A Newbie's Take on Drilling and Milling

[JakeAB]

I'm new at pen turning, and have done a lot of online reading about the drilling and milling of blanks. Being blissfully ignorant, I've wondered why I haven't seen much about a single jig that would do both drilling and milling. After all, the whole idea is to make the end of the blank perfectly square with the hole, so it seems that a single jig, which holds the blank in the same position for each operation, would do the trick with no extra effort. I suppose it is possible (okay, likely) that I just haven't read far enough, and such solutions have been discussed at length, but most of the discussions I've seen involve two completely separate processes (usually drilling on a drill press or lathe, and milling with a pen mill or disc sander jig).

Playing to my strengths (blissful ignorance, in this case), I made a jig loosely based on Rockler's Pen Blank Drilling Jig. But, instead of using it for just drilling, I also use it for milling. After drilling and gluing the tube in, I place the blank back in the jig (making sure to position it as it was during drilling), and then use a Forstner bit (which drills a nice, flat-bottomed hole) to do the milling. Because the jig ensures that the blank is positioned identically for each operation, the end is always square to the hole--it doesn't matter if the hole is not parallel to the blank.

I like this because it is simple and inexpensive--no disc sander, no $30 pen mill, no impossibly precise adjustments. Just two pieces of scrap wood, two drill bits, and a handful of hardware. Total cost, maybe about $12.00 (well, that and a drill press). Sure, the Forstner bit gets dull, but it can be sharpened, and at $6 can easily be replaced.

Has anyone tried this? This is too obvious a solution to be anything new. Maybe I'm just too new at this and not picky enough about the results, though my pens do seem to fit together just fine (truth or blissful ignorance?). But I would like to hear other people's thoughts and experiences with this.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I'm new at pen turning, and have done a lot of online reading about the drilling and milling of blanks. Being blissfully ignorant, I've wondered why I haven't seen much about a single jig that would do both drilling and milling. After all, the whole idea is to make the end of the blank perfectly square with the hole, so it seems that a single jig, which holds the blank in the same position for each operation, would do the trick with no extra effort. I suppose it is possible (okay, likely) that I just haven't read far enough, and such solutions have been discussed at length, but most of the discussions I've seen involve two completely separate processes (usually drilling on a drill press or lathe, and milling with a pen mill or disc sander jig).

Playing to my strengths (blissful ignorance, in this case), I made a jig loosely based on Rockler's Pen Blank Drilling Jig. But, instead of using it for just drilling, I also use it for milling. After drilling and gluing the tube in, I place the blank back in the jig (making sure to position it as it was during drilling), and then use a Forstner bit (which drills a nice, flat-bottomed hole) to do the milling. Because the jig ensures that the blank is positioned identically for each operation, the end is always square to the hole--it doesn't matter if the hole is not parallel to the blank.

I like this because it is simple and inexpensive--no disc sander, no $30 pen mill, no impossibly precise adjustments. Just two pieces of scrap wood, two drill bits, and a handful of hardware. Total cost, maybe about $12.00 (well, that and a drill press). Sure, the Forstner bit gets dull, but it can be sharpened, and at $6 can easily be replaced.

Has anyone tried this? This is too obvious a solution to be anything new. Maybe I'm just too new at this and not picky enough about the results, though my pens do seem to fit together just fine (truth or blissful ignorance?). But I would like to hear other people's thoughts and experiences with this.

Haven't tried it, but interesting... do you have pictures of the jig.. if so please post... I'm better at visual aids than at reading and following written instructions. :biggrin:

Oh, and welcome to the forum..

 

[JakeAB]

Here are a couple of photos. What makes this work, I think, is that the jig is held firmly on the drill press table's fence. This allows the positioning of the blank to be consistent between drilling and milling. I'm not sure that the simple hand-held squeeze-type drilling vises would give the required accuracy.

Note that the corner of the blank that sits against the back of the jig is marked. It's important that the blank is placed in the same position for milling as it was for drilling. If the hole isn't perfectly parallel to the blank, it doesn't matter--it's off by the same amount for both operations, making the end square to the hole, not the blank.

By the way, if you want to buy a similar jig instead of making it, here's the link to Rockler's product:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11476&filter=pen drilling jig

I don't have one, so I can't speak to the quality, but at $15 it might be worth the experiment. I made mine because Rockler's wouldn't fit my homemade fence.

 

[mickr]

other than chipping out the end of the blank, I can see no reason why this would not work..people use pen mills the exact same way..nothing new there, except you substituted a forstner bit...if it works, that's great

 

[mredburn]

my firts thought is that it will work well if your blanks are sguare and straight to start with but when you flip it to mill the other end if it isnt square or straight you may end up with your ends out of parallel.

 

[devowoodworking]

If the hole isn't perfectly parallel to the blank, it doesn't matter--it's off by the same amount for both operations, making the end square to the hole, not the blank.

In fact this would affect the milling operation when you go to flip the blank...if everything isn't 'dialed in' perfectly it will make a difference, there is no way of making sure that the blank will sit 90 degrees to the table and bit/mill angle for most roughly sawn blanks once you flip it...:wink:

Edit note: 'Mredburn', you snuck you're post in as I was typing...I think you said it better than me...

 

[rherrell]

The slop needed in the hole for the glue allows the tube to move a little in the hole. Not much, granted, but it doesn't take much to throw off the hardware. The only way this would work is if you drilled the hole the exact size of the tube, but then there wouldn't be any room for the glue.:wink:

 

[jleiwig]

As stated it would only work if your blank was perfectly jointed to have 90 degree angles on every edge. Once you flip it to mill the other end you loose the square if the blank is even slightly skewed. That is why a pen mill registers off of the hole in the blank, that way it assured to be square to the hole.

 

[JakeAB]

Thanks to all for the replies. This is just the kind of input I was looking for.

I'm less concerned about the issue of inaccuracies from flipping the blank. The reference is not the end of the blank on the drill press table, it's the long corner that sits against the back of the jig. As long as you choose a straight corner, flipping it will still result in an end square to the hole.

The best argument against using this method, I think, is Rick Herrell's. While this jig arguably squares the ends of the blank to the hole, what is really needed is to square it to the tube. As Rick pointed out, the tube isn't necessarily parallel to the hole.

I guess I'll keep experimenting with other options. I'd still like to find the holy grail of a jig that will do both operations, assuring squareness without picky adjustments. But to do this, it would have to do not only drilling and milling, but gluing as well. Maybe if I chuck a mandrel bar in the drill press to keep the tube in place during gluing. Since the drill press is tied up until the glue sets, I only need to buy a dozen or so drill presses, one for each of the blanks I glue at one time. Or I can create nanites and program them to build a perfect blank an atom at a time. Yeah, that's the ticket...:tongue:

 

[mredburn]

Jake, good luck, with the nanites. you need a central holding jig with dual drills. one at each end and a tube insertion tube that is held between both drills ofter the hole is drilled and both ends milled. Probably wouldnt hurt to make it cnc capable while your at it.:biggrin:

 

[edman2]

Jake,
I am too jig challenged to know what will work and what will not. BUT, I do know that this kind of questioning, experimenting, trying, and evaluating will eventually result in some great pens from a fellow who is not afraid of a challenge. Keep it up! And...welcome to the IAP.

 

[JakeAB]

Thanks to all for the comments, advice and welcome. I'll let you know if I have any more bright ideas.

For the record, I did try carefully drilling the blank, gluing the tube, placing it precisely on a tree stump and hitting it with an ax. The results weren't altogether satisfactory, but it made me feel better.

 

[dustmaker]

I like your innovation. One of the other benefits of the pen mill is that it scrapes the inside of the tube to remove any glue that may have slopped on over. Keep this in mind when you rethink your design. If you come up with something, there is a whole crowd here who will line up for one...if it works! I think it was Abe Lincoln who said that success is the ability to move from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm...so don't give up!

 

[Daniel]

I have heard of people doing this for years. It works well if certain conditions are met. mainly that the blank is fairly well square and straight. try this trick on deer antler for example.
Also since the blank was drilled while held in the vice with one end up. there is no way to hold it "exactly" in the same position to mill both ends.

the best way to use such a jig would to be able to drill then mill the blank without removing it from the jig at all. problem is you have gluing in the tube in between the two. you are still faced with how to flip the blank over and mill the second end.
I personally know your process works I have done it myself several times. But I also personally know it only works under certain conditions.

Make sure the blank is reasonably square and straight, either drill dead on center which is not likely or make sure you are able to reposition the blank in the jig in the same position it was drilled. Drill straight through the center of the blank from end to end. if you do not the degree you are off could be doubled when you flip the blank to mill the opposite end.

In a perfect world you could simply cut all wood square, drill it perfectly centered and straight through end to end and avoid the need to mill blanks at all. The idea in milling is to square the blank to the tube. this is the reason that most methods of milling use the tube as the reference not the blank.

Finally, I hold the blank with a pair of slip joint pliers when I mill them, not in any sort of vice. I want the blank to be free to align the pilot and tube and not have the blank interfering in any way.

 

[JakeAB]

Finally, I hold the blank with a pair of slip joint pliers when I mill them, not in any sort of vice. I want the blank to be free to align the pilot and tube and not have the blank interfering in any way.

Yup, I'm beginning to see the light. My mistake was in any way referencing the milling to the blank (either outer dimensions or, in my case, the hole). Drilling really has little to do with accurate milling--you can drill off center, at an angle, who cares, as long as you have enough material on all sides to turn what you want to turn.

The relevant relationship is between the milling and the tube. As such, a milling option that doesn't involve a snug-fitting rod at a precise right angle to the cutting surface will only work occasionally (as it did in my case), but not reliably.

Personally, I'm liking the idea of sticking a square of sandpaper to the faceplate of the lathe, sliding the blank (with tube) on the mandrel, then pushing the end of the blank into the sandpaper. Much easier than making a jig for a disc sander, and trying--maybe even successfully--to make the jig square to the sanding disc. Unless your lathe is way out of whack, the mandrel is already square with the faceplate. I'd still use my original drilling jig to do the rough milling, but beyond that, drilling has nothing to do with milling. My dream of finding a single jig to do both drilling and milling is not only unfulfilled, it's unnecessary.

Sorry, I know I'm preaching to the converted here, but maybe there are other newbies out there who can benefit another newbie's false starts and revelations.

 

[rherrell]

Jake, you mean like this? (Boy, what a shameless plug.) http://tinyurl.com/ygpqs5n

 

[dennisg]

I really like the tool I got from Rick. I don't call it a shameless plug just a sanding mill. Works great.

 

[leehljp]

Actually there is a way to drill and square at the same time, but it also requires minor adjustments after the tubes are glued in - drill on the lathe! :wink:

Even drilling on the lathe, there are two basic methods - 1. using a chuck on square blanks and drill; 2. turn one end round, flip it and chuck the round end, then drill from the other end.

What is harder is learning to center a blank - such as a segmented blank which will show up any off centered drilling on either end. This is where lathe drilling shines.

Below are two links that deal with controlling the entrance and exit points at precise locations on each blank. The two links are specific to antlers but it can apply to blanks also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAEEaF8z2jM

http://sarkon.net/poppopshop/

(Look for the antler tutorial.)

 

[JakeAB]

Jake, you mean like this? (Boy, what a shameless plug.) http://tinyurl.com/ygpqs5n

Rick, you read my mind. Amazing that you seem to have read it about three years before I thought it. I assume you're still making these. How can I get one?

(The plug is shameless only if it's self-serving. You bring this up just to help me out, right?)

 

[On Edge]

As several replies have indicated it is essential that both ends must be milled perpendicular to the glued-in tube.

I believe there are two situations which require that you should reference the tube: first the drill might walk from end to end and secondly the tube might not be glued in the absolute center of the hole in the blank.

The closest method which I can perceive building on the original question utilizing a drill press would be to make a fixture with a vertical section of 'A' diameter rod. This way a forster bit could be used to square the end of the blank. Of course, it would be necessary to make a bushing of the correct size with any blanks utilizing tubes of larger diameters.

This same idea could be used on a lathe with the bit mounted in the tail stock and the rod mounted in the headstock

 

[WildcatHollow]

Or, you could buy this tool at Penn State Industries?

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/SUPCUT1.html

WCH

 

[rherrell]

Rick, you read my mind. Amazing that you seem to have read it about three years before I thought it. I assume you're still making these. How can I get one?

(The plug is shameless only if it's self-serving. You bring this up just to help me out, right?)

Jim, I'll PM you my PayPal address and you can send the payment there. And yes, I was just trying to help but this little tool really does work, just ask anybody who bought one.
One thing though, this tool is not for heavy stock removal and is not meant to take the place of a pen mill or disc sander. It's meant for truing up the blank after you've gotten it close. Where it really shines is removing that last little bit of CA, or whatever else, just prior to assembly. It helps the fit of the hardware tremendously.

 

[JakeAB]

Thanks Rick, that's perfect. I can still use my Forstner bit for rough milling, and then when turning is almost done, use your gadget for final milling. I like it.

 

[wdcav1952]

Or, you could buy this tool at Penn State Industries?

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/SUPCUT1.html

WCH

I've never used one of these. I don't think you want to use it on expensive exotic wood as it is quite wasteful of the wood.