Hexaganol pens

[Kami]

Hello,

How can I make hexagonal pens (barrel and Cap)...I am guessing I will need some special kit for this. Has any one achieved this already?

Looking for a cheep solution if possible (arnt we all).

Thanks,

Kami

 

[PenWorks]

I use a Legacy Mill to cut a 5,6,or 8 sided pens. Then just slightly round the ends to transition them to the pen parts.
Chuckie as made a conversion to attach a laminite trim router to his lathe to cut the flats.
In the begining before I bought my Lecacy, I made a couple using my belt sander, a lot harder by hand that way. Much easier and more precise if you can use an indexing plate.

 

[leehljp]

You can make it cheap but not easy; Or you can make it easy but not cheap.

For cheap, you will have to make up some kind of jig and have plenty of patience.
For easy, you can buy a Legacy mill.
You could make a jig to fit over your lathe, add a router and indexing plate to it.

I am still trying to figure out if you want to be thought of as - god, paper, hair or up! [}] Do you have a kanji to do with your forum name?

 

[Kami]

Thanks guys this help how ever a quick question.

If I want to have flat sides to a pen do I turn it down a bit first or do I go straight in try and and flatten it straight away.

Hank:

My name came from the name of a character in a book called 'the Kaisho'

The character was Miko O'kami and he was the Kiasho I think I just rememberd the last part of his name.

Thanks Again...anyone with anyother suggestions?

Kami

 

[Ligget]

I also use a Legacy, technique the same as Anthony (PenWorks) described above![]

 

[Kami]

Mark

How much did your ornamental lathe cost to the uk all included (post etc)?

Where did you get it?[]

Kami

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

You could make an octagional pen with a table saw...

 

[Kami]

Wow,

what would I need to do?

Kami

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by Kami
<br />Wow,

what would I need to do?

Kami

You could make a simple jig to hold the blanks so you could cut the four corners off to form 8 equal sides.

 

[its_virgil]

Here is the webist for the Legacy: http://legacywoodworking.com/
Other similar machines are available but out of production. I use a MillLathe, others use the Sears Router Crafter (whick goes by another name in the UK). Beall Tool Co. makes, or once did, a tool called the Lathe Wizard (I think) and Nova also makes a similar tool. Ebay is a source for some of these but you will need to look for them on a regular basis because they are scarce. I will try to find the name of the UK router crafter...which is also out of production.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Kami
<br />Mark

How much did your ornamental lathe cost to the uk all included (post etc)?

Where did you get it?[]

Kami

 

[Ligget]

Originally posted by Kami
<br />Mark

How much did your ornamental lathe cost to the uk all included (post etc)?

Where did you get it?[]

I got the small Legacy 200 that is no longer available, if you go to the Legacy site in America and enquire as to who is the UK distributor, they`ll tell you!

Cause I can`t remember......[][]
Kami

 

[Kami]

Thanks guys this is really helpfull.

its_virgil is this a mill lathe? :http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_copy_of_Clarke_CL500M_Lathe___Accessories.html

trouble is its a bit expencive for my budget. Any supplier names would be usefull for the other bits you mentioned.

Blind_Squirrel I wil give that a go to start with next weekend.

Thanks,

Kami

 

[its_virgil]

No, this is:
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Kami
<br />Thanks guys this is really helpfull.

its_virgil is this a mill lathe? :http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_copy_of_Clarke_CL500M_Lathe___Accessories.html

Thanks,

Kami

 

[Kami]

Don

thanks for that. However a quick google search yeilded no results. Except to find that they used to be sold by wood craft till the company went bust. (

Oh well I might try and build one if I am feeling ambitous.

Thanks again,

Kami

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by Blind_Squirrel
<br />You could make an octagional pen with a table saw...

That's what I do

 

[wendell]

Not exactly pens, but here's a link to making London pattern chisel handles which are octagonal.

http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/chiselhandles.html

Maybe there are some nuggets of info that might be useful in making a multi-side pen.

Good Luck,

Wendell

 

[skiprat]

Hi Andy ( Kami )
As has been mentioned, those mill lathes are now like hens teeth. Trend used to have one too, but also stopped making them. There is a better solution though. And a hell of a lot cheaper too[]
Got to Axminster and get a CT1 compound table. Once you have one of those the world is your oyster. They currently cost £66. I've had one for a few years and it is indispensible. You can mount any machine on it, drill, router, dremel. I am half way through a hex stainless steel pen that I using a small bench grinder mounted on it!!! Have a look in my album and you will see how I use it. There are also some sketches for a spiral attachment for it.
Do you want just the blank to be shaped or the kit as well?

I'm only a few hours from you so if you want to make one, you are welcome to check mine out.


Here's one I made ages ago. Started life as water pipe fitting but I trimmed the nuts using my compound table.

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[skiprat]

Here are two prototypes of my newest homemade gadgets. The first one will only do flat milling, it is fitted with a 24 tooth gear for indexing. Simply mount this on top of the compound table. The second one which uses the same 'mandrel' from the top one, does spirals as well as flats. My small router mounts on the block in the middle.
Sorry but dimensions of these would be pointless as the gears are from a rare bit of old switchgear from Norway[8D]

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[Kami]

Blimey skipRat this is impressive. Perhaps a compound table (thanks for the heads up on that) mounted on my expencive Jet pillar drill with a milling bit attached would do it.[8D]

I like the idea of a 24 tooth gear to get some sort of equality on each side.

I am only intersted in milling the barrel and cap not altering the kits however your hexaganol pen is superb.

All I need is a mandrel holder like yours and I am there. I think I could build something like that.[]

Thanks Again,

Kami

 

[Chuck Key]

Apologize for the late reply just got back from spending the weekend at the North Carolina Woodturning Symposium.

Here are photos of a couple that I use and a link to somethin you that might work with some adjustments.

Metal lathe solution:

<br />

Wood Lathe solution:

<br />

Standalone solution:

Follow this LINK.

Chuckie

 

[Kami]

Thanks for that Chuck Key... looks an interesting idea. I found on the web one of the ones Trend used to make.

Nice link Wendal...octaganal tool handels appeal as mine slip occasionally. I could try it for pens too.

Thanks,

kami

 

[its_virgil]

Kami,
The Trend is the one I was trying to think of that is the UK version of the Sears Router Crafter.

The MillLathe that I use was indeed sold by Woodcraft but the marketing was not the best. The basic MillLathe was sold as a pkg and all of the other things needed to sprial, index, cut flats, hold different tools, etc were sold as individual kits. It should have been sold as one complete system. They are scarce but they do show up on eBay occassionaly.

A used Trend should surface somewhere in the UK...keep watching your UK eBay. I may know where one is over there. I'll check and see if it is still available.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[Pompeyite]

Hi Andy, sorry for being a bit late with this reply.
The following picture is of a pen I made for a bit of fun, from an old hexagonal piece of hollow plastic rod which was the angle adjusting rod for a venetian blind. Sorry the picture does not do the pen much justice my photo skills are just developing.[]
The kit is a gold slim line from CSUK. Finish is my own mix of wax buffed on a "Paint Roller Buff". The finish is a high gloss but it does not show up well in the pic.[:I]

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[Kami]

Thats a classy looking pen.

Thanks

Kami