# Home-made Pen Press-4 bucks and change!!



## Randy_ (Feb 21, 2006)

I got tired of the inconvenience of using my DP for pressing pen parts; but the budget wouldn't permit spending $40 for one out of a catalog.  After a few Internet searches, I found a used DeStaCo clamp and with some shop scraps, I managed to cobble together a serviceable pen press.  It's not terribly pretty; but it works!!  Here are a few pictures and I will be happy to answer any questions that the pictures don't.[B)]  





Pen Press Prototype with DeStaCo Clamp-Top View





Close-up of DeStaCo clamp. Note nylon hex bolt in the end of the piston to create a non-marring surface. 





Close-up of wooden anvil. Anvil is asymmetrical so you can turn it end for end and get some adjustment for longer pens. 





Wooden anvil slides between two fixed wooden blocks. Range of travel is controlled by a hex head bolt inserted into one of a series of holes drilled in the base.(see next picture) 





Stop bolt in one of the adjusting holes. 





Adjusting holes with bolt removed. Note asymmetry of anvil unit





Notice sheetrock screw through the bottom of the anvil for extra reinforcement. In the final version, this piece will be made out of hardwood and probably will not require the extra screw.


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## Thumbs (Feb 21, 2006)

Good show, Randy!  If I didn't already have an arbor press.....


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## Rifleman1776 (Feb 21, 2006)

Pretty doesn't count. Beauty is in the hands of the user. Seems it might be more comfortable to use if the operating handle was longer, that's easily fixable. Good job. Wonder if anybody has ever converted a walnut cracker, might work.


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## wood-of-1kind (Feb 21, 2006)

Thanks for posting Randy. I like the design.

-Peter-[]


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## wdcav1952 (Feb 21, 2006)

Randy,

Thanks for the pictures.  I couldn't get your concept from the earlier description.  Looks like a better press than the $$ ones!

Frank, I've wondered the same thing.  To make a pen press from a Nutcracker would be Sweet. [)]


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## JimGo (Feb 21, 2006)

Thanks for posting this Randy, you just saved me a LOT of hassle!  I bought bolts to mount the clamp, and was trying to figure out how to make an adjustable base.  I was going to use a threaded rod from an old "C" clamp, but was struggling with how to mount it.  Yours is a much simpler solution!


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## jwoodwright (Feb 21, 2006)

Good job Randy.  I tried the Nutcracker, the woodworking vise, various clamps and finally an arbor press.  Then got the Grizzly paper punch and modified it. The 2nd photo is the new turret on the paper punch with a Corian ram.




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<br />


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## Randy_ (Feb 21, 2006)

My thanks to all for your nice comments.[:I]

John: I'm curious as to why you went from the arbor press to the paper punch.  Seems like they are very similar in function although I expect the PP is a lot easier to move around.  []


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## Randy_ (Feb 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Rifleman_
> <br />Pretty doesn't count. Beauty is in the hands of the user. Seems it might be more comfortable to use if the operating handle was longer, that's easily fixable. Good job. Wonder if anybody has ever converted a walnut cracker, might work.



Frank, right on.  Forgot to mention it in the original post; but I do intend to add a handle extension.  Just haven't gotten a "round to it."

While I was hunting a DeStaCo clamp, I looked at several nut crackers; but never found one that would have been simple and easy to modify for pen work.  Not to mention the fact that most people are pretty proud of their nut crackers and I was looking for an economical alternative.  4 the price of a new nut cracker, I could have almost purchased a brand new DeStaCo clamp.


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## Rifleman1776 (Feb 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Randy__
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...



Go to a large farm supply or feed store. You are sure to find sturdy, inexpensive walnut crackers meant for use not for some pretty to sit around the house.


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## Randy_ (Feb 21, 2006)

We do have a farm store here that I buy a lot of hard to find hardware from.  Not sure if it would qualify as a "big" store as Dallas is not exactly the agricultural capital of the world.  [][]

Never thought to look there.....will check it out next time I am there for future reference.  Thanks.[


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## Ron Mc (Feb 21, 2006)

Randy, Great press and I really like the price.[] I'll see you at the feed store.[][]


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## Darley (Feb 21, 2006)

Randy good on you I suppose the bolt was the expensive part []


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## Randy_ (Feb 21, 2006)

Hi Serge:

The clamping mechanism was right at $4....bought it used as they are darn near 20 bucks new.  The picture probably doesn't show it well but there is a nylon hexhead bolt in the end of the piston that cost the better part of a buck!!!  Could have cobbled up a cheaper alternative for an non-marring tip; but that one was laying around from another project and just happened to fit so I used it out of convenience.(alternative spelling = laziness![])


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## pmburk (Mar 13, 2006)

Randy,
Great job on that press! Mind if I copy it for my shop? I've been using the DP myself.
Patrick


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## pete00 (Mar 13, 2006)

Randy
thanks for taking the time ot post this.


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## alamocdc (Mar 13, 2006)

I built one very similar to Randy's (same clamp) some time back. It may be due to lever length, but I still have top use my DP about 50% of the time. A longer handle for the lever for the in the works.


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## Randy_ (Mar 15, 2006)

Billy:  I'm plannimg on putting a longer handle on mine too.  Just haven't figured out a simple way to do it yet.  I just acquired a small flux wire welder and may weld an extension to the existing handle??


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## johnson (Mar 15, 2006)

The handle is zinc coated. IF you are going to attempt to weld this, make sure that you sand off all the zinc [aka galvanizing] in the weld area. Also do it in a well ventilated area and drink a couple glasses of milk after you finish. It will counteract the toxic effects of the zinc fumes. I have been welding for 30 years and was taught that the best way to weld on anything zinc plated was to give it to someone else to do. You can take a piece of pipe and heat the end and flatten it down to fit over the clamp handle. Good luck.


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## Johnathan (Mar 15, 2006)

That's the way to work! One costs too much, make one better, that's the way to "stick it to the man!" I'd like to see a photo when you get a nice long handle on it. [8D]


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## Randy_ (Mar 16, 2006)

> _Originally posted by johnson_
> <br />.....It will counteract the toxic effects of the zinc fumes.....You can take a piece of pipe and heat the end and flatten it down to fit over the clamp handle......



Thanks for the information about zinc.  I was not aware of that.  I always do my welding outdoors and usually have a fan going if there is no breeze so fumes shouldn't be a problem; but I will remove the galvanizing in the area of the weld.

I was thinking about using some electrical conduit for the handle rather than a heavier material.  Problem is that my clamp is of a slightly different design than the ones you see in the pen catalogs.  The "flat" face of the clamp lever is oriented in the horizontal position rather than the vertical position.  Flattening a pipe and slipping it over the clamp lever would be fairly weak from a mechanical point of view.  Haven't quite figured out how to deal with that problem yet??


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## johnson (Mar 16, 2006)

Get a piece of unthreaded black iron pipe from one of the home centers and flatten it on the end.  If you need enough leverage that you bend this, there are other problems. Most water pipes are at least .060" wall thickness or thicker to support threads, so you shouldn't be able to bend it. Look at the press in Woodcraft's catalog to get an idea of what size pipe you need and how much to flatten. I have snapped the jaws on a 24" cresent wrench using a pipe cheater with no adverse effect on the pipe, so I don't think pressing a pen will be an issue.


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## Randy_ (Mar 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by johnson_
> <br />Get a piece of unthreaded black iron pipe from one of the home centers and flatten it on the end.  If you need enough leverage that you bend this, there are other problems. Most water pipes are at least .060" wall thickness or thicker to support threads, so you shouldn't be able to bend it. Look at the press in Woodcraft's catalog to get an idea of what size pipe you need and how much to flatten. I have snapped the jaws on a 24" cresent wrench using a pipe cheater with no adverse effect on the pipe, so I don't think pressing a pen will be an issue.



I really don't need any additional leverage.  It is more a matter of control and making the handle a little more convenient to use with my big mitts.  As I mentioned before, I really don't want to hang a big heavy hunk of pipe on the unit......just want something to give me a little better grip and maybe a hair more leverage.  As I write this, the thought occurs to me that I might just turn a chunk of hard maple into something like the shape of a screwdriver handle and bolt it onto the existing clamp handle.  I'll have to think about that for a while and see if it is a practical alternative.  Thanks for getting the wheels a'turnin!!


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## Randy_ (Mar 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by pmburk_
> <br />Randy, Great job on that press! Mind if I copy it for my shop? I've been using the DP myself.  Patrick



Have at it, Patrick.  There is not very much that is original about the design.  I've just taken the best features of other pen presses that have been posted in the past and married them with an idea or two of my own to come up with a design that worked for me.  I expect that you will come up with a revision or two that will make your version special to your own preferences.


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## alamocdc (Mar 21, 2006)

Mine (made with the same clamp) does not have enough leverage and I've had to go back to using my lathe or DP to press some of the larger pens. An additional thing I'm thinking of is mounting it to the wall (on a stud of course).

I have some tubing with a rubber handle on it. It was the handle for an old electric edge trimmer. It's just thicker in wall diameter than conduit. I thought I'd flatten in just enough to get it over the handle and reinforce the open space with Hickory, then pop a few holes in it and bolt it up. I'll let you know if it works.


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## JimGo (Mar 21, 2006)

I'd be very curious to know how that turns out Billy.


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## KingBubbaTruck (Apr 14, 2006)

After reading this thread, heres what I put together for my pen press...





I just took a chunk of pine I had, cut a slot for the handle on the band saw, drilled a couple of holes in the clamp and bolted the handle to it.

So far, on the couple of pens I made since I built it, it seems to work fine.

I knew those push clamps I picked up at the wood working show would come in handy!

Thanks for the tips!

Brent


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## Randy_ (Apr 15, 2006)

Nice job, Brent!![^][^]


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