# Alternatives to pen mill?



## jtate (Mar 8, 2006)

I'm trying to keep the costs down as this is just a hobby for me.

Anyone have any alternatives to buying a pen mill and the barrels for all the different sizes tubes?  I'd like a nice even 90 degree barrel end so things fit together well but I['d also like to spend my budget on cool material to turn, not on more tools!

I use the Jet Mini lathe and plainold gouges and skews with a mandrel from Woodcraft (the cheaper of the two they had - of course) and kits from pocwoodwroking.com - mostly sxlimline.


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## wudwrkr (Mar 8, 2006)

If you have a disk sander, you can use that. Look in the Articles on IAP for a detailed description of how to make a Blank Sqaring Jig.  Here's a link to make it easier: http://www.penturners.org/content/BlankSquaring.pdf


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## jtate (Mar 8, 2006)

I have a Black and Decker 'Mouse' Sander.  You hold it in your hand and sand a piece of wood that's horizontal (like a board for a shelf or something).  It vibrates instead of spinning.  I could probably make a jig that the Mouse fits into and holds the blank at a neat 90 degree angle.  

Part of my problem is that I don't drill all that straight every time.  (No drill press, of course, just a vise and an electric hand-drill.)   If the blank is at an even twelve o'clock, my tub (inside it) may run from between 12 and 1 on the top and 6 and 7 on the bottom end.  SO I call that a 'design opportunity' and just go with it.  The grain gets more interesting that way sometimes!

Julia
Nashville, Tennessee


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## JimGo (Mar 8, 2006)

Julia,
Welcome to IAP!  Here is an idea Fred in NC shared a wile ago:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=1639&SearchTerms=pen,mill,sand,paper

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=1728&SearchTerms=pen,mill,sand,paper

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=2976&SearchTerms=pen,mill,sand,paper

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=2249&SearchTerms=pen,mill,sand,paper

I agree about the slightly offset drilling angle; my drill press tends to pull the bits toward the back of the press as I drill, so I have a similar problem to you!

We look forward to seeing pictures of your pens!


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## its_virgil (Mar 8, 2006)

I'm a real fan on the disk sander and sanding jig, but it doesn't fit in my tool bag for traveling. So I have one pen mill with the 1/4 " shaft (for 7mm oens) and the large cutter head. I turn a shim to fit inside each of the larger pen's tubes and place the shim over the pen mill's shaft and then inside the larger tube and Wa-La, one pen mill for all pens. A brass tube in the shim is not needed, but I use on and they seem to last longer, eapecially if the dia is small.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by jtate_
> <br />I'm trying to keep the costs down as this is just a hobby for me.
> 
> Anyone have any alternatives to buying a pen mill and the barrels for all the different sizes tubes?  I'd like a nice even 90 degree barrel end so things fit together well but I['d also like to spend my budget on cool material to turn, not on more tools!
> ...


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## Dario (Mar 8, 2006)

I have the universal pen mill...but for all that doesn't fit, I make a shim as Don explained above.  I am actually planning on making a shim for all sizes so I won't have to keep on taking out the guide every now and then []


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## ed4copies (Mar 8, 2006)

> _Originally posted by its_virgil_
> <br /> I turn a shim to fit inside each of the larger pen's tubes and place the shim over the pen mill's shaft and then inside the larger tube and Wa-La, one pen mill for all pens. A brass tube in the shim is not needed, but I use on and they seem to last longer, eapecially if the dia is small.
> Do a good turn daily!
> Don



Ain't it amazin' what a lathe can make for you???!!!


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## Johnathan (Mar 8, 2006)

Craft Supply sells plastic tubes you can turn down to size, I think their about 4 bucks each. You will need a 7mm barrel trimmer to start out with. These will not clean the inside of the tube if that's a concern. I ended up just spending the money and getting a full set. The sander will work but not perfectly like the right size barel trimmer will. If you have any scrap wood around you can use this to make your spacers.[8D][]


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## Geo in Winnipeg (Mar 8, 2006)

I made these adaptors for my 7mm pen mill. Some 7mm tube and birch dowel. Cut, tube and turn to size. Works great and it's cheap.





<br />
I still have more to make []


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## wood-of-1kind (Mar 8, 2006)

George,
that's a great idea that you have shared here. Thanks, I'm going to make some to expand the capability of my 7mm trimmer.

Regards,
-Peter-


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## GregMuller (Mar 8, 2006)

If the point on the pen mill is to trim the blank can someone tell me what is the point of the shim in the tube. I always use wax to seal the ends and have very little glue in the tubes.


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## its_virgil (Mar 8, 2006)

Hi Greg, 
I'll try to answer your question. The pen mill does two things, it mills the end of the blank square (perpendicular) to the brass tubes and the pilot has the cutter on the end to clean out the tubes. To use the shims, the tubes must be free of glue. I too use the wax plugs. The point of the shims is to make the pin mill's 1/4" shaft fit inside the larger tubes and keep the cutter head perpendicular to the brass tube. This way the pen mill cut is nice and squsre. And, the best thing, is one penmill shaft and one cutter head...the shims make one mill work on all kits...penmill shafts and cutter heads are not cheap. Buying all of the interchangeable shafts and cutter heads can pile up quickly. Hope this helps. 
do a good turn daily!
Don




> _Originally posted by GregMuller_
> <br />If the point on the pen mill is to trim the blank can someone tell me what is the point of the shim in the tube. I always use wax to seal the ends and have very little glue in the tubes.


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## jtate (Mar 9, 2006)

Wow!  Thanks for all your suggestions.  I'm going to have to try the shims once I get a cutter.

What I tried last night seemed to work.

I have a 1 inch hole drilling bit - looks like a square canoe paddle with a point at the center.  It's not a round bit like you drill holes for door knobs with.  

Anway.  I turned a little dohichy that looks a little like a spinning top - a long thin stright part above a disc with a short, thicker part at the bottom.  I removed the pointy thing from the tail stock so I could insert the dohichy, short thicker end first into the tail stock.  The disc holds it firmly against the tailstock and then the pen blank (with glued in tube) goes on the long straight part that's pointing toward the headstock.  

Using a Jacob's Chuck ($12 on eBay) I put the 1 inch drilling bit in the headstock.  When it's spinning, the plane of the wing parts of the bit is 90 degrees to the bed of the lathe.  I slide the tail stock up, holding the live center, with one hand and the body of the tail stock with the other.  The pointy end of the bit goes into the tube, ensuring everythiong's all lined up evenly.  Keeping a grip to keep the live cetner from turning I scootch the tail stiock up till the wings on the bit cut into the end of the blank.  Very gently.  

If there's a catch, I just let go of the live center and the blank and dohichy spin freely and I turn the whole thing off and regroup.

Now, why shouldn't I do this?  Seems like a pretty decent, multi-tasking method.  The bit was about $3.00, the Jacobs Chuck about $12.00 (and usable for other things) and the dohichy was free.  


Usually there is a reason why I shouldn't do things according to my brilliant ideas.

Case in point --- why buy a pen press?  I have a thing designed to exert pressure against an object which is held steady on the other end.  It's called a lathe!  So I gave it a shot - pen point on the headstock side with the little hole on the point of the headstock spur center, blank - all turned and finished and in place at the end of the pen point it's supposed to go on and the open end of the blank centered on the pointy end of the live center at the tail stock.  Slide tail stock forward and lock down and then begin extering pressure by turning the tailstock cracnk.  Barrel goes on pen point and I'm happy!  Likewise, the pen transmission (SlimLine Pen) goes in the end of the barrel nicely and the clip and endcap assembly when on the other barrel nicely (using a scrap of wood to hold the end cap and prevent scratching.  

I'm grinning like the Che****re cat until I tried to put the back end on the front end.  The transmission won't go into the opening on the barrel!  What's up with that?  I'm not all that fast on the up-take... I did finaly figure out that  I had flared the opening of the transmission (the hole into which you stick the refill) when I used the pointy thing on the live center on the tail stock to push it into the barrel of the pen.  A judicious application of the pliers and the transmission did go into the barrel, completling the pen assembly but leaving a few tooth marks.  Next time I'm going to turn a couple of little pieces to go between the pointy things on head and tail stock and the pen parts being assembled.  We'll see how that goes...


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## GregMuller (Mar 9, 2006)

Thanks Don that did clear it up.


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## Charles (Mar 10, 2006)

Since he is saying he is making mostly SL's the cost of the drill chuck and the spade bit is more that a barrel trimmer. But, A great idea on the tube inserts for sizes like 27/64 etc. where standard barrel trimmers won't fit.
It seams using the lathe as a pen press has it's problems, you don't want to mess up transmissions and leaving any scratches will be noticed by your recipient.
Just take your time and aquire things slowly. This is not a race and good equipment will last you a long time.[8D]


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## pmburk (Mar 10, 2006)

Nice work!!


> _Originally posted by Geo in Winnipeg_
> <br />I made these adaptors for my 7mm pen mill. Some 7mm tube and birch dowel. Cut, tube and turn to size. Works great and it's cheap.
> 
> 
> ...


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## Skye (Mar 10, 2006)

> _Originally posted by jtate_
> <br />
> 
> Anway.  I turned a little dohichy that looks a little like a spinning top - a long thin stright part above a disc with a short, thicker part at the bottom.  I removed the pointy thing from the tail stock so I could insert the dohichy, short thicker end first into the tail stock.  The disc holds it firmly against the tailstock and then the pen blank (with glued in tube) goes on the long straight part that's pointing toward the headstock.



 I gotta see a pic of this. I have no idea what you did, lol. Only problem would be if that hole boring bit wasnt hitting the blank dead square against the orientation of the tube in the blank. Remember, you're not squaring to the blank, you're squaring to the tube inside it. But, not being able to picture your rig, I cant tell if your doing that or not...



> Case in point --- why buy a pen press?



I dont, I use a $5 clamp from Northern Tools. Probably faster than using the lathe (cheaper version of the one in the pic):








> I'm grinning like the Che****re cat until I tried to put the back end on the front end.  The transmission won't go into the opening on the barrel!  What's up with that?



I can only assume you flared the end of the transmission by using the lathe as a press. Not %100 sure, but that's the only thing I can think of. Try using one of the clamps like I do. You can get them super cheap at Harbor Freight.


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## its_virgil (Mar 10, 2006)

Yours look much better than mine. They can also be used if squaring is done on a disk sander. The jig will have an old mandrel shaft and these shims can be used like with the pen mill.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


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## jtate (Mar 21, 2006)

Okay,

I'm still trying to avoid the purchase of a pen mill.

I can insert the tubes without getting glue inside them (most times).  I can scrape it out when it does happen (pick for removing nuts from the shells).  Now, about getting those ends squared with the tubes.

Why should I not do this ---

Cut postage stamp sized pieces of sandpaper (150 grit or so), use a single hole punch and punch holes in the center, slide it on the mandrel - scratchy side facing toward the tailstock and tape it in place with double sided tape.  Then slide the blank, having already turned it most of the way, on the mandrel and hold it against the spinning sandpaper.  I tried it on a 7mm last night and it worked great.  The single hole puch you get at the drug store or office supply place (the cheap one) punches just the right sized hole.  Double sided tapeholds it pretty securely and yet lets you rip it off and throw it away.  The little squares wear out fast since the sanding is concentrated on the space right around the mandrel, but, hey, you can afford more.  

What do you think?


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## JimGo (Mar 21, 2006)

Interesting idea.  Just gotta make sure you're holding the blank perpendicular to the sand paper.  You could turn a shim for this, like we discussed for the pen mills.  I'd make it a little longer than necessary, this way you can hold the blank more easily, and you'll have excess should the shim ride against the sand paper.


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## alamocdc (Mar 21, 2006)

Julia, what happened (twist mechanism not going in without a fight) is a common problem even with pen mills. The spade bit (flat aquare paddle thingy) either created a bur on the inside of the tube, or it rolled the edge of the tube to the inside. There are two ways to fix this (both prior to attempting assembly). 1) Buy a chamfering tool or tube reamer and give the ends of the tube (after milling with the spade bit, etc.) a few turns... by hand or you'll remove too much of the tube and dig into the barrel. 2) Use a pocket knife to ream the inside of the tube... once around usually does it. I use the later method.

One word of caution. Be VERY careful using the spade bit to do this. You can easily end up with one or both of the following. 1) Taking too much off, thus shortening the tube resulting in a nonfunctional pen. You just want to take the blank to the tube. Touching the tube isn't a problem as long as you don't remove much material. 2) Unless your setup is dead on, you can end up with a nonsquare blank. The end result of the cut should be exactly perpendicular with the tube.


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## jtate (Mar 21, 2006)

The spade bit thingy worked but scared me.  I just got my stitches out!  I don't need more yet.  

I think I flared out the opening of the transmission when I used the pointy end of the tailstock to push it in.  I didn't think about a bur inside the tube that was going onto the transmission.  I'll have to get a loupe out and take a much closer look.  I'll definitely use the pocket knife technique - I'm still avoiding buying tools!  

The sandpaper on the mandrel works and the cutting disk from the Dremel sounds like an even better idea.  The sandpaper does wear out and have to get changed a lot. I'm still limiting myself to SlimLines so I don't have to make any shims yet.  Soon though, this will be an issue.
[]


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## alparent (Mar 23, 2006)

Forget my Dremel cutting disk tip. I had never used it on really hard wood yet! It's not abrasive enough....it just burns the wood. (That's why I deleted my last post)

Sorry for that not so good tip![] [:I]

Got myself a barrel trimmer.........way better. Just a couple of turns of the trimmer and I'm done....much faster.

I got the HSS trimmer at Lee Valley. Hopefully I wont have to sharpen it to often.


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