# Pen Mills? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Pen Mills!



## jtate (Aug 7, 2007)

Pen Mills?  We Donâ€™t Need No Stinkinâ€™ Pen Mills!
By: Julia Tate, Esquire


Turning pens ainâ€™t exactly hunting for gold in the Sierra Madres but there are a few similarities.  Penturners and prospectors (as well as bandits) seek something pretty and shiney and weâ€™re all trying to get by with what we got.  Some things have just got to be done, whether you have the proper tools or not.  We just gotta make do.   Just like  bandits stealing from prospectors donâ€™t need a badge, you donâ€™t need a pen mill.  

So pack your saddlebags and letâ€™s square up that pen blank!   Yeehaw!

Gear: 	Pen mandrel and arbor
	Sandpaper (about 150 grit)
	Handheld single Hole Punch
	Double-sided tape


Measure the outside diameter of the arbor where the mandrel sticks out.  Cut yerself a whole bunch of squares of sandpaper that are about a gnatâ€™s butt bigger than that there diameter.

Add a piece of double-sided tape to the back side of each square and use your hole punch to punch holes in the center of each square.  Donâ€™t you fret over the measuring.  This ainâ€™t the internal combustion engine, people.   

Now, yer gonna want to whip out yer pocket knife and wipe it off.  You donâ€™t want last nightâ€™s beans on yer sandpaper.  Trim off the extra tape so it canâ€™t fold over and get on the business side of the sandpaper.

Iâ€™m assuming that youâ€™ve done drilled your blanks, glued in your tubes and rough turned the pen parts to where theyâ€™re cylindrical.  Sandpaper ainâ€™t expensive but it ainâ€™t cheap neither.  You donâ€™t want to waste it on sanding away all that wood that you coulda done cut away on the lathe.  

WITH THE LATHE OFF slide a square of sandpaper down the mandrel and press the sticky-side of it against the arbor.  This ainâ€™t a permanent adhesion.  Itâ€™s gonna get peeled off, like you peel a saddle blanket offâ€™n yer horse when you get to camp.

I betcha this is gettinâ€™ purty durned obvious to you â€˜bout this time.

WITH THE LATHE OFF, slide a pen part on the mandrel.  Getcha a good grip on that pen part with one hand.   You ainâ€™t gotta choke down on it like a saddle horn at the rodeo but you do gotta be firm with it.   

Turn the lathe on.  The pen part ainâ€™t turning but the sandpaper is so when you slide the pen part down to the sandpaper, it can smooth away the wood at the end.  

Now, just like you donâ€™t want to slosh your pan around too much when yer looking for that shine, you also donâ€™t want to grind away at your pen part with a heavy hand.  Turn off the lathe and look at the end of tyour pen part pretty often.  You wanna sand till you just kiss the shine on the tube.  No more.

Some of yâ€™all are just pure-dee contrary and have to start on pens with tubes bigger than 7mm.  My suggestion for all yâ€™all is that you take ya some hard material, like some of that high-falutin bar-top stuff, that Corian stuff, and drill a Â¼ inch hole in it.  Turn it on your lathe soâ€™s you can slide it down into yer tube and getcha a snug fit.  You want this internal sleeve to be about a horseâ€™s tail hairâ€™s width shorter than yer tubes.  You want it to support your tube all the way down but not be quite as long as your tubes.  Remember, the whole point of this is to sand away WOOD on your pen part not the sleeve material.  

Now, I also know some of yâ€™all are from Texas and yâ€™all think everythingâ€™s bigger there.   Some of yâ€™all are gonna want to make pens with ends that are bigger around that the end of yer arbor is.  Despite whatever personal inadequacies such a desire may reveal, youâ€™re still gonna do it.  Well, alls I can tell you is that this here method can be modified as needed.  Iâ€™d suggest a great big olâ€™ washer stuck to the arbor before you slide on the sandpaper.  

And thatâ€™s it, saddle buddies!

Happy Trails!

Julia



P. S. I've submitted this for the Library, with diagramtic illustrations, but without a vocabulary translation.


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## skiprat (Aug 7, 2007)

Julia, that has got to be the tutorial of the year.[] Don't change a word for the library. Another great idea and so well written.
Best post of the day too, now I can go to sleep with a smile on my face[:I]


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## gmcnut (Aug 7, 2007)

Julia,

I like your solution. Our lathes are kinda like a cowboys ten gallon hat. Good for keepin'the sun off'n ya. And also handy for water'n your horse or shooin' away flys. Thanks for sharin'

Y'all take care now.  []


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## jtate (Aug 7, 2007)

This piece is at:

http://temp.woodenwritingwonderscom.officelive.com/Documents/No%20Stinking%20Pen%20Mills.pdf

If you're able to navigate to the article and open it, please let me know.  Or if you're not.  I'm trying out a new system.

Thanks!


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## GaryMGg (Aug 7, 2007)

Now, that'thar's just funny -- I don't care who ya'r.
[]
Damn good tutorial too. []

NB: The link wasn't there when I first posted, but it opened for me.


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## Rmartin (Aug 7, 2007)

*blink* Whaa?

LOL,
Rmartin


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 7, 2007)

You know, that's a great idea for the kits that will not fit a pen mill!

It looks like that idea is designed around the non adjustable mandrel though, to step it up a notch for an adjustable mandrel, picture this..  Turn say a 2" spindle that is about 3" or 4" long.  Hold it in a chuck and hollow one end out about 1" or so deep. Now the hollow can slip over the pen collet. (drill and tap a 1/4" hole into the wood so you can engage a thumb bolt into a flat spot on the mandrel to lock it from spinning.  Now with a hole drilled in the center of this wooden spindle the mandrel rod can slip thru.  If the fit onto the mandrel is nice and tight you will be able to face off the end away from the headstock and apply sand paper on the new slip on collar and do the same thing, but you could use standard 2" stickit disks.  I might just work on this myself! []


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## LEAP (Aug 7, 2007)

LOL,
but some of us tool junkies like gadgets you gonna take all the fun away.


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## jtate (Aug 7, 2007)

Lee, 

I'm having trouble picturing it but I want to see it!  Can you do a sketch?

Julia


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 7, 2007)

Kinda hard to sketch, but see if this is a better visual. This is my egg chuck and is close to what I am talking about doing. The diffrence would be that the hole needs to slip tight over the pen collet chuck and to keep it from spinning a hole can be tapped into the edge close to the headstock. In fact, 2 might be better so it can be snugged up, this is just to keep it from spinning. The sandpaper is centered where the mandrel rod comes out. To use it, just remove everything from the mandrel, slid the sander onto the mandrel and snug the 2 thumb nuts to the collet chuck. Then slip the blank on the mandrel and support with the tailstock.  The way you posted will not give you alot of "sandpaper area" on an adjustable mandrel. I think the original plan was for the mandrels that did not adjust, but had a mandrel rod threaded into the center. That one would of had a larger surface area than the collet chuck would.












That clear it up a bit better?? Keep in mind, my egg chuck is much bigger than this sander should be made, but if the external was made to 2" then you could just use a standard 2" round stickey sandpaper disks like the bowl turners use. I plan to make one because I was never happy with the results from the "disk sander" jig.

I also think that if you made your own thumb screws so that you can not over tighten them it would look and work better.


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## jtate (Aug 8, 2007)

Lee,

Oh, I see now!  Yes that would work. 

Julia


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## jtate (Aug 8, 2007)

ANybody tried out this link?



> _Originally posted by jtate_
> <br />This piece is at:
> 
> http://temp.woodenwritingwonderscom.officelive.com/Documents/No%20Stinking%20Pen%20Mills.pdf
> ...



Let me know if it worked or didn't work for you.

Thanks!


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## RussFairfield (Aug 8, 2007)

Julia,
The link to the article works fine.


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## George7 (Aug 8, 2007)

> Let me know if it worked or didn't work for you.
> 
> Thanks!



The link worked for me the second time I tried it.


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## Petricore (Aug 8, 2007)

so is the arbor spinning on the headstock and the pen mandrel is in the tail stock, then you just but them up together ? I am having a hard time picturing the orientation between the two.


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## Jerryconn (Aug 8, 2007)

Julia,
I could not open it


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## penhead (Aug 8, 2007)

Not working from here either.
If I back most everything out except where your original domain stops and add the correct syntax for a .com it works for your website though.


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## jtate (Aug 8, 2007)

Try this New and Improved link - please let me know if it works.

http://woodenwritingwonders.com/Documents/No%20Stinking%20Pen%20Mills.pdf

http://woodenwritingwonders.com/Documents/No%20Stinking%20Pen%20Mills.pdf


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## polarbear1 (Aug 8, 2007)

Excellent Idea especially on the bigger kits - if only there was an easy way to get the madrel rod to 10 MM or larger for the larger pens, without having to trim an insert the correct size.


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## Petricore (Aug 8, 2007)

that pdf cleared it up for me, can someone shoot me a link to the type of arbor being used here ?


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 8, 2007)

Ok guys, here is what I am talking about. I am such a nice guy I just made one and took some photos, then a little MS Word work and I printed it into a PDF file for you all.

One note, like it said, the long bolts are not to stay, I will replace them tomorow.

www.yankeetoys.org/lee/pen-mill.pdf

Enjoy!!


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## GaryMGg (Aug 8, 2007)

Cooperation at it's peak producing an excellent follow-up tutorial.
Lee, can we use this on the site Library for Jigs tips & tricks?

Gary
Member of the Content Team


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## EeyorIs21 (Aug 8, 2007)

Exxxxxxxxcellent[]


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 8, 2007)

Gary, I already shot an e-mail to Scott about it. I am going to use 1/4-20 allen set screws so they will be flush, I plan to pick them up tomorow and I will retake the photos and edit the PDF so those bolts are not sticking out. I just put them in there to test it out and they look pretty scary! []


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## MarkHix (Aug 8, 2007)

Julia, I tried your suggestion out earlier and just now get to comment.  It made a huge difference for me.  It was so easy.  The "refinements" included in this post are interesting and I am sure I will give it a try too.  Of course, I did have to learn to keep my fingers away from the edge of the spinning sandpaper. (LOL)


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## jtate (Aug 8, 2007)

Oh, yeah!  That spinning sandpaper will take the hide off a finger!


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## polarbear1 (Aug 8, 2007)

will it work just to stick the sand paper to an old mandrel isn't the metal part of the mandrel big enough ?


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## mewell (Aug 8, 2007)

Dang! Talk about timing! Here's what waits for us tomorrow:




We just got these cut, drilled and glued today so I'll have to take a look at this hifalutin' new idear[]


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 9, 2007)

FYI, although I will still mainly use my pen mill, this sander will be awesome to just knock down the finish gently before putting the pen togather. (CA or Lacquer) []

Mewell, how do you like that brand of Poly-Glue over the Gorilla Glue? Which one is it?


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## mewell (Aug 9, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Firefyter-emt_
> <br />
> Mewell, how do you like that brand of Poly-Glue over the Gorilla Glue? Which one is it?



Lee - I use Sumo glue and love it. I like the void filling capability, semi-translucence, and flex this stuff has. We were having problems (_especially_ with Corian when we were turning that) with the tubes just sliding out! We followed all the "rules" for gluing with CA but it just made us <b>CRAZY</b> with failures. Finally saw mention of Sumo glue here and have been using it since.


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 9, 2007)

Ok, here is the "updated version" that has the setscrews in it.


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## Petricore (Aug 17, 2007)

> _Originally posted by polarbear1_
> <br />will it work just to stick the sand paper to an old mandrel isn't the metal part of the mandrel big enough ?



I was just thinking the same thing. I will try it out this weekend and see how it works. Otherwise Ill be building one of these.


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## jtate (Aug 17, 2007)

The way I do it is to stick the piece of sandpaper to the vertical part of the arbor - the place where the mandrel itself comes out of the arbor.  

Here's the link to the actual tutorial:
http://woodenwritingwonders.com/Documents/No%20Stinking%20Pen%20Mills.pdf

It has diagrams.  

The method Lee has designed (which involves putting essentially a cup over the outside of the arbor and securing it with set screws) seems like it would work too.  

The only problem with Lee's method is that it requires being able to turn this kind of cup, flatten its end, center the hole through which the mandrel will pass, drill that hole exactly paprallel to the sides of the cup,  and drill and install the set screws.  If you can do all that, you probably have already bought a regular pen mill.

The benefit of my method is that it requires no additional woodworking tools and no skills at woodturning beyond those of a beginner pen turner.  Just a handheld hole punch and some double sided tape.


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 17, 2007)

BTW, the main reason I did this was on my mandrel the collet stick out of the hole a bit and I do not have a flat surface. I have a washer on mine to give the bushings surface to sit against. Julia's idea would not work with my mandrel.


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## polarbear1 (Aug 17, 2007)

I made one and the problem I had was the sand paper was worn out in no time in a circle where the pen tub hits. maybe that's because I use the longer tubes and intentionally make it too long to trim some.


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## jtate (Aug 17, 2007)

Rick,

You made one like Lee's design?  or you stuck pieces of sandpaper on the arbor as per my cheap and dirty method?  

With my cheep and dirty method, it's no big deal that the sandpaper wears out quickly,  you're using tiny little squares, less than an inch square each, so when it wears out you tear it off and put on a new one.  

Of course, the more wood you leave beyond the tube, the more there is to sand down.  That will wear the paper out sooner so you might not want to leave so much wood.  

Julia


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 17, 2007)

You may want to pick up one of those sanding belt cleaners to have around the shop. I have one for my belt sander and I cut a chunk off of it for the sander.

If you are doing this you want a corser paper and cut the wood a lot closer than with the mill. You can also mill with the normal mill, turn until it's round below the pen mill hole and then sand closer to the tube so you can sneak up on it.


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## jdmyers4 (Aug 18, 2007)

Hi Julia,

that's a wonderfully written article.  I was wondering why I hadn't thought of that technique.  But I'm glad I didn't because then I wouldn't have had the chance to read your article!  Great tip.  I'll be able to use it.  Thank you.

John


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## mdburn_em (Aug 19, 2007)

I've always hated using the pen mill with anything that's not a stock diameter for the shafts in my pen mill set.  I had made inserts but they are such a pain to try an keep on the shaft.  

I took it almost all the way down with my cheapo disk sander (can't get that thing to be consistently square for love nor money.), turned it, squared it and finished up.  

Fantastic.

Thanks for the great idea.


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## rherrell (Aug 19, 2007)

Tried it. Didn't like it for squaring blanks. Paper wears out too fast. Works fine though for cleaning up CA from the ends after finishing.


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## jtate (Aug 19, 2007)

Yeah, Rick, it's best once you've rough turned the pen part.  I think the cowby I was channeling when this was written said it this way:

"Iâ€™m assuming that youâ€™ve done drilled your blanks, glued in your tubes and rough
turned the pen parts to where theyâ€™re cylindrical. Sandpaper ainâ€™t expensive but it
ainâ€™t cheap neither. You donâ€™t want to waste it on sanding away all that wood that
you coulda done cut away on the lathe."


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## polarbear1 (Aug 19, 2007)

I do mostly PR castings and because it sometime shrinks when it cures, I use the long tubes to provide extra room for shrinking.  I made one of these similar to the one shown but tried it with 1/4 inch tube to sand off,it cut through the sand paper in a circle where the tube is. The solution is like someone suggested, I can use the bandsaw or belt sander to get the blank close to where I want it to be then just use this to square it with the tube.  thanks again for the awesome idea.


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## Randy_ (Aug 25, 2007)

A friend just brought me a pen he bought elsewhere and wanted me to repair it for him.  Among other things, the blanks were not square so the fit of the hardware was poor.  Since it was already turned to size, I couldn't use the pen mill or the wood would have splintered.  I remembered Julia's post and tried her method and it worked like a champ.  

Thanks for the idea!!


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## bgray (Aug 25, 2007)

I really like the idea.

Now...can we figure out a way to adapt this for closed end pens?

I've tried to wrap my brain around this, and I think it is possible.  The mandrel would have to run without the tailstock.

I'm thinking that you could make a little "stub" mandrel on a metal lathe.  Make it so that it's only 1" or so, or maybe even shorter.  Just long enough to register the right angle.

Or maybe one of those adjustable mandrels would work well, for this purpose.

Still brainstorming....


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 25, 2007)

I plan to make one soon from all steel. The biggest problem was making a morse taper. Well then I took cues from Hank Lee and thought that it would be much easier to make it to be held in a drill chuck. I have a handle with a small 3/8" chuck on it that I use now for hand drilling or holding the pen mill when I do it by hand over the drill press. I can just hold it in that. I figure 1.5" stub would be just about perfect.


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## bgray (Aug 25, 2007)

//Well then I took cues from Hank Lee and thought that it would be much easier to make it to be held in a drill chuck.//

Do you have a collet set for you lathe?  That would be easier and more accurate than the drill chuck.

I'm thinking about making one on my metal lathe as well.  

The problem that I have is that you really have to turn your pen to almost finished diameter, or close to it and THEN square the blank.

It's just an extra step that may be unnecessary.

However, it may give a nicer clean edge that a mill.

So now I'm thinking that I should build a mount for my Dremel tool so I can sharpen my own mills.  

Can't decide which to do!


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 25, 2007)

NO collet set yet, maybe someday. I turn mostly between centers so even with a collet I would go back to the mandrel set up. I could try to figure out the proper measurements to turn a MT-2 but I am far from a "metal lathe operator" so there is a high chance I would screw it up! []  A little wobble in the chuck would not really effect it though because the spindle the blank is on is perfect to the face of the sandpaper. The main reason I want it with a drill chuck end is so I can normaly use it to clear CA while held in my "drill chuck on a stick" I think that replacing a mill is not the best use for this, but more for end cleaning and the few kits that the pen mill is too small for. Like the Gent kit, flatten 90% with the mill and then use the sander to bring down the left over flush to where the mill stopped.


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## jtate (Aug 26, 2007)

Wow!  This little idea has really spawned a buch of bigger ideas!  Y'all never cease to amaze me!


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