# Artisan Pen Ultimate Pen Assembly tool?



## putnamm (Feb 23, 2016)

Does anyone have any experience with or opinions on this item?
https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/16/2798/Artisan-Pen-Ultimate-Assembly-Tool


----------



## Charlie_W (Feb 23, 2016)

Don't have it but it will probably work fine till you drop a center band in the chips under your lathe!

My take.......you have a lathe.....turn these from some hardwood.....spend the 20 bucks on something else.


----------



## Warren White (Feb 24, 2016)

*I have one...*

...use it all the time.  Works well for me.


----------



## Notscottish (Feb 24, 2016)

I got a version of these at Woodcraft last year, they work great.


----------



## monophoto (Feb 24, 2016)

I use za drill pr4ss when I'm assembling pens.  But this would approach would also work.

But I suspect that you could easily make something from scraps off wood that would do just as well.


----------



## putnamm (Feb 24, 2016)

Thanks for the feedback and tips.

FYI - I've broken two homemade presses now. I'm frustrated enough that I'm ready to just buy and off-the-shelf solution.

Thanks again!


----------



## Lenny (Feb 24, 2016)

I would agree with Charlie... turn one yourself and give it a try. I use a home made press most of the time but recently started making some of the Virage pens. For some reason that cap/clip combination always gives me trouble when pressing together. So I switched to doing it on the lathe with home made ends ... works like a charm. fwiw


----------



## mecompco (Feb 24, 2016)

Lenny said:


> I would agree with Charlie... turn one yourself and give it a try. I use a home made press most of the time but recently started making some of the Virage pens. For some reason that cap/clip combination always gives me trouble when pressing together. So I switched to doing it on the lathe with home made ends ... works like a charm. fwiw



There's an article out there somewhere that gave me the idea to make mine. In a nutshell, you turn two pieces of wood, leaving the face square, with more-or-less Morse tapers to fit your head and tail stock.Then glue whatever material you want (I used material cut from an old plastic cutting board) for faces. This works wonderfully and is free.

Here's what mine look like:


----------



## triw51 (Feb 24, 2016)

I made one several years ago out of maple so I can use the screw in my tail stock to press parts together.  I really like the control you have using this method.


----------



## TonyL (Feb 26, 2016)

Yes. I love them. I gave away my $50 milescraft.


----------



## mmayo (Mar 1, 2016)

I have that assembly tool and use it.  I have also made a couple of short sleeves, like you would use for trimming and squaring blanks, that help holding tubes straight during assembly.  The one part that has a shaft and a metal piece protruding is 7mm and the sleeves are made from 7mm tubes with wood bring it up to fit a sierra or whatever pen I press.  They mus be short or they will prevent the press from full travel.

I must have for pen assembly like Rick Herrell's stuff.


----------



## BCBULLDOG78 (Mar 1, 2016)

I have that exact set and it works great for me.  the only issues I have ever had with it are from pen kits such as the celtic (PSI) in which part of the clip extends above the top of the turned barrel.  It is something that you just have to be careful of when assempling certain pen kits.


----------



## Pat Keefe (Mar 1, 2016)

Another one for the home made set. About 10 minutes of spindle turning each, yes I wanted my morse taper to be close to perfect. Timber is "Been a tree" from the scrap bin.


----------



## Bikerdad (Mar 1, 2016)

Got it, happy with it except I have some concerns (unfounded thus far) of interference/damage to the clips.  It's an improvement over using Quick-Grip clamps, which has been the method of choice for assembly for me until recently.  More expensive than a Quick Grip, less expensive than one of the lever-arm pen presses, more expensive than DIY.


----------



## putnamm (Mar 3, 2016)

I used this press for the first time last night. It is a definite and welcome improvement over the homemade version. The action is smooth, and I had to use very little pressure to put the hardware in place.

I have also used the Wood River Deluxe Pen Press before: Buy WoodRiver Deluxe Pen Press at Woodcraft.com

If I was going to compare the two and price was not a concern, I would definitely recommend the Wood River press. There is more flexibility with regards to where the pen can be placed in the press, and the screw mechanism provides greater control on the pressure. Plus there is not fiddling with "spacer" plates.

Still, the Artisan Pen Ultimate Pen Assembly Tool seems to be a good product that gets the job done.


----------



## corgicoupe (Mar 16, 2016)

It may be considered crude, but I use my bench vise. The wood faces are covered with a thin layer of leather,  rough side out. No slippage and you are forced to press slowly.


----------



## sschering (Mar 24, 2016)

I don't know if it's a good idea or not but I'll often use the pen bushings and a live center  to press the first end in a tube. I'll press nib ends with the tip opening over a dead center and a bushing in the open end.


----------



## USN Jet Mech (Mar 25, 2016)

I ordered this HDPE Rod, maybe a little to thick (1 1/2"), but turned it to fit the MT2 of my lathe.  Prior to this, I just used some squeeze clamps, I've not had a pen press, so I cannot compare it to anything else.  I wouldn't change out for anything else though.  As for dropping pieces or parts, I generally clean up the lathe prior to finishing to minimize the dust, or potential for dust, getting into my finish.  I initially ordered it and made some non-stick bushings for finishing and used the left overs for the lathe.


----------



## vakmere (Mar 29, 2016)

Arbor press.


----------

