Drilling

[Jack1064]

I hate drilling my pen blanks because I dont really have a pen drilling jig, I have a piece of wood with a notch in each side and hold it with my cheap HF Vise, but I am afraid to use good wood bc I might not drill it straight, what is my best bet? And What is my cheapest bet? And what do you guys recommend!?
Thanks

 

[Jim Smith]

Jack,

I have a halfway decent vise for holding blanks in my drill press and I still do almost all of my drilling on my lathe. It may take me 30 seconds longer, but I get MUCH better accuracy so it's well worth it to me. The only time I use the vise is when I am squaring off the ends with a pen mill. I suggest that you look into what you need to do your drilling on your lathe.

1. a chuck to hold the blanks (Oneway or Nova) A bit pricey, but you will use this chuck for a lot of other things on your lathe.
2. a Jacobs chuck to hold your drill bits (should cost around $35-50) depending on the make and model.

Just one man's opinion.

Jim Smith

 

[nava1uni]

I use a small vise I bought at Woodcraft and it works really well. I place a small block of wood under the blank and that prevents any blow out when the drill exits the wood.

 

[NC_Horn]

Jack,
Are you using a drill press? If not, I can see how it is almost imposible to drill your blanks. For holding my blanks, I use a Drill press vise. There is a "V" that runs vertically in the jaws that will hold the pin blank. Works like a champ. Just have to use a small square to ensure the bit is perpendicular to the table. That's all there is to my setup, nothing fancy.

Good luck.

Duane

 

[BRobbins629]

Turn blanks between centers on the lathe; drill on the lathe with a jacobs chuck in the tailstock; hole should be perfectly centered. No fear of using good blanks. For more insurance, get a set of collet chucks to hold the blank when drilling. I haven't used a drill press to drill blanks in quite a while.

 

[SuperDave]

Ever since I started drilling blanks with my lathe, using a Oneway Chuck to hold the blank and a drill chuck in the tail stock, I never use the drill press.

D

 

[fernhills]

You can get a decent DP vise at Harbor Freight on the cheap. Then when you know what you are doing you can get the Chuck and Jacobs Chuck when you are further along. I use to drill on DP but now i always use lathe, safer, slower, accurate.

 

[stevers]

I made this home made jig. A little while ago I drilled a 3/4" blank with a 17/23 bit and nailed it in the center. Remember, the table on the drill press being "flat" and "true" is the most important thing for repeatability. Here is a picture of the jig. It's a copy of the one Woodcraft sells. Good luck.

 

[Jack1064]

I have tried drilling on the lathe

Ok well I have a Barracuda chuck and a jacobs chuck I got from HF, and I have tried it this way, I true up the pen blank and then I put the piece in the chuck and slowly push the tailstock with the jacobs chuck to the piece, but I do not seem to get holes that are very tight fitting with the tubes! Any advice on what I should do instead?

 

[fernhills]

Are you really pushing, you should be turning the handle that extends the quill, most are about 3 1/2"-4" travel. Lock down your tail stock.

 

[dalemcginnis]

What Carl said. Lock down the tail stock and turn the handle.

 

[marcruby]

Recently I discovered that the reason a $500 drill press could drill a straight hole through a piece of 3" thick oak but had trouble with a pen blank was that its owner was sloppy. Drill presses work fine if you take the trouble to tune them a bit and make sure everything really is perpendicular. And use sharp drills. And use steady, light pressure to go in one end and out the other.

Of course, if you don't have a drill press then a lathe will make do, but I find the process involves a lot more fussing for the same result. there is a cell in my brain that suspects that pen makers can be counted on to find the most complicated way to do anything.

Marc

 

[JimB]

Jack - I don't have a fancy set up either. I use a drill press with a cheap HF vise as well. It doesn't even have any V cuts or anything. Believe it or not I just eyeball the placement and drill. I've done 60 pens this way and have not messed up any during the drilling process. Of course, all that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to get a better set up.

 

[randyrls]

Ok well I have a Barracuda chuck and a jacobs chuck I got from HF, and I have tried it this way, I true up the pen blank and then I put the piece in the chuck and slowly push the tailstock with the jacobs chuck to the piece, but I do not seem to get holes that are very tight fitting with the tubes! Any advice on what I should do instead?

Jack; The drill bits suggested by the manufacturer are just that, suggestions. The correct drill to use is the one that produces the best fitting hole. It's a good idea to have a complete set of bits. The 115 piece sets can be had for under $50.

Drill bits need to be sharp!

If I can be nosy, what pen are you making and what drill bit are you using?

 

[Jack1064]

usually slimline, but some designer and have made a few polaris kits, I just use the 7mm drill bit. I think I was pushing on the tailstock, a stupid mistake, but I will fix it!

 

[VisExp]

Ok well I have a Barracuda chuck and a jacobs chuck I got from HF, and I have tried it this way, I true up the pen blank and then I put the piece in the chuck and slowly push the tailstock with the jacobs chuck to the piece, but I do not seem to get holes that are very tight fitting with the tubes! Any advice on what I should do instead?

Lock down the tail stock and turn the handle to advance the bit. Drill a pilot hole with a center bit first.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42280

 

[randyrls]

usually slimline, but some designer and have made a few polaris kits, I just use the 7mm drill bit. I think I was pushing on the tailstock, a stupid mistake, but I will fix it!

Jack; I use an "I" (letter i) bit or a "J" bit for wood. I drill the hole, and try the tube. If too small, I use a slightly larger bit.