What is the best pen press?

[Robert Parrish]

I bought a Grizzly pen press last year and I have had to rebuild it several times. It's a piece of garbage! Looking at the various presses on the internet they all seem to use the same design. I have tried my bench vise and clamps but they are not easy to use. How many use your lathes for pressing. I heard that it causes stress on the headstock bearings. Any suggestions appreciated!

[Robert McGowen]

I have tried a few presses and, truthfully, the easiest one I have used is a 3/4" Pony pipe clamp with some padding on the jaws. It is very precise, cheap, and simple to use.

As far as using the lathe, if putting a pen together causes stress on the bearings, I would suggest that you need a different lathe. :cool:

[Robert Parrish]

Robert, I didn't think it would cause bearing stress I just read that in another forum.

[Aaron Wingert]

I've used the lathe a number of times but have mostly used my big bench vise with blocks of wood to pad the jaws.

I was recently in the local Rockler distributor and saw this thing:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18062&filter=pen%20drilling%20vise

It is a drilling jig for the drill press and it can also be used to press pen parts together. I bought it mostly as a drilling jig but am really impressed with how well put together it is and how smooth it operates. I think it would make a great press, albeit not as fast as a lever type press.

[Harvey M. Taylor]

I use the long-handled press simply because I paid 40.00 for it.When I work, my eqpt. works, Max

[Aaron Wingert]

Read some online reviews of my drilling jig/press and it seems that most folks prefer it for its drilling jig attributes and say it is lacking for pen pressing tasks (not fast enough and hard to get fingers in and out).

[Earl Reid]

My drill press makes a very good press
Earl

[jason lambert]

the red one pen states sells. have had several and this one has lasted 3 years so far and is built like a tank.

[Robert Parrish]

Aaron, I have that jig from Rockler and just use it for drilling. It doesn' work all that well. The wheel is too small and binds. I bought an xy vise that works better.

[David E Keller]

I'm with Earl. I use my drill press with a pin from an old hinge in the Jacobs chuck. Works like a charm. I keep the drill pen in the case with my barrel trimmer so that I don't lose it.

[Thom Sturgill]

I mounted a scrap piece of angle to a piece of MDF and mounted one of these toggles (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19590&filter=toggle) that I already had. Added a rib down the center to stiffen it when I found that the MDF wanted to warp and some spacers cut from a 1x scrap to give adjustments between pressing just one end and pressing an entire pen. One of the spacers and the end of the bolt have a scrap of that high density plastic often used for jigs.
Works for me, looks a lot like the PSI press with a shorter lever arm.

[Joe Bradshaw]

Robert, I have tried most of the methods mentioned in the above posts and I finally purchased a small arbor press from Grizzzly. It works great. It has plenty of force, but is very controlable.

[Robert Parrish]

Jason, The one Penn States sells states that the base is cast iron is that the one you have? Thanks

[Tim Boger]

I bought a Grizzly pen press last year and I have had to rebuild it several times. It's a piece of garbage! Looking at the various presses on the internet they all seem to use the same design. I have tried my bench vise and clamps but they are not easy to use. How many use your lathes for pressing. I heard that it causes stress on the headstock bearings. Any suggestions appreciated!

Hey Robert,

I've never used anything other than my drill press for assembling pens, I hold a small piece of hardwood under the chuck and another on the table and have at it. Never a problem.

Tim

[Mark Hubl]

When I got into turning pens I just made one. Not all that hard. Needed a couple of tweaks, but works pretty well.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/3154709369_2f52cb29e3.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/3205315472_96bd26c82c.jpg

[Robert Parrish]

Mark, Your using the same type of clamp that the commercial presses use. Mine bent were the plunger goes through so I put a u clamp on to hold it down but it doesn't work well. Also it was only screw to the surface with small screws. I through bolted it. I like your design though.

[Colin MacDiarmid]

I use one of these http://www.walmart.com/ip/Progressive-Can-Crusher/10086661

[Jon Lanier]

I made this one from a picture and blue print specs that 'someone?' gave me a few years ago... Best one I've ever had.

[Mark Hix]

I have assembled several hundered using my bench vise. I never have to look for it.

[Dan Henry]

I have been using an arbor press for several years like the ones available at Enco and Harbor Freight. The leverage allows for great control for pressing the components together. Our club has been making Freedom Pens for many years and when we have Pen Turn a Thorn, all of the pen assemblers always prefer using the arbor press over all of the other ones turners have brought in.

Dan

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use this pen press and love it. Adjustable and easy to use. I like the long handle due to Arthur in my hands it makes it is a lot easier to make small adjustments.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Pen_Making___Pen_Making_Tools___Pen_Press___pen_pr ess?Args=

[Chris Stolicky]

I simply use my bench vise that has leather pads stuck on it. The one time I tried using one of those 'pen vices' sold by most pen supply places I cracked the barrel of the pen! :mad:

[Donny Lawson]

I made a press a while back and it worked great for a while until the handle broke and I heard of using my drill press as a pen press.It works better than any pen press out there and it wasn't an extra expense.Try it once and you will never look back.
Donny

[Robert Parrish]

Bernie, I tried to order that one but they were out of stock so I ordered the one from Penn State. I will see how it works! Thanks guys.