Pen press question

[furini]

Hi all

Anyone use one of these: http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Pen-Assembly-Press-460328.htm
I'm not sure if it's worth getting one - it would mean I could assemble pens indoors and not contribute to the woodworking widow syndrome that sometimes rears its head in my house!
Any opinions about how good they are - at the moment I use the vice on my workbench.

Cheers

Stewart

 

[ngeb528]

That's like the one we have - I think we got it from Woodcrafters. Ours has an aluminum bottom plate and I just had my husband add a piece of 1/2" plywood to the bottom because the bottom plate was flexing too much.

Works good. I made reference marks along the adjustable barrel to give me a baseline for pressing different parts (nib, top/clip, transmission). I was mostly doing slimlines. I may have to make a separate reference sheet and put measurement lines on it since I'm starting to do other types of kits.

 

[programmergeek]

I really like this one
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PENPRESS4.html
built like a tank and the springs help. But they all pretty much do the same job.

 

[keithkarl2007]

there are plans around for a press you can make yourself, works quite well and its cheap, why do we always readily use our wallets and not our imagination.

 

[cdbakkum]

yes: I like it ,and I spend four months in the mountains of Arizona in the summer. I take it with me because of the size. It's O K for me. Carl

 

[programmergeek]

One answer, time is money. For me it is cheaper to buy one. Yes I could use a drill press or my lathe but the press is faster and I can leave it set up. Besides I have a issues using tools for other things than what they are inteded for I have messed up a few in the past. This is not the case for everyone I understand.

 

[thevillageworkshop]

Go to http://thevillageworkshop.net/PENKITINSTRUCTIONS.aspx you will find plans there to make your own press out of scrap wood in your shop.

 

[Fred]

Do you have a drill press? Get double duty out of it and use the same 'press' principle of these 'drill presses.

Works absolutely perfectly well for several folks here!

 

[ldb2000]

I'll stand by my lathe for a pen press , nice easy way to press a pen together without pressing a trany in too far and have'nt cracked one tube with it , ever .

 

[jackrichington]

I agree with Butch , and I also just use a wood bench vise..both work great..I hate pen presses..they always got stuff crooked for me

 

[furini]

Thanks for all the replies. The reason I was interested in a press like the one I linked too, whether I buy one or make one, was to be able to assemble pens away from the 'shop - I think I'll put making one on my tuit list and just try to spend some time with the family as well as out in the workshop!

cheers

Stewart

 

[themartaman]

I use my vise and also a press I made from a nut cracker. It cost 12 dollars and a little work. Resembles the one you listed.

 

[OLDMAN5050]

pen press

I bought a arbour press from northern tool works great

 

[jduxbur]

I made two mandrels out of maple with #2 morse tapers to fit my lathe. The lathe then becomes a screw press. It worked so well I did an article on it for Woodturning Design Magazine. It's in Fall Issue #15 and an improvement was added in issue # 19. The thing works great for me, cost nothing, and it is not another gadget hanging on the wall. I am running out of room.

Jim

 

[artistwood]

as to the wallet issue, my wallet has a lot more time than i do. just wish it had more money...............

 

[Angelo49]

I use this one.
On sale for $4.99 a couple of years ago.
Angelo

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38183

 

[furini]

Nice idea, Angelo
I should be able to adapt one of my pipe clamps and bring the pen assembling into the kitchen (where my workshop should be anyway!)
Cheers
Stewart

 

[Chris Bar]

A cam action styled clamp is available from Harbor Frieght and the remaining parts, with some thought, can be fabricated rather easily. Grizzly has them for $24.99 (thought they were cheaper ) but they flex a bit but the base could be replaced with hardwood to solve that problem. I have a pen vise, an arbor press, but think the large bench vice due to excellent control, is hard to beat. Was assembling a Silver Bullet pen and the center ring was glued but stuck; the arbor press became a kit saver that day. It persuaded the ring to move before the glue set. The pen vice would not budge it, so be aware you might need a mad dash to the shop vice :biggrin:.