# Drilling Pen Blanks



## foamcapt40 (Nov 20, 2008)

I am having problems accurately drilling my pen blanks. I have an inexpensive (read cheap) drill press that I bought for light drilling in my other hobby, model railroading and around the house. It works fine for thin items, that just need a hole for a bolt or what-not. I believe it is an 8" or 10" press. Other problems I have run into, not enough spindle stroke, and holding blanks. I'm new and definitely need advice and help!


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## Daniel (Nov 20, 2008)

one easy way to deal with the short stroke is to drill as far as you can. loosen vice and then slide a block of wood under the blank tighten vice and finish drilling. I recommend a vice for holding the blanks. there are some other home made solutions. The Paul Huffmen vice is considered by far the best but the waiting list is very long. From reports I have read I do not recommend any of the suppliers vices. I have a cross slide vice with home made jaws to hold pen blanks. This would not work for you as it would take up to much room. what ever you do decide on make sure the jaws have the "v" groove to hold a square blank by it's corners.


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## its_virgil (Nov 20, 2008)

Drill them on the lathe. Drilling on the lathe is very accurate and no drill press is needed. The tooling needed can be used for other turning chores and the drill press just drills and stands there. Consider drilling that way. Look at this: http://www.woodturnerruss.com/Pen22.html 

To drill on a press with a quill stroke too short you have to drill as far as you can then exit, raise the platform and finish drilling. You need a vise or jig to hold the pen blank. At one time I had a drill press with a short quill travel and  had my jig mounted on a piece of plywood. I would drill as far as I could, raise the jig and plywood base, insert a section of 2x8 to raise the jig and finish drilling. It was a pain but it worked. 

Several homemade jigs for holding pen blanks are around and can be found using google and doing some searching. You will be surprised how much info is out there if you "google" for it. Also, places like Woodcrat and Craft Supplies have pen blank drilling vises that can be purchased. Good luck and check back if you need more help.
Do a good turn daily!
Don



foamcapt40 said:


> I am having problems accurately drilling my pen blanks. I have an inexpensive (read cheap) drill press that I bought for light drilling in my other hobby, model railroading and around the house. It works fine for thin items, that just need a hole for a bolt or what-not. I believe it is an 8" or 10" press. Other problems I have run into, not enough spindle stroke, and holding blanks. I'm new and definitely need advice and help!


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## jedgerton (Nov 20, 2008)

You have started in much the same way most of us here did as well.  Unless you are the sort of person who wants to go for broke (and I mean that literally) right away, there is a low cost way to go you may find useful.

Harbor Freight sells a drill press vise that can be easily modified to make an acceptable pen blank drilling rig.  Here is a link:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=30999

You can remove the jaws that come with the device and replace them with some hardwood jaws that are about 2 1/2" tall with a V groove routed in both jaws such that the blank will be held at 90 degrees to the table.  I found it easy to make these by starting with a 6" long 1x6 piece of red oak.  I then routed the V groove across the grain near the center of the material.  I then ripped the 1x6 into two 2 1/2" pieces.  I hope this makes sense.

This is a cheap way of adapting a low cost vice.  If money is less of an object, Paul in OKC on this site makes an excellent self centering vice.  I've also heard (but have no experience myself) that the most accurate way to drill blanks is on the lathe itself.  I'll leave that explanation to those that actually know how its done!

John


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## Daniel (Nov 21, 2008)

To drill on the lathe you will need a scroll chuck on the head stock like a Nove, Barracuda or other, with jaws that will hold a pen blank securely and straight (some use the beall collet chuck). you will also need a Jacobs Chuck for the tail stock. You can get really good ones at a low price from sources like the little machine shop and others. just ask around members of the group usually have a bead on the best price for quality tools.
to drill with lathe hold the blank in the Scroll chuck put he drill bit in the Jacobs chuck turn lathe on to appropriate speed and advance the bit in to the blank with the tail stock wheel. In this case the blank does the turning not the bit. there are variations on this which include both different types of chucks. pre turning the blanks round and others. Just like everything else there is more than one way to skin a cat but this covers the basics of drilling on the lathe.


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