My first pentel ...

[its_virgil]

with the new bit, that is. I've never used one but I had seen one in another's shop. He would not part with it. After making many many of them using various methods of drilling, I decided to have some made. The bit does work well as others have mentioned. The wood is nothing spectacular: mesquite from the pasture next to my house. Just thought I'd share.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[rjwolfe3]

I need to get one of those bits since I've been hearing a lot about these pencils and want to try it.

 

[jtate]

NICE! I bought one of the bits but haven't used it yet. I know it's in the tutorials but I couldn't find the answe to this question: Do you use a brass tube inside the wood and, if so, what size?

 

[its_virgil]

Hi Julia,
Sometimes I use a 7mm pin chuck and when I do I glue in a 7mm tube in the correct place to accommodate my pin chuck. The hole must be reamed larger with a 7mm bit. But, the tube needs to be pushed in about 1 inch from the top. The chrome eraser cover will not fit inside the tube. Also, care must be taken to not get glue inside the hole and restrict the insertion of the mechanism. I'm considering the 7mm expanding mandrel for close end pens that is sold at Arizona Silhouette. This pencil was turned between centers using a home made morse taper in the headstock(like I show in my tutorial) with a small tenon to fit inside the small hole. My 60 degree live center was snugged into the larger hole on the other end. I use several ways to hold the blank and I've not decided which I like best. Maybe some clever ways to make this pencil will be shared by others. I'm sure my methods are not the only ones.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by jtate

NICE! I bought one of the bits but haven't used it yet. I know it's in the tutorials but I couldn't find the answe to this question: Do you use a brass tube inside the wood and, if so, what size?

 

[Dalecamino]

That is nice Don ! 1st one I've seen like this . May refer to you in the future for advice . Thanks for posting it ! [8D]

 

[Darley]

Don, pen look good, thanks for the bit drill it work well, here's my pentel, Leafless Balart burl

 

[Armacielli]

where does one find the tutorial to makeone of these fine pieces?

 

[Darley]

here's go

http://tinyurl.com/bv5nh

 

[igran7]

Very cool.[][8D] I think I need to try one of these real soon.

 

[VisExp]

That looks great. I really, really regret not getting in on the group buy you ran for the pentel bits. I had just joined the forum around that time and was pretty clueless [:I] Not that to much has changed since

 

[MDWine]

I got the bit too, but haven't gotten around to doing one... I think maybe this weekend I shall!!
2 more sierras to make, then on to the PENTEL!

Post'm up guys, let's see'm !! (It spurs on the motivation!)

 

[papaturner]

Don, That`s a great job. You`re right the bits work great. I`ve made three and have drilled with the dp and the lathe both methods work fine. I did resort to friction polish for the finish, I screwed the ca finish up putting on the clip. No pic`s because I am camera challenged.Thanks again for your effort to get the bits.

Perry

 

[MDWine]

BTW, nice pencils! Inspiring work!

 

[MDWine]

OK, I finally got to the shop chanting my "PENTEL" mantra.
I've been wanting to do some of these for a long time.
(I hope this is not a thread-hijack, I just wanted to add to the PENTEL discussion)

Following the CS USA instruction sheet, I finally found a piece of hardwood large enough to screw onto a small faceplate to make the nib end "bushing"... complete with a very accurate (if I must say so myself) 5/32 pin on the end.

So I drill out a cocobolo blank. (NOTE TO SELF: Should have started with something less exotic and more expendable!)

I had some challenge getting the blank snug enough to turn, but finally got a smooth cylinder. I took it off of the lathe to examine the work... (yes, I know about realignment difficulties!)

What I found was that my nice little 5/32 pin has burned to ashes from the friction, and I had a neat little jet black cone where the pin used to be. I guess the shoulder wasn't square enough, causing too much friction on the pin, resulting in its demise.

I'm also wondering if anyone has tried to glue a metal pin on the nib end bushing to prevent loosing the wooden one. It would seem I need to make sure that the shoulder is absolutely square, AND enough pressure is exerted so to prevent the friction and heat! I am curious about the 'expanding 7mm mandrel', and will consider that.

Thoughts, opinions, and stories of experience would be appreciated.

 

[thetalbott4]

Michael-
I took a piece of 1/4" diameter rod (old mandrel rod works well) and cut it about 2" long. Put that on the lathe with collet chuck or whatever means you have. Filed a 1/4" of one end down to 5/32" diameter. The next 1/2" of the rod I filed to a diameter that I want the end of the pencil (basically abushing). The rest of the rod goes in my collet chuck or adjustable mandrel holder. You wont be burning that up anytime soon.

 

[MDWine]

That sounds like a much more stable method, and give me just the right <s>excuse</s>... I MEAN REASON to get the collet chuck I <s>want </s>... I MEAN NEED!!

I was thinking of maybe using delrin or something similar as well.

Thanks for the tip!!

 

[DCBluesman]

Sounds like a "Hokie" excuse to buy more stuff! [8D]

 

[bitshird]

Originally posted by DCBluesman

Sounds like a "Hokie" excuse to buy more stuff! [8D]

If we didn't buy more stuff, we wouldn't be able to make so many pens and pencils, then what would we write with[?] Oh wait a second I forgot we are supposed to sell them occasionally right [)]

 

[BruceK]

I turned my first pentel using the group buy bit yesterday. What I did was drilled using the stepped bit, then used a 7mm bit and drilled down about 3" (blank length is 4.5"). I then inserted a 7mm tube inside and trimmed the tube so it was just shy of being flush with the end of the blank. So to support this I used the A mandrel (I have an adjustable one that I can set the length on). I put a slimline bushing on the mandrel, slid on the blank with the 7mm tube inside (didn't glue it). I adjusted the mandrel so its length is just a hair shy of touching the step. I then used a small washer over the nib end and used the 60 degree live center. Tighened the tailstock so everything is snug and away I go. Initially my washer was bigger than the nib diameter but when it got kind of close I just used a file to get it down to the proper diameter, so now I have a "bushing" washer the correct diameter. This setup seems to support the blank pretty well without any wobble. You need a light touch when turning but I'm happy with the results.

Note that I am just using the brass tube to support the mandrel, it is not needed for the pen but you can just cut one a bit shorter if you feel you want the added strength the tube would give the pencil.

OK pencil no. 2 is on the lathe, just been waiting for some CA I used to fill some voids in one of Karl's earth blanks to harden.