Pen press......build or buy

[Grant Davis]

Tossing this idea around and thought I would ask the experts in the vortex.


If you have made your own would you mind posting pictures of it?


TIA,

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Hi Grant,
I didnt build or buy mine. Just get a short pipe clamp, about 10 in. long pipe and with the new feet moulded into the screw and end clamp just place the assembly in it and turn away, minding that the assembly goes together straight. That is where you and your expert eye come in.Works for me, Max

[Joe D'Attilio]

Not from experience, but I seen others use either clamps as stated above or using soft/nylon mallets against pine or other soft surface. I too am new to this still kicking the idea of my first "pen making" set up including lathe, and am trying to cut cost by using the mallet method...

[Greg Cuetara]

Just my $.02. I am starting out and have a pen press. It makes putting together pens very easy. There are a million other methods out there and all have worked good for many different people. I read somewhere about a gentleman who decided not to buy a pen press, he turned some really nice pens but then screwed them up during the press operation with a clamp and / or vise. He figured that after he messed up a few nice pens the pen press would have payed for itself and so he went and bought one.

Is it necessary, no, is it really nice for a beginner, yes.

Back to your original question. It actually is a fairly simple mechanism which could be built but like everything else how much is your time worth.

Good luck and let us know what you do.
Greg

[Gary Kvasnicka]

I use my drill press. I chuck a block of hardwood turned down to fit in the chuck as a "pad". I have had no problems with this method.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Grant I bought one 2 1/2 yrs ago when I started turning. It is a good unit and works extremely well. Haven't messed a pen up yet. I also bought the drilling vise which keeps them square when drilling. Do you need it probably could make one. Working full time with a part time business building things would be nice and probably will when I retire in about a 1 1/2 yrs. If I built all the tools I wanted to I would be no time for turning.

[Ben Gastfriend]

I vote scrap the press and use a vice, that you already have, or go with the mallet. Its worked for me and I've made some 200 pens.

[David Wilhelm]

I like my press. it's long paid for. If you don't want something else laying aroudn or another item to buy just think about all the things you aleady have. Vise, Drill press, C clamp, (i'd weld the ball so it doens't roll) You're Lathe and tail stock. I've used my Lathe when i've had guys up building pens. I don't think i'd use a hammer if i had these choices.

[Richard A. Rivera, M.D.]

I would agree to use a vise. I have made many pens with my old trusty bench machine vise with some jaws I made from UHMW polyethylene blocks. I feel I have very good control on the clamping pressure.

[Jon Behnke]

I use a clamp and/or my drill press. The commercial pen presses IMHO are expensive for what they are and I've read in the pen forums that they don't hold up. Some guys use an arbor press, you can pick one of those up fairly reasonable at Harbor Freight.
If you're doing slim lines and Euro's you can pick up a disassembly kit that works really well if you need to remove a transmission, mine has paid for itself many times over in saved kits.

[Greg Just]

I use my vice

[Mark Hix]

I've made several hundred pens. I still use my vice on my bench. Another turner I know uses her can crusher. The trick is to go slow and steady, measure often on those that the transmission insertion is critical or make your self a little v-block cut to the right length, lay the pen in it and squeeze until you hit the block.

For what is't worth, a cheap (9.99) transfer punch from Harbor Freight makes a great Dis-assembly tool. Not that I have ever had to use it.;);)

[John Grabowski]

I vote for the pen press. It is perfect every time...It also has the plastic insert on the back and it doesn't mare the nibs. Its well worth the expense. I think I got mine from woodcraft for about 30$ when they had a bag sale.

It saves time and never bends a transimission...Those kind of results are priceless.

John G

[Belton Garvin]

I just use my quick grip clamps. Works great!

[Dean Matthews]

I have been using my drill press vice since day one... It is only a problem when I get overzealous and turn too far... if you go slow it works out just fine. I have only really tore up one pen.

As for drilling jigs... I took a couple of 2x4s and tilted the table saw to 45 degrees and cut some wedges out... works GREAT. =)

But I am a cheap SOB.

[Jon Lanier]

I vote build one. I like this one I made (I've got the plans somewhere here). Unlike the one's you purchase, you can actually put the pen down on the flat surface.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6352/penpress1ni6.jpg

[Paul Douglass]

I built one and used it once, did not impress myself. I got a cheap arbor press and love it for a pen press.

[Rasmus Petersen]

well i use a clamp, but learnt to assemble using the lathe. Just turn 2 pices of hardwood witn morsetaper and use the tailstock for pushing in the pices. works realy well, gives lots of control.

[Wayne Bitting]

I first started using clamps and then followed by other methods. Finally broke down and bought a "last year's floor model" pen press for $25. Wish I did that years ago. For me assembly has become much quicker and easier then the clamp method. Thought about making one, just didn't have the shop time.

[Steve Trauthwein]

I thought I would open this up and see all kinds of homemade pressing devices. Here is mine. Easily made with scraps and items in shop. Does a great job.

[Greg Cuetara]

John and Steve those are great. If you have any plans could you post them up here. I am sure that others would be interested. It looks like either one of those would work the same as my 'store bought' one. I am sure they work just as well also.
Thanks for posting the pictures.
Greg

[Paul Douglass]

Here you go.

http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning/Turning_content/pen_assembly_press.html

[Scott Hubl]

I bought this one from Woodcraft, it works well.
http://www.woodcraft.com/images/products/142731.jpg

$39.99 - No time for making "jigs".

[Christopher Pine]

I use my vice, some others I have been aquainted with online have bought the small machinist type press from harbor freight on sale. A little overkill but from what they say perfect size and works well.

Chris

[Clint Schlosser]

Vice and/or mallet

[Dean Thomas]

I've used Steve's press. It's a good one. I built one similar to the Jon shared. I like it a lot. I've used the one shown by Scott and hate it. It flexes in the middle and if you're not ready for it, it'll bend things and shoot pen parts everywhere.

If the commercial press is anchored to oak, it becomes stable and very useful.

12" wooden clamps are also great, but not fast. Levers work much better. I've used the Irwin QuickClamps, too. They work well enough, but the plastic shoes are soft enough that the transmission and nib can pierce the shoes. Or at least in my limited experience with that clamp.

Yes, drill presses, vises, lathes and arbor presses are great, but they sure are not very portable. For me, pen turning is a portable sport. When we do Freedom Pen events, it's great to have a couple of presses available that are dedicatable. If the drill press is drilling and the lathe is making pens, it's a good thing to have a press that's available for pressing without making other tools unavailable.

I cast a belated vote for the dedicated press. $5 and some scrap oak or maple--or walnut if you're Steve T. ;)

[Keith Christopher]

I use my bench vise. I have pieces of pine I swap in and out to keep things all nice. I've never use anything else. have not messed up a single pen.

[Wyatt Holm]

My best method was a drill press. I turned a little block that fit in the Jacobs chuck on the press, then used a block of wood on the platform. It worked quite well.
Wyatt