# Semi-Homemade Pen Press.



## Chris Hare (Aug 22, 2005)

I could not bring myself to spend $30 for a professional pen press. I think I have $10 in this semi-homemade press.


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## Ron Mc (Aug 22, 2005)

Chris,
I like it. Are the holes drilled to match different pen kit parts?


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 22, 2005)

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I first started turning pens I looked at the over priced  presses at Wood craft and decided to use my screw clamp till I could find something better.
One thing I eyeballed real close was a piston type nut craker, but my wife uses that one for our pecans.
(I chose not to jepordize my pecan pies)[]
I still think a $10.00 nut cracker would make a great press with a little modification.[]
Luckily  the Griz press came along at a price I couldn't turn down.[^]


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## Chris Hare (Aug 22, 2005)

Ron Mc, Yes the holes were placed close to the size of kits. On the "Piston" end I removed the rubber stopper/screw and screwed in a pan head bolt with the head ground flat. I can assemble a cigar and a baron without adjusting the screw. For a euro I let the bolt out or in to get the fit right. If I was to build it again I would put more holes in the top to limit the need to adjust the bolt. I also drilled a small hole in the back to hang on the wall. Flat space is limited. []


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## alamocdc (Aug 22, 2005)

Looks good, Chris, but I have to ask. The adjustable square tubing I can figure out, but what are you using for the "press" part(s)? I may be just stupid and don't recognize something simple (probably the case). []


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## Ron Mc (Aug 22, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Chris Hare_
> <br />Ron Mc, Yes the holes were placed close to the size of kits. On the "Piston" end I removed the rubber stopper/screw and screwed in a pan head bolt with the head ground flat. I can assemble a cigar and a baron without adjusting the screw. For a euro I let the bolt out or in to get the fit right. If I was to build it again I would put more holes in the top to limit the need to adjust the bolt. I also drilled a small hole in the back to hang on the wall. Flat space is limited. []


Very nice. I use one of those overpriced pen presses and I am about to replace it. Now I'll need to build my own! Great job.

Eagle,
You said Griz makes them? Do you know if he has any for sale?


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## Randy_ (Aug 22, 2005)

It must be a Texas thing, Billy.  I don't recognize it either??


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## Randy_ (Aug 23, 2005)

The "piston" mechanism looks identical to the one used in the pen presses sold by PSI and CSUSA.  Is this a device you can by at the local hardware store for a reasonable price??

The Lee Valley catalog shows a similar device called a DeStaCo Toggle Clamp; but they are getting $17 + shipping for one so this can't be what you used on your $10 press??

BTW, both PSI and CSUSA charge $40 for thewir pen presses!!


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## dubdrvrkev (Aug 23, 2005)

You can find those linear toggles for $10-$12 pretty regularly. I think they were 12.95 at wood craft. I was going to build a press similar to that except I was going to just have a sliding stop block that would tighten with a knob. But then a small arbor press went on sale at HF and that does the trick for me.


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Ron Mc_
> 
> 
> &lt;Eagle,
> You said Griz makes them? Do you know if he has any for sale?&gt;



Griz as in Grizzly
A while back they were discontinuing a variation of an arbor press .I says "paper press" on it)
It took a little adaptation but makes a great press for about $20.00 delivered.


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 23, 2005)

THis type of nut cracker is the one I considered"eagleizeing"
Haad Grizzly not put theirs on markdown I probably would have continued  with my idea.(I guess I would have had to buy my own and let my wife keep hers.)


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## Ron Mc (Aug 23, 2005)

Eagle,
That would work! With very little modification a pen press could be made that wouldn't have the movement problem during pressing. It would also be very easy to adjust the length.


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## Dario (Aug 23, 2005)

Funny how our minds (and luck) sometimes work in similar manner.

I did plan on making a pen press from exactly the same nut cracker which I could have gotten for $3.00 in the flea market.  But I decided to hold off because the piston travel is not that much.  Bback then I though I need more and not aware that I could have made a step shim/block like a ladder as Russ showed in his website.

Then the Grizzly punch came out...I ended up getting that as my pen press too []


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## jwoodwright (Aug 23, 2005)

Funny, that was my idea as well, nutcracker, then arbor press, then paper punch press, modified for pen pressing... 2nd photo shows turret on "pen press"...  Works Great!





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## Monty (Aug 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by jwoodwright_
> <br />Funny, that was my idea as well, nutcracker, then arbor press, then paper punch press, modified for pen pressing... 2nd photo shows turret on "pen press"...  Works Great!



I like the turret idea. I may have to steal oops, borrow that idea.


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## Chris Hare (Aug 23, 2005)

Yes, the Press/Piston end is a toggle clamp with a dowel attached for leverage. I am thinking about patenting the idea, so I expect a royality check from each of you in the form of an exotic pen blank![)]


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## Randy_ (Aug 26, 2005)

If anyone wants to build a pen press like the one Chris built, there are a couple of DeStaCo clamps available on eBay.....auction #7541041876.  You could build 2 presses and sell one here and probably make a few dollars in the bargain.


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