I am trying to make my first woodworkers pencil. I drilled the blank with a 10mm drill bit but the bushings for the kit do not fit into the hole. I got the kit from Craft Supplies, the bushing measures 10.02mm and both my 10mm drill bits measure 9.96mm (one bit is used and the other is brand new). Has anyone else run into this problem or have a suggestion. Should I sand the bushings down? I am afraid to make the hole larger because the pencil kit fits nicely into the hole. [?]
Help with woodworkers pencil
- Thread starter CJ
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woodwish
Member
I've made the same pencil. The bushings were snug as I remember but worked. .06 of a mm doesn't sound like it is much difference but someone else may have a better input. I don't have a mic at home so I really don't know exactly what size mine are. Guess I wasn't much help was I? [?]
Rifleman1776
Member
Griz has done some of these. I'm sure he will pitch in soon. As I recall, I think he said there was sloppiness at the top end. I've put off buying these kits because of stated problems. Pity, looks like an otherwise nice item.
marjoe
Member
.06 mm is .0023 inches If you are using calipers they could be that far off. But the measurement between them should be right.
CJ, I would sand down the bushings instead of opening the blank... I found that the 10mm drill is too big for a nice fit on those... in fact I put a 10mm cigar tube in the top and then use a cigar pen bushing on the top... the tube takes up all the slack at the top so the button does not wiggle around.. that made me nuts.. I hate a sloppy fit...
Frank, don't put off buying these kits.. there really is no problem... I just did not like the sloppy fit at the top... so I designed a fix.. they are great pencils and give you a lot of design latitude..
Frank, don't put off buying these kits.. there really is no problem... I just did not like the sloppy fit at the top... so I designed a fix.. they are great pencils and give you a lot of design latitude..
Tom Stephens
Member
I have not made one of these pencils, but I would make the following suggestions.
I have had some kits where the bushings were a very snug fit. I found that sometimes when I squared the blanks, it left a very very small burr on the inside of the tube. All it took was an xacto knife to deburr the tube. BB also sells a deburring tool that was originally for reloading ammunition.
I would also call CSUSA and talk to them. I think you would find them very helpfull. Maybe Nils is listening and will make a comment.
Tom
Branchport, NY
I have found the same thing with tubes sometimes but this kit doesn't use a tube. You just drill the hole and turn and put the pencil "barrel" in. Old Griz has adapted the used of a piece cigar tube in the end because the top does not fit tightly and is a little sloppy. I do need to get one of those camphoring tools. Thank you for your idea, all are welcolm.
woodscavenger
Member
I didn't even use bushings. I didn't like the slop either so I used a caliper on the threaded end of the mechanism and used that size drill (sorry don't remember which one) but it gave a better fit at both ends. Then I used a set of blanks from a ruined slimline and cut them down to just fit inside the freshly drilled hole. I used a couple bushings from another kit merely to be able to tighten down the blank. You don't really need a diameter guide on the pencil because there are no tight tolerances to aim for.
For those who have bought and made this pencil for their own use.
When I saw the design for this pen and the fact here was no tube I wondered about "structural integrity"
Every-time I have had a blow out of a pen I usually observed there was little or no glue on the area of the tube where the blow out occurred.It appeared to me that the tube gives the implement more structural integrity that the wood alone.
That is why I always use a tube when making a loose center bands.
Since this component set is being marketed as a "woodworkers pencil" I would imagine it will be subject to more abuse than a pencil sitting in ones pocket in an office.Heat , elemnts, humidity= wood movement.
My concern would be over the LONG RUNthis implement may not have the durability I would expect from an item I consider will take a lot of abuse.
The other thing I wondered about is if this is considered a "wood workers" pencil how accurate is it with a lead almost the size of a crayola crayon?I realize there is a sharpener in the end,it is probably the same concept as the sharpener in my lignum vitae power point that I use in the shop.
That one has a 2mm lead and it is plenty big enough.
It doesn't have the design possibilities but it does have a set of tubes in it.
Here's the final point.
If this pencil does not need a tube, why are pen kits supplied with tubes?
Why not just drill the hole the correct size and glue the components in the wood?
I for one might have purchased the woodworkers pencil if the supplier had not skimped in the design. Whether they thought it needed a tube or not, I do.
Put it through the paces,let us know how it holds up through normal abuse and not babying it.
When I saw the design for this pen and the fact here was no tube I wondered about "structural integrity"
Every-time I have had a blow out of a pen I usually observed there was little or no glue on the area of the tube where the blow out occurred.It appeared to me that the tube gives the implement more structural integrity that the wood alone.
That is why I always use a tube when making a loose center bands.
Since this component set is being marketed as a "woodworkers pencil" I would imagine it will be subject to more abuse than a pencil sitting in ones pocket in an office.Heat , elemnts, humidity= wood movement.
My concern would be over the LONG RUNthis implement may not have the durability I would expect from an item I consider will take a lot of abuse.
The other thing I wondered about is if this is considered a "wood workers" pencil how accurate is it with a lead almost the size of a crayola crayon?I realize there is a sharpener in the end,it is probably the same concept as the sharpener in my lignum vitae power point that I use in the shop.
That one has a 2mm lead and it is plenty big enough.
It doesn't have the design possibilities but it does have a set of tubes in it.
Here's the final point.
If this pencil does not need a tube, why are pen kits supplied with tubes?
Why not just drill the hole the correct size and glue the components in the wood?
I for one might have purchased the woodworkers pencil if the supplier had not skimped in the design. Whether they thought it needed a tube or not, I do.
Put it through the paces,let us know how it holds up through normal abuse and not babying it.
Eagle, I don't know if this constitutes "long run", but I have made 4 of these so far... one for a buddy, one for myself and the other 2 are in the hands of 6 yr olds.. my daughter and her best friend..
Now obviously my buddy and I are not hard on our pencils.
But I bet the kids usage (every day for hours) might constitute cruel and unusual punishement [}
]. The pencils the kids have are a redwood burl and an angle cut walnut and both are holding up fine other than scratches in the finish.. Let's face it that pencil is found on the floor, in her pencil box, bounced around her backpack to school and back and just about anywhere you can think of... [] So Far So Good..
I agree about the lead thickness (OH NO.. we agree about something[][]), I wish it came with a thinner lead in the same style.. 2mm would be about right... then you could still have the design originality you wanted and a better lead size..
Now obviously my buddy and I are not hard on our pencils.
But I bet the kids usage (every day for hours) might constitute cruel and unusual punishement [}
]. The pencils the kids have are a redwood burl and an angle cut walnut and both are holding up fine other than scratches in the finish.. Let's face it that pencil is found on the floor, in her pencil box, bounced around her backpack to school and back and just about anywhere you can think of... [] So Far So Good.. I agree about the lead thickness (OH NO.. we agree about something[
][]), I wish it came with a thinner lead in the same style.. 2mm would be about right... then you could still have the design originality you wanted and a better lead size..Grizz-
the other question I wondered about is the availability of the lead,is it available in office supply or art stores?
The thing I have noticed on the Power point is that I like to use a harder lead but if dropped , broken lead in the tube, not just the point, what about the 1/4" in the WWP?
The Power point can be customized by forgoing the supplied tubes and just use an 8 mm tube an 8mm tube cut the appropriate length for the components. Drilling is trick but can be done on a DP with 3&1/8th travel. The other method is to prepare on blank, after milling make a CB with appropriate size hole for decorative CB and mill to correct thickness , glue it on the blank, assemble remaining blank and turned as one piece.
This one has a casing on the top per customer request.
I am not crazy about the nib style on it but that is the only one available.
Here's my shop pencil on the left( made like the catalog pic), the pen on the right is a design made per customers request.Still a power point.
All three pictures posted are power points.
the other question I wondered about is the availability of the lead,is it available in office supply or art stores?
The thing I have noticed on the Power point is that I like to use a harder lead but if dropped , broken lead in the tube, not just the point, what about the 1/4" in the WWP?
The Power point can be customized by forgoing the supplied tubes and just use an 8 mm tube an 8mm tube cut the appropriate length for the components. Drilling is trick but can be done on a DP with 3&1/8th travel. The other method is to prepare on blank, after milling make a CB with appropriate size hole for decorative CB and mill to correct thickness , glue it on the blank, assemble remaining blank and turned as one piece.
This one has a casing on the top per customer request.
I am not crazy about the nib style on it but that is the only one available.
Here's my shop pencil on the left( made like the catalog pic), the pen on the right is a design made per customers request.Still a power point.
All three pictures posted are power points.
Chuck Key
Member
First post, hope this works.
Here is an option. These are 2mm leads based on the Alvin Scott B/2 lead holder. The over all length is 5 1/2 inches with no brass tubes at all.
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Here is an option. These are 2mm leads based on the Alvin Scott B/2 lead holder. The over all length is 5 1/2 inches with no brass tubes at all.
Chuck they look great, In th esecond picture, is the one on
the right acrylic or corian?
I wouldn't have much concerns about acrylic, stable, but if corian I would be concerned with it cracking if dropped on a hard surface, but they look great!
the right acrylic or corian?
I wouldn't have much concerns about acrylic, stable, but if corian I would be concerned with it cracking if dropped on a hard surface, but they look great!
Mac In Oak Ridge
Member
For sharpening that fat lead, take a trick from the old carpenters. Way back they used a marking knife to make lines. That was later replaced by the carpenters pencil. Those rectangular shaped things with the rectangular lead in them.
The proper way to sharpen a carpenters pencil is to make the lead look like a chisel point. The lead it a real one is very hard and will cut a line in the wood like a knife. You expose the lead with a pocket knife and then sharpen it with sandpaper, or if you are skilled with the pocket knife you shape the point with it.
Forget the lead sharpener that is in the cap of the pencil and sharpen the lead with a small piece of sandpaper on a flat surface. Just rub one flat on one side of the pencil lead, so the end looks like a chisel or lathe turning tool. You hold the pointed side against a straight edge and it will cut a fine line accurately.
The proper way to sharpen a carpenters pencil is to make the lead look like a chisel point. The lead it a real one is very hard and will cut a line in the wood like a knife. You expose the lead with a pocket knife and then sharpen it with sandpaper, or if you are skilled with the pocket knife you shape the point with it.
Forget the lead sharpener that is in the cap of the pencil and sharpen the lead with a small piece of sandpaper on a flat surface. Just rub one flat on one side of the pencil lead, so the end looks like a chisel or lathe turning tool. You hold the pointed side against a straight edge and it will cut a fine line accurately.
woodscavenger
Member
Where do you get the guts to those 3 awesome pencils?
Chuck Key
Member
The one on the right is Corian. The first one is Plexiglas, three laminations of 1/4 inch Plexi.
Chuckie
"Chuck they look great, In th esecond picture, is the one on
the right acrylic or corian?"
Chuckie
"Chuck they look great, In th esecond picture, is the one on
the right acrylic or corian?"
Chuck Key
Member
You have got to be talking about the pencils Eagle posted, right?
Chuckie
PenWorks
Member
No Chuckie, I think he was talkin to you [
)]Welcome to IAP. So where did you get the guts......?
Chuck Key
Member
and
Go to http://alvinco.com/dealerloc.asp and put in your zip. It is a good idea to call the dealer first since I went to two stores, one had them and one did not. Ask for Alvin "Scott B/2".
This is not a cut and paste kit. You will need to cut out the guts from the original pencil and the blank requires step drilling I used 17/64ths and 13/64ths drills only because that is what I had on hand. It is not real compicated though.
Chuckie
Also check in an "arts supply " or an office store that sells drafting supplies,I had one of that type while I was in high school.
I don't often rant about kits, but the Woodworkers Pencil ranks as one of my least favorite. This kit is, in my opinion, an abomination.
First off, <b>the components do not fit the recommended hole</b>! I understand that there is a work-around, using a tube from a cigar kit, but that's ridiculous. A design flaw is a design flaw, regardless of whether a work-around can be found.
Next comes the instructions. The length of the wooden part of the pen is 4-9/16". Why would I cut a blank to 5"? The outside diameter of the bushing is 0.465". <b>Why on earth is the blank size listed as 1" square by 5</b>"? Even with some playing room, a 5/8" blank is plenty big enough.
Then comes the coup de grace. In reading the instructions, they specifically indicate a 10mm drill bit and that it "<b>must be at least 6" long"</b>. I measured the 10mm drill bit that I have and it was too short. In order to be certain I had the necessary components to make the pencil properly, I ordered the "Starter Kit" which includes 2 kits, bushings and the proper drill bit. Guess what? <b>The drill bit the supplier sent is 5-1/4" long</b>! It gets better. <b>The hole drilled with the recommended bit is too small for the bushings</b>!
I can overcome these shortcomings, although I did have to do some consulting with Eagle in order to do <u>the right things</u>. The real issue here is that this kit is <b>poorly designed</b> and <b>poorly executed</b>. Add to that the fact that the "Starter Kit" violates the instructions and I come up with the word "abomination."
First off, <b>the components do not fit the recommended hole</b>! I understand that there is a work-around, using a tube from a cigar kit, but that's ridiculous. A design flaw is a design flaw, regardless of whether a work-around can be found.
Next comes the instructions. The length of the wooden part of the pen is 4-9/16". Why would I cut a blank to 5"? The outside diameter of the bushing is 0.465". <b>Why on earth is the blank size listed as 1" square by 5</b>"? Even with some playing room, a 5/8" blank is plenty big enough.
Then comes the coup de grace. In reading the instructions, they specifically indicate a 10mm drill bit and that it "<b>must be at least 6" long"</b>. I measured the 10mm drill bit that I have and it was too short. In order to be certain I had the necessary components to make the pencil properly, I ordered the "Starter Kit" which includes 2 kits, bushings and the proper drill bit. Guess what? <b>The drill bit the supplier sent is 5-1/4" long</b>! It gets better. <b>The hole drilled with the recommended bit is too small for the bushings</b>!
I can overcome these shortcomings, although I did have to do some consulting with Eagle in order to do <u>the right things</u>. The real issue here is that this kit is <b>poorly designed</b> and <b>poorly executed</b>. Add to that the fact that the "Starter Kit" violates the instructions and I come up with the word "abomination."
Lou, I can certainly appreciate your comments and commiserate with you in your situation but why did you have to drag me into this?
I can create enough havoc all by msyself, I don't need to be invited in to a brawl. I ususally start em!
I aint got NO dog in this fight but I'll watch your back PAL!
I can create enough havoc all by msyself, I don't need to be invited in to a brawl. I ususally start em!
I aint got NO dog in this fight but I'll watch your back PAL!
Do the words "human shield" have any special meaning to you? [
]Do the words,uh well.... uh....................Originally posted by DCBluesman
<br />Do the words "human shield" have any special meaning to you? [
Not particulary
Don't hold back Lou, let us know what you really feel about this kit... []
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