woodturning plans, articles, and information on wood turning, bowl turning, pen turning, the wood lathe, segmented turning, lathe tools, and more f


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## ttpenman (Jan 24, 2014)

Do a search on YouTube.  There was just one there recently.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin


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## Lenny (Jan 24, 2014)




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## MarkD (Jan 24, 2014)

Here is one that I made a few years ago. It works great. 
I like that it's mounted vertically. Let gravity give you a hand! 
Yes, I still use a mandrel  :biggrin:


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## lorbay (Jan 24, 2014)

Here are some more for cheap ones.
http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning/Turning_content/pen_assembly_press.pdf
Buy Lathe Pen Press Adapters #2 MT at Woodcraft.com
Lin.


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## Fatdawg (Jan 24, 2014)

MarkD said:


> Here is one that I made a few years ago. It works great.
> I like that it's mounted vertically. Let gravity give you a hand!
> Yes, I still use a mandrel  :biggrin:


 
I love the retaining pin! Had to do a double take on that.


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## shortz1lla (Jan 24, 2014)

Here's mine:



I initially made one similar to the peg adjustable ones previously shared but it broke. I find this to be a much sturdier design.


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## medlongpens (Jan 24, 2014)

I turned a scrap piece of oak to fit in my drill press and I use that to press my pens together. I think corian would work better, I just don't have any laying around.


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## Pjohnson (Jan 24, 2014)

*Pen Press*

Not exactly homemade - a retrofit


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## kirkfranks (Jan 24, 2014)

I made the same one that Lenny posted.  I never did like using it better than the wood handscrew clamp that I started with and have always used since.  If you would like my press send me a PM with your address and I will send it to you free.  If you are really looking to build one I would say it is a good plan.


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## cpmech216 (Jan 25, 2014)

Thank you for the offer but I would like to make one.  Brian


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## Dustygoose (Jan 27, 2014)

Lol. I turned a 3/4" Oak blank down to just under 1/2", glued a piece of corian to the bottom. I use it in my drill press.  I drill on the lathe


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## ChrisN (Jan 27, 2014)

My homemade pen press consists of 2x ~1" long pieces of cherry faced with plexiglass. One goes in my headstock taper, and another in the tail stock.


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## sschering (Jan 27, 2014)

Like ChrisN I primary use my tail stock as a press.

Just to see if it would work I did use an Irwin Quick grip clamp to press a few pens last weekend.  It worked but it's not ideal because the jaws don't stay parallel under pressure.


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## Rodnall (Jan 27, 2014)

Here is a link to woodturning online with pen press plans.

Woodturning Reference and Information Magazine Online


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## BigCountryJarHead (Jan 29, 2014)

kirkfranks said:


> I made the same one that Lenny posted.  I never did like using it better than the wood handscrew clamp that I started with and have always used since.  If you would like my press send me a PM with your address and I will send it to you free.  If you are really looking to build one I would say it is a good plan.



Kirk,
Would you consider sending that to me out in Japan?:wink:


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## Marnat3 (Jan 29, 2014)

Hey Rodnall, not sure that link is working.


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## rd_ab_penman (Jan 29, 2014)

cpmech216 said:


> Anybody have any pictures of shop made pen presses that they would like to share?  I am thinking of making one and would like ideas.  Thanks Brian



Here you go.
Cost $1.00

Les


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## ALA (Jan 29, 2014)

rd_ab_penman said:


> cpmech216 said:
> 
> 
> > Anybody have any pictures of shop made pen presses that they would like to share?  I am thinking of making one and would like ideas.  Thanks Brian
> ...


 
I use something about like this and a vice. Works fine.


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## mywoodshopca (Jan 29, 2014)

I use a cheap woodworking vice, clamp it to the table and twist away.


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## Rodnall (Jan 29, 2014)

The woodturning online site must be having problems, it worked when I posted it.


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## aprayinbear (Jan 31, 2014)

*using what I had on hand...*

I took a large C clamp I had sitting around, glued little hard leather squares to the ends with CA glue and there you have it.


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## Rodnall (Feb 2, 2014)

It looks like the woodturning online site is back up.


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## sanyalsoumitra (Mar 29, 2014)

I use a standard C-clamp and two Teflon sheets CA glued to the two tips- assembled some 20 pens without slightest damage. Just a suggestion to try !!


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## ironman123 (Mar 29, 2014)

A 2 pound drilling hammer and a steel work table.  (Had to say that).:biggrin:
 
Ray


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