Best press and jig

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Ok I am getting into pen turning and need a good press and drilling jig. Besides the guy on the form that is back loged and I am not sure I can waite to start my new hobbie 6 months. Who makes the best.
 
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jkeithrussell

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Rockler has a combo press/jig that looks pretty good. Penn State Ind has a good press. Woodcraft. Pretty much any on-line retailer will have those tools. A small arbor press will work fine instead of a pen press.
 

Jim Smith

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I have the Rockler combo press/jig and while it is well made, I think it is a far better drilling jig than a pen press. I often have to use both hands and quite a bit of muscle to press the pens and releasing the pressure on the pens is just as difficult. As I mentioned, it's a good drill jig, but I am also in the market for a press now.

Jim Smith
 

Joe G

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Sterling, New York
I use a drill press wirth a couple floating wooden jaws for drilling and squaring blanks and a wood vice to press the assembly.... it all lgoes pretty quic and accuratly... Do you really need a penpress/jig?

Im a newbie but things move along quick with what I have.

BIGSHED'S PICTURES BELOW IS JUST LIKE MY SET UP EXCEPT THAT MY VCUT WOODEN JAWS ARE NOT FASTENED TO THE VISE, I JUST LET MINE FLOAT AND THEY ACTUALLY CENTER THE BLANK AND MY VISE IS NOT LOCKED DOWN EITHER,I JUST POSITION ON CENTER UNDER BIT AND HOLD WITH LEFT HAND WHILE ADVANCING QUILL WITH RIGHT.... WORKS GREAT.
Joe.
 
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BigShed

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I adapted a cheap drill press stand for a hand drill to use as a pen press, see post #4 in this thread.

For drilling the blanks I use a cross slde drill press vise with wooden jaws with a V cut in them. I have some pictures somewhere, will try to find them.
 

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NewLondon88

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I also drill on the lathe .. works out much better than the drill press.

I DO use the drill press for assembly, though. I put a 1/2 inch dowel in the
jaws and a piece of scrap poplar on the table and I bring the head/chuck down on the parts to assemble. The gearing ratio means you'll have a lot of
pull on the handle for a little movement at the chuck. Helps keep things
smooth and accurate.
 

davinci27

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I use a drill press, a bolt and a scrap of wood as my pen press. I took a 6" long 1/4" hex bolt and put it in my drill chuck. I stick one of hose little felt pads for the bottom of a cair leg to the head of the bolt. Then I just hold the parts under the bolt and press them together. I put the scrap under the parts to keep from maring them on the metal of the drill press.

For drilling, I took a couple of scraps of wood and cut a 90 degree notch out of each one. I then put these between the jaws of a cheep drill press vice.

Ben
 

jkeithrussell

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I drill on the lathe - just need a chuck and a jacobs chuck. No need for another machine and lathe drilling is very accurate.

How is this done? I have a Jet mini, and I picked up a Jacob's chuck. But what do you do with the dead center end of the lathe? What supports the blank?
 

davinci27

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How is this done? I have a Jet mini, and I picked up a Jacob's chuck. But what do you do with the dead center end of the lathe? What supports the blank?

You need 2 chucks one is some type of chuck to hold the wood. The other is a the Jacobs chuck for the drill bit. You put the chuck with the wood on the drive side, and you put the jacobs chuck and drill bit on the tail stop. then you spin the wood and use the tail stop to advance the drill bit into the wood.

I haven't actually started doing this, but that's my understanding of how it works. I'm picking up a jacobs chuck tomorrow so I can try it. I've started doing more complex segments, and can't get my holes true enough on the drill press. A slight drift on the drill press and you can throw away that hering bone blank :eek:.

Ben
 

jkeithrussell

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You need 2 chucks one is some type of chuck to hold the wood. The other is a the Jacobs chuck for the drill bit. You put the chuck with the wood on the drive side, and you put the jacobs chuck and drill bit on the tail stop. then you spin the wood and use the tail stop to advance the drill bit into the wood.

I haven't actually started doing this, but that's my understanding of how it works. I'm picking up a jacobs chuck tomorrow so I can try it. I've started doing more complex segments, and can't get my holes true enough on the drill press. A slight drift on the drill press and you can throw away that hering bone blank :eek:.

Ben

Please post back to let me know how it goes. I'd like to learn how to use the Jacobs chuck on the tail stop. I guess that for the drive side you use a jaw-type chuck like the Barracuda?

Post some pics of those herringbone pens too!

Thanks.
 

NewLondon88

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Please post back to let me know how it goes. I'd like to learn how to use the Jacobs chuck on the tail stop. I guess that for the drive side you use a jaw-type chuck like the Barracuda?

Sounds right. Use a 4 jaw chuck in the headstock to hold your blank.
The Jacobs chuck goes into the tailstock and holds the drill bit. The Jacobs
chuck is stationary, so it is a reverse of the drill press, where the wood stays
still as the drill bit moves. In this case, the drill bit stays still while the wood
turns.
 
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