Woodworkers Pencil

[Old Griz]

Broke down and bought a couple of the CSU Woodworkers Pencils... other than the PIA drilling them they are real sweet to make... just a freeform shape that you decide on.. I decided on something simple for the first one...
Redwood Burl I had laying around finished with BLO then sanding sealer, CA and TSW... not a bright finish.. more than a semi-gloss, but not quite a gloss..
Of course this is not mine [V]...
Right after I let my 6yr old try it, I lost it forever... "Daddy, this is perfect for me to draw with".. of course I am going to end up spending a fortune on pencil leads now.. []

 

[PenWorks]

Very nice Tom, If you a real good dad you would buy here the colored leads from Ryan at woodtuningz []

 

[Ligget]

Lovely pencil Tom, great work as usual![]

 

[Old Griz]

NOPE TONY.. not me a ROTTEN FATHER all the way... she don't get nothing from me... YUP.. nothing at all...
EXCEPT everything she wants [][]

 

[Fangar]

Looks nice tom. I like the simple shape.

James

 

[Fangar]

Looks nice tom. I like the simple shape.

Is it a PIA to drill since it is all one piece (And long)?

James

 

[Old Griz]

Yes James a total PIA, since my 10MM brad point bit just barely touched the end of the blank and I cut the blank about 3/32 longer than finish size..
As I look closer at the finished pencil (my daughter is watching TV so I stole it back).. there is something I don't care for also.. the top mechanism is real loose in the drilled blank.. I think I may try a work around for that by measuring it and drilling a step hole in the blank and making a new bushing for that end... it should end the wiggle factor...

 

[Old Griz]

I just went out and measured the mechanism for this pencil... the actuator top and barrel are only .352" and the part that is glued into the blank is .390..
A 10mm drill bit is .396"
I noticed there was quite a bit of slop in the area that needed to be glued and I had to use epoxy instead of CA because of it.. and forget about the amount of slop at the top, that is .046"
I think the next one is going to be drilled on the lathe with a 25/64 bit for the first inch then with a 23/64 bit the rest of the way... with the slight amount of oversize that you get when drilling this deep should give me a nice fit at the top and bottom. Going to have a make a set of bushing to fit out of corian for it though... the bushings that come for it measure .398" and were a snug fit..

 

[jwoodwright]

Nice wood and shape Tom.

 

[Fleabit]

Nice job on the pencil Griz. Love the wood.

 

[woodscavenger]

Griz, I had the same issues on my first ones. I drilled with a smaller bit, tight enough that I used a little file to open it up just enough to use the thread to cut their own threads in the wood. I didn't bother with the bushings, didn't even buy them becuase I knew I wasn't worrying about any fit at either end. I used some 7mm slimline screw up blanks and turned two of them to just barely fit in the hole I drilled in the blank. I used a couple of spacer blocks, cinched it up and away I went. It was fun to fly by the seat of my pants. I think I got a better overall fit without having the sloppiness at the top. I also was worried with the original hole size about using epoxy and getting it in then mechanism.

 

[atvrules1]

Nice job Tom. Glad you don't spoil that little one at all. Now if I could just take a page from your book 'cause mine is all the way spoiled.[][]

 

[MDWine]

Nice touch Tom... what Mary wants Mary gets!!! (but she did give me a flower!) (nice piece of wood there, too!)

 

[Mudder]

Originally posted by Old Griz
<br />.....A 10mm drill bit is .396"

Where I buy my bits from a 10mm is .3937 +/- .0005"

If your bit is .396 I would get a new one.
That is colser to an "X" bit.

A 10mm bit should be .394 max. With wander and a point not exactly centered it may drill a .396 hole.

If you have a drill kit you might want to try a 25/64 bit which is .3906, a tight fit but most drills will drill a hole a tad larger in wood than metal.

 

[jvsank]

Very nice Tom

 

[rtjw]

Great looking pencil Tom.

 

[jdavis]

Awsome Tom.

 

[scubaman]

Tom,
I just got the new CSU catalog, they have the same new style that PSI just came out with (http://tinyurl.com/7wp8g), with a small addition: the CB is also hexagonal. I love it, because it overcomes the issues of the original style: don't need to drill long hole, rear busing, and roll prevention. For the style you made, I would consider sanding a flat on a belt sander to prevent it from rolling.