Question for squaring blanks on the lathe

[jbswearingen]

I remember seeing somebody use this method, or one similar to it, and I want to make sure I have it right before I ruin a really nice corn cob blank...

I used my drill press to square the blank to the tubes, but even though the cobs were resin coated, they still didn't cut smoothly on the ends, which I didn't notice until I turned them down. I don't want to clamp them again to try squaring them, so here's what I propose:

Use a Jacobs chuck with a center punch mounted that fits snugly in the pen tube. Mount that in the tail stock.

On the head stock, mount a flat piece of wood inside my scrolling chuck. Attach 220 grit PSA paper on the wood. Slide the blank onto the center punch and slide the tail stock forward so it's 1/2" or so away from the sand paper.

Slide the blank forward to sand it square.

I may be over analyzing or worrying over nothing, but I just want to be sure I'm good to go.

Advice?

 

[dgelnett]

I think there is a tread somewhere that describes the same method you wrote about. I did the opposite; I turned a small disk about the size of my smallest round sanding disk that uses Velcro. The disk squares up against the mandrel. I drilled a tight 7mm hole so that when I push it on the mandrel it is a snug fit.
I normally use it to clean the CA glue off the end of the blank after the finish is applied.
What I like about it is I don't have to move or change my set up just add the sanding disk to the mandrel.

 

[Russianwolf]

I remember seeing somebody use this method, or one similar to it, and I want to make sure I have it right before I ruin a really nice corn cob blank...

I used my drill press to square the blank to the tubes, but even though the cobs were resin coated, they still didn't cut smoothly on the ends, which I didn't notice until I turned them down. I don't want to clamp them again to try squaring them, so here's what I propose:

Use a Jacobs chuck with a center punch mounted that fits snugly in the pen tube. Mount that in the tail stock.

On the head stock, mount a flat piece of wood inside my scrolling chuck. Attach 220 grit PSA paper on the wood. Slide the blank onto the center punch and slide the tail stock forward so it's 1/2" or so away from the sand paper.

Slide the blank forward to sand it square.

I may be over analyzing or worrying over nothing, but I just want to be sure I'm good to go.

Advice?

As long as your tailstock is in good alignment, yes, it will work. But you may want to use more aggressive paper than 220 on anything other than the corncob.

 

[jbswearingen]

Okay, thanks!

 

[Dave Turner]

I've been using this method for the past 6 months (see my thread here) and it works well for me. If the blank is irregularly shaped and difficult to make square on my belt/disc sander (such as a corncob) I can use 150 grit abranet on my "practically free sanding mill". For squaring the ends of blanks after they're turned and I've applied my CA finish, I use 320 grit abranet.

 

[jbswearingen]

Thanks, Dave! It was your thread that I read, but couldn't find it again.

 

[Rick_G]

I made myself a narrow parting tool using old HSS thickness planer blades. After gluing in the tube I use the band saw and cut very close to the tube. Using Johnny CNC's bushing. (they have a longer section going in to the tube) I turn the blank round. Next I take the bushings out and mount the blank itself between centers. Now with the parting tool on it's side so the flat is up and down I carefully shave off the end making it slightly concave. Once the center is resting on the brass tube I shave it square, reverse it and do the other end. Doing this I haven't used a pen mill in over a year.

 

[jbswearingen]

I did what was recommended in another thread--I flipped the cutter on my barrel trimmer and applied a disc of PSA 180 grit paper. Chucked it in the drill press and it squared the finished ends of my pen barrels perfectly. Sanded the excess CA smooth and made a nice, perfect fit.

 

[workinforwood]

Squaring an end with a lathe is called facing. Its classic, the oldest and most accurate method there is. If you have a large object on a chuck or plate, when you part the end straight off it is square. For a skinny item with a hole in it like a pen...you mount between centers and spin it straight across, this makes outside perfectly parallel with inside. Then you place it in collet chuck with end barely sticking out and part the end off, now its faced square. Flip blank and repeat. 2 centers, calipers and a collet chuck is all you need to make any pen. You don't need trimmers and bushings and mandrels, 3/4 the pen making tools are not needed and many of them actually can reduce your quality of work.

 

[philipff]

I happily endorse this method of facing pen blanks. I use a 4 jaw chuck that closes to about 1in to mount the blank, bring up the tailstock with 60d. cone to guarantee centering, tighten the jaws and use a small spindle gouge- -pushing in towards the hole, to cut off all excess wood. You can see and feel when the brass is touched. No more bushings, just measure the parts and transfer to the wood/acrylic. I get wonderful results, no wobbley mandrels, not one bushing used. Yes, it is slower, but that may be just me working with no stress and no strain. Phil

 

[jbswearingen]

Squaring an end with a lathe is called facing. Its classic, the oldest and most accurate method there is. If you have a large object on a chuck or plate, when you part the end straight off it is square. For a skinny item with a hole in it like a pen...you mount between centers and spin it straight across, this makes outside perfectly parallel with inside. Then you place it in collet chuck with end barely sticking out and part the end off, now its faced square. Flip blank and repeat. 2 centers, calipers and a collet chuck is all you need to make any pen. You don't need trimmers and bushings and mandrels, 3/4 the pen making tools are not needed and many of them actually can reduce your quality of work.

This method fails when you've already finished the pen but need to clean up the finished ends--clamping can/will damage it. Otherwise, yes, it works.

 

[workinforwood]

Yes you need to square it first for best results but you can still face a turned pen with minimal collet damage to the pen and then re spin it.