Anybody here have experience with the Rockler Pen Press/Drilling Jig? My PSI Drilling Center vise just broke and while I could probably fix it it is about worthless. While I don't like to knock vendors stuff too muchI think I will write a review.
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- Thread starter Smitty37
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rjwolfe3
Member
If I didn't own a Paul H Vise then the Rockler is the one that I would want. I have no experience with it but I have read a lot of good comments on here about it.
Crickett
Member
Here is another review posted by Whaler, 4th post on the thread:
http://www.penturnersparadise.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=5395
http://www.penturnersparadise.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=5395
True enough
The problem is, I think his are so good there's about a 8 year wait for one of his Vises and at almost 73 I might not live that long.
The problem is, I think his are so good there's about a 8 year wait for one of his Vises and at almost 73 I might not live that long.
kevrob
Member
Ok, I have a stupid question related to this. I have a PSI vice, which is clamped to my drill press. Overall, I find it to work fairly well. It does not always drill in the center because my drill table moves left and right when I raise and lower it and at other times when I set the drill into the blank while drilling...it will slightly shift to the left or right. It drives me crazy, but for the most part i am able to drill a straight hole. So, I guess my first question is does anyone have any tricks to help improve my drilling? My second question is that I have thought about getting on the list for a Paul H. Vice, but from the pictures, I can't tell what makes it different than the PSI vice other than design. Can anyone that has it offer any insight into why it works so well?
Why hijack my threadd
Why not start your own thread to ask your question ... I'm trying to find information on something specific.
Why not start your own thread to ask your question ... I'm trying to find information on something specific.
kevrob
Member
Well, I apologize. I didn't know I was hijacking your thread. I figured more than one question could be discussed within one thread as long as they pertain to similar topics. But, I guess not...
dalemcginnis
Local Chapter Leader
Smitty:
If you have a chuck for your lathe forget the vise and drill on the lathe. When I started I had a POS vise and drill press and was on the list for the PH vise. Finally gave up on the POS vise and started drilling on the lathe and no, you don't have to have a perfectly square or round blank to drill on the lathe. BTW, I finally got the PH vise and it is every bit as good as drilling on the lathe, but if something ever happened to it I wouldn't even think about another vise I would use the lathe.
Kevrob:
I don't think Smitty meant his post to be as harsh as it sounded, things always tend to seem meaner in print than with the spoken word. Believe me, I've had enough of my humorous posts and emails misinterpreted. Start your own thread and I'll be glad to answer there.
If you have a chuck for your lathe forget the vise and drill on the lathe. When I started I had a POS vise and drill press and was on the list for the PH vise. Finally gave up on the POS vise and started drilling on the lathe and no, you don't have to have a perfectly square or round blank to drill on the lathe. BTW, I finally got the PH vise and it is every bit as good as drilling on the lathe, but if something ever happened to it I wouldn't even think about another vise I would use the lathe.
Kevrob:
I don't think Smitty meant his post to be as harsh as it sounded, things always tend to seem meaner in print than with the spoken word. Believe me, I've had enough of my humorous posts and emails misinterpreted. Start your own thread and I'll be glad to answer there.
BigguyZ
Member
I bought a Rockler pen vise and have used it as a press several times. I plan to get dome MDF faces for it to prevent the metal from marring the parts. But I never once used it as a drilling vise, as I learned about drilling on the lathe shortly after I bought it! Wasted money, as I'll never ever go back to using a drill press. For $80-90, just get the Barracuda 2 if you don't have a scroll cuck, or the Beal Collet chuck.
Chuck
Well I have a chuck for the drill bit but I don't have anything to hold the other end...And I'm not sure what I want to get. Also I've got a pretty small mini with MT1 and only 1/3 hp so I'm not overly confident that it will do for drilling. Heaven knows I'm not in love with drilling blanks with a drill press.
1080Wayne
Member
I use my Rockler unit for drilling any round or square blank where I`m not concerned about a precise entry or exit point . There is a bit of slop in the threads , but not excessive for most operations . However , I wouldn`t trust it on an Eagle blank .
The handle will break when the unit is dropped . I have never used it as a press .
The handle will break when the unit is dropped . I have never used it as a press .
Tangent
The problem is that the thread can get off topic and I wind up having to read through two dozen posts that don't pertain to my question. In this case I wanted to get a fairly quick answer because I want to turn some pens right soon. I should have explained that a little better when I asked you to open your own thread.....Sorry I didn't.
The problem is that the thread can get off topic and I wind up having to read through two dozen posts that don't pertain to my question. In this case I wanted to get a fairly quick answer because I want to turn some pens right soon. I should have explained that a little better when I asked you to open your own thread.....Sorry I didn't.
KenV
Member
"Also I've got a pretty small mini with MT1 and only 1/3 hp so I'm not overly confident that it will do for drilling. "
Smitty -- I ran on a ryobi with a 3/4 by 16 and MT1 taper and a Bonnie Klein with 3/4 by 16 headstock before getting the big lathe --
1. You do not want to try to run a scroll chuck on a morse taper -- thread it on the head stock!!!
2. 1/3 HP (or even 1/4 HP) and a small scroll chuck will drill blanks until the cows come home and keep going. My drill press is 1/3 hp. You will need a drill chuck with appropriate mounting for the tail stock. Beall collet chucks do come for 3/4 by 16 threads for the bonnie klein lather also (got one and it works well with 1/4 hp).
3. Oneway Talon, Nova, or PSI Barracuda all will come with inserts likely to fit your lathe. Best price for Barracuda is commonly at Amazon vs the PSI site --
You can get the small nova chuck for not much more than the cost of the centering vise.
Smitty -- I ran on a ryobi with a 3/4 by 16 and MT1 taper and a Bonnie Klein with 3/4 by 16 headstock before getting the big lathe --
1. You do not want to try to run a scroll chuck on a morse taper -- thread it on the head stock!!!
2. 1/3 HP (or even 1/4 HP) and a small scroll chuck will drill blanks until the cows come home and keep going. My drill press is 1/3 hp. You will need a drill chuck with appropriate mounting for the tail stock. Beall collet chucks do come for 3/4 by 16 threads for the bonnie klein lather also (got one and it works well with 1/4 hp).
3. Oneway Talon, Nova, or PSI Barracuda all will come with inserts likely to fit your lathe. Best price for Barracuda is commonly at Amazon vs the PSI site --
You can get the small nova chuck for not much more than the cost of the centering vise.
PSI
I see PSI is offering a tool called a Pen Blank Drill Chuck that screws on the head stock. Only problem is I think it is only for square blanks and if you have some round ones it looks like it might not work. I still might give them a call about it. I've got one of their small lathes.
I see PSI is offering a tool called a Pen Blank Drill Chuck that screws on the head stock. Only problem is I think it is only for square blanks and if you have some round ones it looks like it might not work. I still might give them a call about it. I've got one of their small lathes.
phillywood
Member
Smitty, you couldn't get the parts to fix your pen vise or you are not too happy with it's quality; and Rockler, I am reading all the psots and getting mixed messages, so is it good or not?
ldb2000
Member
The Rockler is somewhere between a piece of crap and a good vice . It holds the blank very well and straight but it's overall quality leaves something to be desired . I've had mine for about 2 years and have used it until I started drilling on the lathe . On mine the plastic (nylon?) bushings that hold the screw have broken twice and the new ones are cracked again . It also has jammed several times and became very hard to get it loose . As a press it marred the finish on several pens , I would advise some sort of plastic pad in the holes where the pen contacts the jaws . It is also very tall so if you are using a small drill press it might not work , I had to make a new table for my little Ryobi DP just to have enough room for the bit .
Overall I wish I had spent the money that I spent on it to buy my collet chuck instead . Really good design but poorly implemented .
Overall I wish I had spent the money that I spent on it to buy my collet chuck instead . Really good design but poorly implemented .
dalemcginnis
Local Chapter Leader
The PSI Pen chuck is not very versatile. I would spend a little more money and get one of the Barracuda chucks. You can do more with them and they can hold any shape blank.
DurocShark
Member
I drilled on my HF mini. MT1 stuff is available. Shoot, I'd send you my little scroll chuck if it wasn't on the headstock of an old Cman tube lathe doing buffing station duties.
TellicoTurning
Member
Smitty,
Watch your thoughts..
. you bring to you what you think...:biggrin:I'm only a couple years behind you and I'm shooting for 109... so an 8 year wait wouldn't be so bad... as we get older time goes faster and it'll be here before you know it.. :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
But on the DP vice, don't use one any more... I have a PSI, but find it too cumbersome to work with... I do 95% of my drilling on the lathe anyway. Even about 1/2 my antler gets drilled on the lathe.
What else
I'm looking at the Barracuda 2 in the PSI catalog....what do I need to hold the blank or does the front adjust to grip the blank....I'm totally out to lunch on this and unfortunately there are no pictures showing it.....The price is $180 at PSI now though, haven't looked elsewhere
I'm looking at the Barracuda 2 in the PSI catalog....what do I need to hold the blank or does the front adjust to grip the blank....I'm totally out to lunch on this and unfortunately there are no pictures showing it.....The price is $180 at PSI now though, haven't looked elsewhere
Don't know
I don't know Phil.....I was asking to help decide whether to buy one or not. I didn't even try to find replacement parts for the one I have. It's not worth the bother.
I don't know Phil.....I was asking to help decide whether to buy one or not. I didn't even try to find replacement parts for the one I have. It's not worth the bother.
Woodcraft
Something over an hour away is the nearest (at least the nearest I know about) but I can buy on-line from them.
Something over an hour away is the nearest (at least the nearest I know about) but I can buy on-line from them.
Thanks
I know the pen chuck looks like it is limited to square blank. What I can't seem to find a picture of is how the barracuda chuck is actually utilized to hold the blank......
I know the pen chuck looks like it is limited to square blank. What I can't seem to find a picture of is how the barracuda chuck is actually utilized to hold the blank......
Willee
Member
If you can get a 4 jaw chuck for your lathe and have a drill chuck in the tail stock then this is the way you want to go.
The 4 jaw chuck will hold square or round blanks and drill cooler, faster, and more accurate than any drill press and vise combination.
Four jaws ... four sides to a squae blank.
Just make sure the tail stock is shimmed and adjusted so the drill follows the center line of the chuck.
If the tail stock is misaligned then the deeper you drill the more the drill loads up and the friction causes lots of heat ... and an off center hole.
The 4 jaw chuck will hold square or round blanks and drill cooler, faster, and more accurate than any drill press and vise combination.
Four jaws ... four sides to a squae blank.
Just make sure the tail stock is shimmed and adjusted so the drill follows the center line of the chuck.
If the tail stock is misaligned then the deeper you drill the more the drill loads up and the friction causes lots of heat ... and an off center hole.
ldb2000
Member
The jaws have "V" grooves cut in their faces ans grab on the corners of the blank . The complete chuck has a 1"X8 mounting and costs $70 and the 3/4"X16 costs $10 extra . For $10 more you can buy the PSI collet chuck and adapter and have a much more accurate versitile setup . If you already have a PSI scroll chuck that takes the "C" jaws the new jaws are $23 and the just mount to the chuck body like the regular jaws . Either way your blanks MUST be straight or the end of the blank that is sticking out of the jaws will be wobbling all over the place and drilling a straight hole will be impossible .
Get the collet chuck , you will be much happier .
dalemcginnis
Local Chapter Leader
Smitty:
The barracuda comes with several different sets of jaws. One of them is a pin jaw that you can use to hold square, round, or not so square blanks.
The barracuda comes with several different sets of jaws. One of them is a pin jaw that you can use to hold square, round, or not so square blanks.
The deluxe self centering vise they sell is great. I can't say enough about it!
Very much worth looking into.
Thanks guys....
Thanks to all of you....I now have a pretty good idea of what I want to do...and all I need is to get the printing press rolling so I can churn out enough money to do it.
Thanks to all of you....I now have a pretty good idea of what I want to do...and all I need is to get the printing press rolling so I can churn out enough money to do it.