Help needed turning pen blanks!

[David Brimm]

I recently decided pick up some acrylic pen blanks (not pre-drilled) to use to make little do-dads, trinkets, etc. I figured this would be awesome what with all the incredible colors and patterns and attractive prices and all. Well long story short I'm having a heck of a time doing anything besides breaking and mangling these blanks and could desperately use some help.

I'm starting with 3/4" solid square acrylic blanks. I'm somewhat (barely) successfully chucking them up in my Nova soft-jaws long enough to get a round bit turned on the end so that I can then turn them around and get the round part chucked. Is there a better way to go about this? I can't chuck them with metal jaws as the blanks seem to just want to break, guess the material is too brittle.

Once I get them chucked I'm having a heck of a time turning them and getting nice smooth results. I'm trying slow speeds, fast speeds, HSS tools of various types, carbide of the EWT square and round type.. mediocre results with all. I even chucked a couple in my metal lathe and tried HSS and carbide bits there with limited success.

I'm thinking I need more practice and I'm willing to put the hours in but I wanted to know what tools and techniques are you guys using to get these stellar results I'm always seeing here on The Creek? What chucks/jaws (or other mounting methods?), what tools, what sanding/finishing steps? Any secret tricks I should know about?

With the results I'm getting anything will be an improvement so please show me some mercy and help! :o :confused:

[Alan Zenreich]

The general approach is to cut and drill the blanks first, square the ends with a pen mill, glue in the tube, then either mount on a pen mandrel, or turn between centers (a dead center in the headstock, and live center in the tailstock).

I prefer using EWT carbide tools. Fast lathe speed, very light cuts... I can go directly from the tool to MicroMesh.

[Don Alexander]

takes a light touch and very sharp tools with a little practice you can get them pretty smooth with the tools very little sanding at all

[Jon Lanier]

There is a good video on this subject. Can't remember where it is... help anyone?

[James Combs]

The general approach is to cut and drill the blanks first, square the ends with a pen mill, glue in the tube, then either mount on a pen mandrel, or turn between centers (a dead center in the headstock, and live center in the tailstock).

I prefer using EWT carbide tools. Fast lathe speed, very light cuts... I can go directly from the tool to MicroMesh.

Notice what Alan says here. Most of the time we as pen makers are turning acrylic blanks with a metal tube glued in the center. The tube will tend to reinforce the blank. From your statement "heck of a time doing anything besides breaking and mangling these blanks" I get the impression that you are turning solid "trinkets" not reinforce pens so if you are having breakage the lack of reinforcement maybe part of your problem. However, that being said I have not had any major trouble turning acrylics and I will typically use the EWT round carbide tool (the Easy Finisher) and lighter cuts then I would normally use on wood. Yes they will chip and shatter if you get to aggressive but if you keep that in mind you should be able to turn them without drilling and tubing them. Just keep a light touch and keep trying. One thing I would do if I was trying to turn a solid is to use the tail stock as much as possible. If you are already using it, then I am out of suggestions. Good Luck.

[David Brimm]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I'll sharpen better try again. I'll also try using the tailstock since I haven't been and try the round EWT instead of the square one. I'll let you all know how it works out...

[Lupe Duncan]

High speed, sharp tools, light cuts....
I use a Carbide insert onmy square blanks to round them off for the collet. Ill hold the woodchuck at a 45 deg angle and use the corner to knock off the edges or set them on the belt samder for a while to knock off the edges.

[Jim Burr]

Chances are that you are getting chip out from the blanks. A small skew (3/8") is best and a good clip...2500rpm or higher. I find myself sharpening twice on an acrylic pen. Also keep the cuts shallow/light...you can tell when you’re in the "zone" when thin whitish ribbons, that make a mess of everything!!!!, are flying off in a long continuous strand.

[ray hampton]

The general approach is to cut and drill the blanks first, square the ends with a pen mill, glue in the tube, then either mount on a pen mandrel, or turn between centers

I prefer using EWT carbide tools. Fast lathe speed, very light cuts... I can go directly from the tool to MicroMesh.

(a dead center in the headstock, and live center in the tailstock)

I forgot the source but some people recommended a live center in the headstock and a dead center in the tailstock,[ dead centers do not turn ]
.

[Keith E Byrd]

PSI has a chuck designed to hold pen blanks for drilling. I assume you could use it with the live center and be successful?

[Dan Hintz]

I forgot the source but some people recommended a live center in the headstock and a dead center in the tailstock,[ dead centers do not turn ].
I think you'd have to turn your lathe up to 11 to get a hole in the blank that way... ;)

[ray hampton]

I think you'd have to turn your lathe up to 11 to get a hole in the blank that way... ;)

I was talking about mounting the blank between centers to turn the blank not drilling a hole in the blank

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Jim B. said. I use a skew on acrylic and wood pen blanks. I sharpen the skew when I start and hone it a couple of times during the turning.

[Dan Hintz]

some people recommended a live center in the headstock and a dead center in the tailstock,[ dead centers do not turn ]


I was talking about mounting the blank between centers to turn the blank not drilling a hole in the blank
Let me rephrase...

You'd have to turn your lathe up to 11 to get it to spin the blank.

A live center in the headstock would spin it's little heart out... but the blank wouldn't budge.

[ray hampton]

Let me rephrase...

You'd have to turn your lathe up to 11 to get it to spin the blank.

A live center in the headstock would spin it's little heart out... but the blank wouldn't budge.

If the livecenter was in the headstock and a spindle do manage to turn between centers , the slightly pressure from the turning tool WILL STOP the spindle

[David Brimm]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions guys.. I'm having more success now with high speeds and using the circular EWT cutter. Now I just need practice but at least I'm on the right path!

[Tom Wilson66]

I have had success turning acrylic blanks using a negative ground round nose scraper till I get the blank rounded, then using regular tools for the rest of the turning. The negative angle on the scraper doesn't seem to cause as much chipping as regular tools on the corners of the blank.

[Dan Hintz]

If the livecenter was in the headstock and a spindle do manage to turn between centers , the slightly pressure from the turning tool WILL STOP the spindle
Uhm, that's my point, Ray... why would you put a live center in the headstock if that's where the power comes from? You might as well not have a lathe at all, stick the blank in your lap, and rub the tool back and forth.

I have no idea what you're trying to accomplish at this point, but it doesn't appear to be turning a blank.

[ray hampton]

Uhm, that's my point, Ray... why would you put a live center in the headstock if that's where the power comes from? You might as well not have a lathe at all, stick the blank in your lap, and rub the tool back and forth.

I have no idea what you're trying to accomplish at this point, but it doesn't appear to be turning a blank.
Dan, I bought my first lathe back in the 70s or 80s and I think that statement were in the user manual and I possible try the live center in the headstock knowing that the information was wrong, this bit of info. are still being pass around today