Antler troubles

[Lewis Hein]

Hi everyone

Can anyone give me any suggestions for making antler pens without the blanks splitting? I am currently using the click pen kit from Craft Supplies USA and about half the antler blanks I turn end up splitting or being crushed by the chuck while I am trimming or drilling. Also, the antler I use wears out tool bits like nobody's business. (I make my pens on a metal lathe) Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

Lewis Hein

 

[williamcr]

I modified a mill vise with plexi-glass jaws with a cut to center the antler so they flex slightly while drilling out antler on the drill press so the antler will not take the stress and crack. Also when turning antler you need to be able to feel the difference in hardness as you turn so that you can change the pressure you are using. I don't see how you can do that on a metal lathe.

 

[Gofer]

One other item you may want to consider is sanding down the little nubs on the final before you press it into the tube for assembly. Get it so that it just slides in and add a tiny drop of glue to hold it. I had to start doing this after replacing the antler on 8 different pens.

Bruce

 

[Mike D]

Don't overheat the antler while drilling and use soft jaws as William has suggested. You could also wrap the antler with rubberized tape for the drilling process. I saturate the antler with CA as I turn and take light cuts.

 

[jbswearingen]

I drill on the lathe now, with no clamping. I do what Monty did in his video--mount a drill bit in the head stock and a live center in the tail. Mark the entry/exit points on the blank.

Holding the blank with pliers, push the tail up so the piece is supported. With the lathe at a low speed, keep the blank from spinning with the pliers, and advance the tail stock.

Before the bit hits the live center, turn it off, back off the tail stock, then turn the lathe on and slide the blank up the rest of the way until the bit exits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAEEaF8z2jM

 

[williamcr]

That is a really cool way to drill antler and I believe I am through drilling antler on the drill press.

 

[Rick P]

What kind of antler are you guys using!?! I dont think I have cracked more than 2 and I turn hundreds of antler pens a year............sounds like your using ancient sheds or something?

 

[Mike D]

I drill on the lathe now, with no clamping. I do what Monty did in his video--mount a drill bit in the head stock and a live center in the tail. Mark the entry/exit points on the blank.

Holding the blank with pliers, push the tail up so the piece is supported. With the lathe at a low speed, keep the blank from spinning with the pliers, and advance the tail stock.

Before the bit hits the live center, turn it off, back off the tail stock, then turn the lathe on and slide the blank up the rest of the way until the bit exits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAEEaF8z2jM

Thanks for posting your Youtube video. That is really a great method. I'll have to try it out.

 

[Chasper]

I use the lathe, pliers, entry point, exit point method to drill and I turn hundreds of pens using several types of antler every year, I can't remember one ever cracking in drilling or squaring.

Use a pliers to hold it for squaring as well if you are squaring with a drill press.

Antler can be a little hard on tools, it will dull a HSS turning tool after 6-8 sections. Sharpen often. Use plenty of CA as you turn if you get into pourus areas.

 

[Lewis Hein]

Actually, Most of my splits have been from using really old sheds. However, I would like to use some kind of stabilizer on the spongy parts of newer antler and I want to avoid CA glue if at all possible. Is there some less alternative?

Thanks

Lewis Hein

 

[Rick P]

Lewis

Depends on how open the matrix is, if you cast some thin PR should do the trick? There are tons of folks who are far better at the casting side than I am.

 

[Chasper]

I don 't think you could stabilize deer antler without at least drilling it first. Drilling, gluing in a tube, and turning to about 80-90% complete before stabilizing with resin would probably be the best option. If you stabilized through the drilled hole it would be difficult to drill out the excess resin used to stabilize in the exact location of the hole.

About 10X easier is just to slop on some thin CA when the turning is nearly complete, spray with stabilizer and keep on turning, it takes about one minute longer than not CA stabilizing. I do it often with even very old, weathered antler that looks more like a sponge than antler.

Cracking comes from drilling with too much heat, (slow down, use sharper bits) or clamping the blank too tight when squaring, (grip it with a pliers, not a drill press vise). Stabilizing will make it more likely to crack, not less.