# Perfect center drill.



## marian (Nov 24, 2014)

Hello,

Here's my first attempt. The pen is not ideal, but at least fully functional. I do not have a lot of tools, so I have to improvise a little.

The biggest problem is with centering the drilling hole. I set the center and use center drill. Anyway, the wall thickness is different (see photo, you will see that section on one side of the wall is thicker and the other thinner). And when you screw section to the body you will see that they are not aligned. I'm not sure what the problem is, poor chuck quality? Unstable table creates vibration ?

Best regards from Poland
Marian


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## philipff (Nov 24, 2014)

If you are using a mandrel check to see that there is not an induced vibration from the amount of pressure you have applied from the tailstock.  Also, in my experience the chucks do not run true and I avoid that by using a dead center(made of turned wood) to drive the bushings and a live center at the tail.  Vibration/noise is your enemy! Seek the source and correct from that point forward.  Philip


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## thewishman (Nov 24, 2014)

The chuck may be the problem. Can you borrow a better chuck to try it and determine if that is the main problem?

I had similar issues - it made me so frustrated that I quit making pens for over a year. I decided that my lathe was the problem and got a better one. That helped a lot.

When you put a long piece of material sticking out of chuck, does it wobble or look like it is spinning unevenly?


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## duncsuss (Nov 24, 2014)

Hi Marian -- I just gave one answer to your question over on the Fountain Pen Network. I'm not saying it's the right answer, but ... :biggrin:


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## robutacion (Nov 24, 2014)

G'day Marian,

Very good quality work, unfortunately you have a lathe/chuck/tailstock or something else creating a wobble and that is the reason why thickness are not even.  It surprises me that with such a wobble you still manage to get the threads so well cut but, you have a problem with rotation accuracy/out of alignment you you may need to either get someone that know about these lathe re-adjustment or maybe, get a better lathe as I don't know what equipment you have and its quality.

having lots of equipment/tools can help considerably but, is not always essential, there are the minimal basic tools you require, make people do very well with only those however, they have to be working right/properly otherwise, it becomes a very frustrating experience...!

PS:  Sometimes, these alignment issues are very easily fixed, many new lathes are supplied not aligned properly, sometimes due to transportation bad handling, including drops, etc., that can easily move the alignments off...!

Cheers
George


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## butchf18a (Nov 25, 2014)

Ditto previous posts...drilling is not the problem.


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## marian (Nov 26, 2014)

Thank you all for your help.

I'll try again with your tips. I think, I have to do some steps slower and calmer. It was my first time, so I was a little excited 

I hope it'll work fine. If not I'll make some pictures of my equipment and preisely describe all steps I do.

Once more many thanks and best regards from Poland.


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## robutacion (Nov 26, 2014)

marian said:


> Thank you all for your help.
> 
> I'll try again with your tips. I think, I have to do some steps slower and calmer. It was my first time, so I was a little excited
> 
> ...



Marian,

We all mention stuff that you probably have no idea what we are talking about, we forget that, we knew nothing before we learnt so, I decided to give you some images that you could use to test your lathe alignment as per the pics and show us how yours line up.

In the pic, you see the live centre on a headstock and a dead centre on the tail stock, bring the tailstock towards the headstock with the life centre on it ( make sure is on properly, the live centre should be installed on the headstock shuft/spindle hole and not on any chuck.  Make sure the hole in clean before you insert the deadcenter.

An aligned lathe will have the points of both centers touching dead on...!

There are 2 main types of misalignment, the vertical and the horizontal, looking front/level on, is the horizontal, looking from above is the vertical.

Take a couple of pics of how your stand, and we will be able to guide you through the adjustments, if they are minor ones, big differences may mean a lot of different things and normally of much worse nature, such as factory defect or considerable damage in transport...!

Let us know...!

PS: The problem that you've got, has nothing to do with your work speed, the problem seems to be "constant"'consistent so, its of a mechanic nature...!

Cheers
George


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## t001xa22 (Nov 26, 2014)

Marian, as you have noticed, the advice you get here in this forum is very open and true; these folks are life-savers. I would offer one other possibility: the integrity of the blank you are working with. Seeing that you are working with an acrylic piece, make note in the start of the equal dimensions of the blank. Many blanks are not cut dead square on their sides. What is sold as a 3/4" square blank may actually be slightly more or less on two sides. If you are using a scroll chuck to secure blank when turning, this difference in sides will result in a slight wobble from the chuck end. One way to minimize this issue is to turn round one end of the blank first, then chuck the rounded end in the chuck before drilling. This should help minimize this kind of wobble. I hope this may help.


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## marian (Dec 8, 2014)

Sorry for my long absence. 

Second attempt. This time with clip.

I applied your tips and it is much better. Although it seems to me, that is not perfect yet. I’m still waiting for collets and collet chuck (delivery moved from November to the end of December: /). I hope, with this stuff deviation will disappear.

My lathe is Holzstar DB 450. Below I enclosed photos of centers (from the top and from the front). I do not know if this is the problem, but the live center in  tailstock is minimally below the dead center in the spindle.

Once again, thank you all for your help. I don’t  give up and I practice all the time .


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## farmer (Dec 15, 2014)

*drill*

Maybe you could take pictures of how you are drilling the blanks and what kind of lathe you are using.

All of my lathes are engine lathes and the 4 jaw chuck works great for turning square wood round then centering the wood to bore a hole down the center.

I have gotten a bent drill bit that came new in a pen arbor kit.

farmer


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## FidemScit (Jan 6, 2015)

marian said:


>




These are exactly the type of pens I would like to learn how to make.  I joined this site today with this in mind.  What is the best method to learn how to do these and what tools I need to buy?  Any help is appreciated.


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## FidemScit (Jan 6, 2015)

I'd still love to have one.  You already possess a skill to make a fountain pen that doesn't come from a kit.  That's impressive.  I need to learn how to make these.


marian said:


> Hello,
> 
> Here's my first attempt. The pen is not ideal, but at least fully functional. I do not have a lot of tools, so I have to improvise a little.
> 
> ...


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## BSea (Jan 6, 2015)

Welcome Peter!  There is at least one other penturner who started out making custom pens rather than pen kits.  You might lookup watch_art.  His 1st pen was a kitless pen.  He also has some videos on youtube.  He's also on the fountain pen network.


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## PenPal (Jan 6, 2015)

marian said:


> Sorry for my long absence.
> 
> Second attempt. This time with clip.
> 
> ...



Marion Peter here a sure fire and quick way is when you bring the two centres just before they meet insert a thin blade from a feeler guage bring the points together there are 4 ways the centreing may be out this will show immediately.

For accurate alignment you need two sure dead centres one in the head stock and one in the tail stock clean rails clean morse tapers clean under the tailstock before declaring anything just for starters.Most head stocks bolt onto the bed this allows for corrections in height easier than at the tail stock, be very aware of the parrallel running of the tail stock in relation to the head stock easily checked with a magnetic based holder with a dial guage from or measuring a true round piece in the headstock chuck, the chuck can be checked the same way. If the chuck jaws are removeable do it carefully fully clean the ways and if applicable tighten the holding screws. Just some basics mate.

Kind regards Peter.


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