Equip needed for Pen Turning

[alex grams]

I am looking at turning some pens and wanted to get a better grasp of what all equipment I will need for doing so.

Outside of the actual pen kits themselves, I presume I will need a press:
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PENPRESS4.html

and a mandrel
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKMS2SET.html

Other items? A dis-assembly kit?

[Jim Burr]

Instead of a press Alex, get a Pony style screw type pipe clamp and on the long end of the pipe, screw on a 3-4" flange. Mount that to your bench. I think my pipe is about 12" and with limited bench space, it takes up no room. Hit up the IAP site too!
Other items that others may or may not agree on;

Appropriate means to cut blanks
Drill press w/ bits; you'll need no less than 10, 23/64, 27/64, O, S, 10mm, 10.5, 12.5, 9mm...the list is ridiculous!
CA glue
Good MM sanding pads
appropriate turning tools
Some type of barrel trimmer
Some type of polish/buffer
Forget the mandrel and get bushings from pen turners products
Always buy extra tubes for your kits!!!
If you need wood, please feel free to let me know...Keith can tell you for a fact that I more wood than you could think of:eek:
Several thousand dollars cuz you're gonna need it:p!!

I'm sure there are other items, but that was from memory and I'm old;)

Work hard on pens and remember...they're just a small spindle. You'll make Christmas money in no time!

[Dan Hintz]

Several thousand dollars cuz you're gonna need it:p!!
That pretty much covers the brunt of it...

[alex grams]

I have no drill press, is that something that can be worked around for pen turning? I have all of the general turning tools, but just looking at pen turning specific items.

[Jim Burr]

I have no drill press, is that something that can be worked around for pen turning? I have all of the general turning tools, but just looking at pen turning specific items.

You'll need a Jacobs chuck with a #2MT, assuming your lathe is so equipped. You can also get (I can't believe I'm saying this) a bench top HF drill press really cheap. Gotta have a way to get the tube in.

[Paul Douglass]

You can drill on your lathe if you get a chuck for it. Penn State has a little CD that tells how to make a pen. It is actually pretty good and explains all the tools required. Best of all it is free.

Arizona Silhouette sells a cd that is even better. Save a lot of time and frustration but watching one of these.

[alex grams]

Hah, don't worry Jim. If i commit to getting a drill press, I won't skimp any corners. I've learned long ago to buy quality and buy just once!

[alex grams]

Paul,
Do you have a link to where to get the free CD from Penn State?

[Keith E Byrd]

I can vouch - Jim does have pen blanks! Lots of pen blanks!
"Several thousand dollars cuz you're gonna need it:p!!"
It is amazing how a little here and a little there adds up!

[Dan Hintz]

Paul,
Do you have a link to where to get the free CD from Penn State?
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/sales-tools-instructions.html

[Paul Williams]

I drill pens and face off the ends on the lathe and press them with my woodworking vise. This is an option if you want to try a few before buying more equipment. I would reccomend a mandrel to get started, but you can turn between centers. The first time I tried between centers I just chucked up a piece of wood and turned it to fit the inside of the tube and used a live center for the other end. Of course I nicked the live center, so I turned a bushing for the tail stock end on the next pen.

[Dave Wagner]

On the drill press, check the Throw length, (how far will it travel), some of the table top drill presses only go 1.75"-2.25" travel, some pen blanks are a bit longer and you can get completely thru them. I had that problem and got a an older drill press with a 4"+ travel.
Or drill it on the lathe too!

[Dan Forman]

No need for a drill press, I have one, but have done all my drilling on the lathe for some time. I use a clamp for a press as well. Use the money you save on these two items to buy a nice collet chuck instead. Turn you blank round and put it in a collet for drilling, the collet will support the end, and prevent blowout where the drill exits. The collet chuck will prove itself useful for any number of things over time.

Dan

[James Combs]

No need for a drill press, I have one, but have done all my drilling on the lathe for some time. I use a clamp for a press as well. Use the money you save on these two items to buy a nice collet chuck instead. Turn you blank round and put it in a collet for drilling, the collet will support the end, and prevent blowout where the drill exits. The collet chuck will prove itself useful for any number of things over time. Dan

+1 on Dan's comments. You could actually do everything on the lathe if you wanted too. The tail stock crank and a flat center makes a great press. You can also square up the ends of your blanks after an initial rounding using the collet system and and a good sharp parting tool, scraper, or any other tool you can cut an nice flat end with.

Good luck and great penning. Oh and BTW don't forget "Several thousand dollars cuz you're gonna need it:p!!"

[Donny Lawson]

A drill press can serve as 2 purposes. It can be used for drilling out your blanks and it is also used as a pen press. I had a pen press and I thought "there has to be a better way'. Someone told me about using my drill press and I've never looked back. It works like a mega press.

[Jim Burr]

A drill press can serve as 2 purposes. It can be used for drilling out your blanks and it is also used as a pen press. I had a pen press and I thought "there has to be a better way'. Someone told me about using my drill press and I've never looked back. It works like a mega press.

I also use mine to trim my barrels...disc sander works to.

[Paul Heely]

Other items? A dis-assembly kit?

I ordered a set of transfer punches from Harbor Freight that have worked great for taking things back apart when needed. Here's a link to the set, http://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html.


(http://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html)

[Thom Sturgill]

Like others I gave up on the drill press for drilling. Harbor Freight sells a usable jacobs chuck with a #2MT for less than $10. I use my normal chuck with pin jaws, both for drilling and facing the blank.It works well with a square blank. If you go with a collet chuck, get one of the ones that screws over the spindle rather than the MT type and remember that you have to round and size the blank before you can use the collet chuck.

I bought an adjustable mandrel and think it was well worth the cost at my skill level.
I made my pen press out of some scraps and clamps I had on hand:
215265
A longer handle would be nice but it works well.