# blank drilling jig



## ahoiberg (Apr 13, 2007)

can anyone chime in on or show some pictures of the drilling jig they're using to center the tube holes in your blank? i've been having some trouble with the one i built... admittedly, it wasn't the best crafted piece of equipment ever, but it does turn out some centered holes sometimes! 

thanks.


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## LEAP (Apr 13, 2007)

Andrew there are a number of commercially available vises or do a search on pen vise to get plenty of pictures and information. The best vise I've seen so far is made by an IAP member Paul Huffman (Paul in OKC). He has a long waiting list but its worth the wait. I got mine about a month ago and my Woodcraft vise has been doing nothing but collecting dust ever since. My Dad uses a machinists vise and has good results but for ease of operation and accuracy Pauls vise can't be beat.


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## hanau (Apr 13, 2007)

i tried making one and could never get the hole in the center, bought the centering jig from woodcraft and done a lot better with centering.


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## alamocdc (Apr 13, 2007)

Made one, bought another, and then got Paul's. I haven't looked back since.


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## ahoiberg (Apr 13, 2007)

let me ask another question...

have any of you really encountered that many problems with a slightly off centered hole? I know it can affect the grain and skew a laminated design... but other than that?

also, i assume once i get out of doing slimlines it will become more of an issue?


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## JimGo (Apr 13, 2007)

The big issue (for me) isn't so much that the hole starts off off-center, but rather that the blank is square in the vise.  In one of my previous set-ups, I could (unintentionally) misalign the blank in the vise, and on more than one occasion the bit would drill through the blank at an angle.  When it came out, the bit would have wandered enough that I could no longer use the blank (wasn't enough wood left near the hole).  Part of that was a poorly squared table, but part is also just a bad vise design.  Like several of the others, I now use Paul Huffman's vise.  I align it when I first put it on my table (simply clamp a Harbor Freight transfer punch in the vise, then grab the punch using the drill press's chuck, then align the table to provide appropriate support), and then I don't look back.  It works great regardless of the diameter/width of the blank.


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## richstick1 (Apr 13, 2007)

Guys - I'm not knocking Paul's vise at all - the pics I've seen look REALLY nice - but I'm curious, how does his vise compare to the other self centering blank drilling visese sold by PSI, Craft Supplies, etc?


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## mavrick1903 (Apr 13, 2007)

it's considerably more stout. I have not used the PSI/Woodcraft/CSUSA version, only because I stepped up to Paul's from the start. I'm a big beliver in the addage that only rich folks can afford to buy cheap tools.


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## LEAP (Apr 13, 2007)

Richstick,
I originally bought the Woodcraft vise and was not happy with the amount of deflection in the centering system. when ever you started to drill the vise flexed and you ended up with a hole that was slightly out of round at the top and off center at the bottom. I tightened everything up on the vise to the point where I could barely turn the tightening knob and it helped but did not eliminate the problem. The vise from Lee Valley looks to be built better than the Woodcraft vise but not as well as Pauls vise. After using Pauls vise for the last month I would not go with any other self centering vise I have seen. There are other methods and other types of vise available but if something works this well why go any other way. As I stated earlier my Dad uses a machinist's vise and likes it but it is not self centering and he has to readjust it for every change in drill or blank size. He also has a Woodcraft vise but stopped using it after a week or so and went back to his machinists's vise.


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## wdcav1952 (Apr 13, 2007)

Let me add another vote for Paul's vise.  I have become a far better pen turner since I got Paul's vise and a Beall collet chuck from Woodchips.


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## richstick1 (Apr 13, 2007)

So how does one go about getting one of these Paul H. vices - after looking around, they do look like the best thing going....


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## cozee (Apr 13, 2007)

Take a look here  http://sarkon.net/poppopshop/ Scroll down the page a little and check out his jig. I built this simple jig for doing antlers but use the base of it for about everything. Like any other centering device, just line it up with the chuck and your off and running. For far cheaper to boot!!


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## leehljp (Apr 13, 2007)

I just made my first duck call and became a convert to using the LATHE for drilling. Wow, that works SUPER! Since I don't make lots of pens, average two or three a week then none for three or four weeks - this works fine. I love the accuracy and you don't have to wait until it is finished to know that it is going through correctly.


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## thebreeze (Apr 13, 2007)

I've been using my lathe and a pin chuck with excellent results. I was skeptical when an old timer at Woodcraft suggested it. I went in to buy a bigger drill press to replace my 10" bench top because I had to readjust the table just to drill thru a blank. It is much easier for me to just slide the tailstock forward after drilling half way.


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## byounghusband (Apr 16, 2007)

> Guys - I'm not knocking Paul's vise at all - the pics I've seen look REALLY nice - but I'm curious, how does his vise compare to the other self centering blank drilling visese sold by PSI, Craft Supplies, etc?


Add me to the LONG list of Paul's  drilling vice fans!!  Like Billy did, I made one, bought the Woodcraft POS, and then got one from Paul.  Long wait, but WELL WORTH IT.
Drilling 7mm pens is not a problem with a wood clamp.  You have plenty of room to be off a tad....  But try an Emporer Cap blank with 7/8" stock.  Don't be off at all!!  DAMHIKT[:I][:I]
Pauls vice is extremely well built, ZERO play, unlike the WC POS, and looks great to boot.....  Line it up on your DP, clamp it down and drill until you run out of blanks.  All DEAD-ON!!  Bottle Stoppers too!!  
I applaud anyone who can make their own and have it drill Dead-On every time.  I tried, and it didn't work out too well.  So turn a few pens, sell them and buy a Paul's Vice.  One of the best accessories I have purchased.

Edited to remove an apparently incorrect last name.  My bad.  Sorry [:I]

Ok, edited again because I had Lou confused with Billy.  Was I awake yesterday??[B)][?]


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## Paul in OKC (Apr 16, 2007)

> Add me to the LONG list of Paul Sherman drilling vice fans!!



Who is this guy, and when did HE start selling MY vises![]


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## wdcav1952 (Apr 16, 2007)

> _Originally posted by cozee_
> <br />Take a look here  http://sarkon.net/poppopshop/ Scroll down the page a little and check out his jig. I built this simple jig for doing antlers but use the base of it for about everything. Like any other centering device, just line it up with the chuck and your off and running. For far cheaper to boot!!



Warning!!  If you go to this site turn your speakers off!!  That's some of the worse damn "music" I have heard in quite a while.  I can't say anything about his jig as I got off the site as fast as I could. []


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## Paul in OKC (Apr 16, 2007)

> [
> Warning!!  If you go to this site turn your speakers off!!  That's some of the worse damn "music" I have heard in quite a while.  I can't say anything about his jig as I got off the site as fast as I could. []



I agreee!  Jig is similar to the one BB has, I believe. The hinged board with 'V' notches in it.


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## pssherman (Apr 16, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Paul in OKC_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...


I think that is me but I never made or sold any pen vises. I use a slightly wobbly one from PSI.[] Probably remembers me from the work I do with the 50 BMG casings and bullets.[)]

Paul in AR not OKC


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## byounghusband (Apr 17, 2007)

Paul and Paul,
Please forgive me for mixing you guys up....  There seemed to be a disconnect between my brain and reality yesterday...

Lou and Billy,
Same to you guys...

I edited my orignal post.....  Can I go back to sleep now?[)]


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## Paul in OKC (Apr 17, 2007)

Hey, getting mixed up with any body off this group isn't a bad thing, is it?[] The other Paul might have been better with some one besides me, though!


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