Pen Press

[jkeithrussell]

I need a new pen press. Before I buy another one, I thought I'd ask: what is your method for pressing pen parts -- what type of press do you use? I'm thinking about getting an arbor press instead of the horizontal type.

 

[C. Scott]

Much to the horror of many here. I just use a bench mounted vise.

 

[bruce119]

I use my drill press. Just turn a piece of hard wood into a dowel like a large drill bit. On one end I leave it flat on the other I put in a concave. Put the dowel in the chuck and put a piece of plywood or small board on the drill press table and press away.

Bruce

 

[bitshird]

I use a 1 ton arbor press from Enco, Harbor freight also carries them.

 

[artistwood]

i have one of the spring loaded ones with the metal base from PSI (i think). i bought it cause it looked like the one kenny mayes was using when i took his pen turning class except with springs. the springs are kinda handy as i dont have a lot of strength in my left hand and the press will hold the parts in place for me.

 

[artistwood]

i use this one. http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PENPRESS4.html

it looked like the one kenny mayes used when i took his pen class except it has springs.....very handy

 

[Hillbilly]

I use my drill press. Just turn a piece of hard wood into a dowel like a large drill bit. On one end I leave it flat on the other I put in a concave. Put the dowel in the chuck and put a piece of plywood or small board on the drill press table and press away.

Bruce

I do the same. The dowel was the very first thing I turned. Then I use used wood blocks for different length pens to press against. Plus I can't justify 30.00 for such a simple device.

 

[randyrls]

Much to the horror of many here. I just use a bench mounted vise.

Chris; I did use a bench vise, but I got a woodworkers vise with a quick release mechanism. I attach oak jaws with magnets, and press away.

Think multi-use tools.

 

[jkeithrussell]

Well, my local Harbor Freight is out of stock on the arbor press. PSI is out of stock on their press. I guess I'll have to rig something up on my drill press.

 

[juteck]

I use a non-modified wooden screw clamp. Kept it simple.

 

[spiritwoodturner]

I really do love the PSI press. For a bench mounted horizontal press it's the best out there by a long shot. I've had others...

Dale

 

[shadow man]

I too use a bench mounted vice with a block of wood covered with a rag on either side. Too cheap to buy a fancy press
Good Luck,
George

 

[Darrin]

A pistol grip wooden clamp. Nothin fancy.

 

[RHossack]

I use a 12" Aluminum Bar Clamp I picked up from HF ...

 

[DurocShark]

I use a 12" Aluminum Bar Clamp I picked up from HF ...

View attachment 8851

Me too, but mine's blue. And I've carpet-taped some maple blocks on the jaws.

 

[Lenny]

I really liked the looks of the spring loaded PSI model but wondered if it would adjust to enough range of different lengths? I also liked the looks of the two $20 in my pocket so I built this one instead (as has been posted here and many other places)
http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning/Turning_content/pen_assembly_press.html

 

[fafow]

I also have the 1 ton Ceentral Machinery arbor press from Harbor Freight. It was on sale for $30. I just checked their website and it is 49.99. I don't know if I would have gone for it at that price. I had seen a few posts on the internet from people with various horizontal presses and a few had problems with the press not being able to handle the pressure over time. I used to use a vise on the side of my workbench but had problems with it going absolutely straight from time to time. The same thing can happen with the arbor press, but I seem to have a lot better luck with it.

 

[ldb2000]

I use my lathe . I turned a couple of wood dowels to fit the MT tapers in the HS and TS about a year ago and it works great . I switched to delrin about 3 months ago . I'll never do it any other way , it's very easy to control and presses very gently .

 

[RHunter]

+1 on using the Drill Press.

I cut about 4" off a 1/2 dowel rod I had and put it hand tight in the chuck and press away.

-DD

 

[Tn-Steve]

I use my lathe as a pen press. 100 percent control, easy to use, I can exactly ease things like transmissions in just perfect.

Steve

 

[randyrls]

I use a non-modified wooden screw clamp. Kept it simple.

I started out using one of those Quik-Grip type bar clamps. I drilled a small dimple in one jaw, and used the rubber pad in the other.

 

[rwyoung]

I'm using the bench vice I inherited from my grandpa. Using some oak boards as "pads" to press against inside the vice. Somebody suggested adding magnets to the boards. Brilliant!

 

[Texatdurango]

I need a new pen press. Before I buy another one, I thought I'd ask: what is your method for pressing pen parts -- what type of press do you use? I'm thinking about getting an arbor press instead of the horizontal type.

Great idea! I switched over to the Harbor freight 1 ton press a few hundred pens ago and am all smiles! This thing will press thousands of pens together and won't be any the worse for wear, a fact that can't be said for some of the horizontal wood contraptions!

 

[David M]

one more on drill press

 

[pbrinegar]

I too use a 1-ton arbor press. It was purchased from Enco and is far more solidly built than any pen press I've seen. If you have problems with alignment while pressing parts together, use a grooved wood/plastic block as a jig.

 

[Misterturner]

Like a couple of others that have already responded, I too use my lathe - and always have. I used to use the mandrel with the correct bushing in place to hold one end of the pen body (making sure enough of the pen body extended beyond the end of the mandrel to receive the part being pressed) and would use a block of wood against the tailstock to push the part on to the pen body.

In the last month, I have been using this new tool (see link). I wasn't looking for it, just stumbled across it. It's much faster than my old way and the material seems to be holding up just fine to repeated use.

Jason


http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...n_Ultimate_Assembly_Tool___pen_ultimate?Args=

 

[Moosewatcher]

When my PSI pen press gave out (base kept bending), I took it apart and put one end in my pen vise and the other end in my drill press chuck. Works well except you have to be careful because it can generate a lot of pressure.

Ken