Pen Mills

[avbill]

I have been using a pen mill for squaring the blank. I have noticed on the slim line pens only is a wavy squared edge.
The results is:
That the blank edges have four high points and then there is four low points. The mill itself has four cutting edges. The mill has squared maybe 50 pens total. How can I get a better squared edge? Could the mill be dull? I use a hand held electric drill to square the edge, at slow speed.

Thanks for your input.

Bill Daniels

 

[Nolan]

I find it works better for me to use higher speed and less pressure. Also you need a very sharp end mill. Paul has the equipment to sharpen them right so the cutting edges stay true. I also have been re-tipping mills for folks cuz the metal used in these are not very hard so I dont feel they hold an edge very well

 

[rherrell]

I agree with Nolan 100%.

 

[spitfire]

i am having the same prroblem w/ a brand new mill. i too thought it might need sharpened but that didn't help. i think maybe it's because i can't get the cutterhead tight all the way because it uses an allen head and it already stripped it. i am going to see if i can get a star head to replace the allen head.

 

[Dario]

I use my drill press. The wavy surface is because you are not exerting constant pressure. It is difficult to do when it is done manually.

I use my drilling setup...just prop the blank a bit higher and not tighten it too much.

Of course a sharp cutter head helps too. To sharpen, just swipe the vertical face of the cutter to your sharpener. I use the cheap diamond hone from HF (3 in 1 package).

 

[spitfire]

I also used the drill press with the same wavy results. I have a 7mm mill which i have never had a problem with but when I got the new one with multiple shafts I now have the problem, the 7mm works great in a hand drill.

 

[Dario]

One thing to note. Make sure the jaws of the drill is seated properly. The cutter guide have a notched/flat side on the part you grip with the drill....make sure it is between 2 jaws. If it is not, it WILL wobble.

 

[Paul in OKC]

Originally posted by rherrell

I agree with Nolan 100%.

Ditto from here too.

 

[leehljp]

I do something that is probably "over the top" or "over kill," but it helps me in providing fine touches. I use a bladed pen mill for most normal pen blanks but a sander mill for fine touches.

I have two mills that Nolan just added on carbide tips. I really look forward to using them and my expectations are high for those - when I return to Japan. I also just purchased a sander mill from Lee Thomas. When I was making my striped pen last fall, the first blank blew apart. Some of it was due to the trimmer not being sharp enough but the blank itself, by its one construction, lent itself to separation. For that reason, I made my own "sander' mill that fit over the blades of one of my bladed trimmer. It sanded OK, but had a few problems as it not a dedicated sander. For this reason, I ordered one from Lee.

For normal pens like slimlines and most of the cigars, the bladed trimmer (especially the carbide ones) should be sufficient. For delicate pens blanks, along with fine trimming finish off of the ends of over finished blanks, the sander should be the the ticket!

 

[Firefyter-emt]

I say that a lot of your problem could be a dull mill head if you are using "normal" wood. I find that some burls still like to "hop" because of the soft / hard spots. You may want to sharpen the flats of the cutters (not the edge, but the back side of the tooth)

This was one of the reasons I came out and made my sander mills. Like Hank said, the cutter mill can be too rough on some surfaces like burl, mulit part pen blanks and so on.

 

[loglugger]

Put some CA glue on the end grain of the blank and let it dry and see if that won't help. I use a drill press and not by hand.
Bob

 

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Dario

One thing to note. Make sure the jaws of the drill is seated properly. The cutter guide have a notched/flat side on the part you grip with the drill....make sure it is between 2 jaws. If it is not, it WILL wobble.

The onlyflat spot my mill has is where the cutterhead attaches to the shaft.

 

[Dario]

Originally posted by spitfire

Originally posted by Dario

One thing to note. Make sure the jaws of the drill is seated properly. The cutter guide have a notched/flat side on the part you grip with the drill....make sure it is between 2 jaws. If it is not, it WILL wobble.

The onlyflat spot my mill has is where the cutterhead attaches to the shaft.

That's that one I am talking about. Doesn't it go all the way up and becomes the part you grip with the drill jaws? Make sure none of the jaws go in that flat face.

 

[Dan_F]

The mills that some of us got in the recent pen mill group buy have a contained flat, leaving the end that is gripped by the drill chuck round. I have a picture somewhere...The one on the left is from Woodcraft, I never could get it to run true, even after careful alignment. The other one is from the group buy.

Dan

 

[Dario]

Okay, you won't have a problem then.

Mine is like the one on the left and if you don't make sure it is installed properly, it can be a problem.

 

[Paul Downes]

I've noticed this problem with certain hard woods. Cocobolo to name one. I solved the problem by cutting a small circle from a hole punched PSA sanding disk and sticking it to the mill head after turning it around on the mandrel.

Personally I think cutters should be of 3 flutes because 3 points determine a plane. I've wondered about 4 flutes because 1 flute will not be in contact with the wood as much as the other 3. I have developed special cutters for industry and this was one of the problems we encountered with some of the vendors cutters. The 3 flute cutters were much better in eliminating chatter. Just a thought.