Take your time!!

[donnalleyd]

I did something stupid last night. I rushed and it caused me to get hurt.

I was using a barrel trimmer to get everything squared up. Instead of placing the blank in a vise or using some sort of clamp I held it with my hand. While using the drill something caught causing my hand to go into the barrel trimmer. I took a large chunk out of my index finger and several smaller cuts on several other fingers. It could have been worse, luckily no stitches were needed.

What I should of done:
Not held the blank in my hand
Make sure the barrel trimmer is sharp. (I has pushing harder than I needed to)
Slow Down

Just a reminder that even the simple task can be dangerous.

 

[flyitfast]

Well said - Great warning! Glad it wasn't any worse.
gordon

 

[mike4066]

I did the same thing last week. Luckily it just twisted the blank around in my hand though and I didn't get injured.

Glad your ok.

 

[scoobiehome]

Thank you for the warning!

 

[Akula]

Sadly we have to keep reminding ourselves, usually after something bad happens. Glad it was not worse. Power tools vs flesh is never a good outcome

 

[TonyL]

I am sorry to hear what happened to you; thank you for sharing your experience though. Funny thing is, I have seen plenty of you tube and other instructional videos with folks holding the blank (some with a leather glove on). I hope you heal quickly and your post spares others from a similar fate.

 

[raar25]

I took a chunk out of my palm this weekend. Unfortunately it was trying to drill out a finished blank for a disassembly/repair so a vise wasn't an option. I usually just make sure I have lots of bandaids on hand.

 

[Twinturbine]

I think I will start using the vise.

 

[ed4copies]

A facing tool has many limitations.

I used one for many years, also holding the blank in my hand, sometimes mounting the pen mill on a hand-held drill. Yes, the blank can spin in your hand and it hurts. OR you can push the mill guide all the way through your blank and into your hand--also hurts.

From the blank's point of view, pen mills are often too dull to cut cleanly, which can destroy the end of the blank (especially cast resin blanks).

When the mill is very sharp, you can use it to face a blank and it will work pretty well. Trouble is, they get slightly dull rapidly and they are not easy to sharpen properly (all the fins should be the same length===not easy to do, or measure!

This is WHY I have changed to facing a blank AFTER it is mostly turned to profile, on a sanding disc on the lathe. (All the parts are homemade, so for those who think I am selling something---NOT the case).

FWIW!!
You will save your hand, AND your blanks if you take this advice.

 

[sbell111]

A facing tool has many limitations.

I used one for many years, also holding the blank in my hand, sometimes mounting the pen mill on a hand-held drill. Yes, the blank can spin in your hand and it hurts. OR you can push the mill guide all the way through your blank and into your hand--also hurts.

From the blank's point of view, pen mills are often too dull to cut cleanly, which can destroy the end of the blank (especially cast resin blanks).

When the mill is very sharp, you can use it to face a blank and it will work pretty well. Trouble is, they get slightly dull rapidly and they are not easy to sharpen properly (all the fins should be the same length===not easy to do, or measure!

The good news is that these items are super inexpensive. At just a few dollars each, I keep several new ones on hand and swap them out freely.

Sharp mill head plus blank locked into a vise equals good outcomes.

 

[panamag8or]

Been there, done that... several times. Sometimes, I even get bit when I'm using pliers to hold the blank, if they slip.

 

[wyone]

after several attempts to do damage to my hands, I decided to use my pen vise with the mill. I was worried about it not being exactly perfect so I actually hold the vice, which is not difficult as it is MUCH larger than the blank or the pliers, and let the pen mill sort of find its own direction through the tube.

 

[CHARLES STOPCZYNSKI]

Tossed mine somewhere...

Looking for an improved method I tossed mine years ago.

Use a disc sander with table and miter slide squared to the disc.

Little chance of a "catch", and no gotchas.

Calibration is checked with a dedicated square kept nearby.

Charlie

 

[mikeinco]

I ate my left thumb about 10 days ago doing the same thing. Lesson learned!

 

[siric]

What I do is to hold the blank in a pen disassembly pliers Locking Soft-Grip Pliers for Pen Dissembly at Penn State Industries.

Saves the fingers and give more control.

 

[walshjp17]

"I don't often use a pen mill, but when I do I use channel locks." *



* Apologies to Jonathan Goldsmith :wink:

 

[WriteON]

We learn from experience. Sometimes we rush and change the routine. Let's be careful. Have a safe technique and stick to it each and every time. And please.....wear your safety equipment. PROTECT your eyes, ears, face. No loose closing, no jewelry.

 

[Winemaker]

Have seen mole-grips used, not the bast way but may be a bit safer

 

[wouldentu2?]

I use a pen mill exclusively and do tempt fate with softer woods but for harder woods such as Cocobolo, or Maple I place a 1" x 1" x 6" piece of support wood in the bottom of my wood vise, I then place the blank on my mill which is in a drill and set the end of the blank on the support wood and mill off the wood till it hits the tube. The wood vise is closed enough that I do not need to hold the blank as it cannot turn.

End Mills are easily touched up with a small diamond card by only using the card on the flats of the mill not on the angled cutting face. Doing this once in a while makes the mill "like new".

 

[Quality Pen]

Since moving to a disc sander plus a a mill on the lathe, I never looked back at those barrel trimmers. I, too, hand held them and luckily never got hurt bad but definitely didn't enjoy it all the time .

I didnt find the results very satisfactory anyways as Ed alluded too.

 

[79spitfire]

If you don't have a disk sander, you can cut a disk out of sandpaper and glue it to the back side of the pen mill, then place that side against the blank. Much less likely to catch.

Or you could sharpen the mill and use a vice...

 

[endacoz]

No picture?

 

[79spitfire]

No picture?

I'll have to make one (a picture that is...)

 

[butchf18a]

Its called a vise!!

 

[rthines]

Yes, Lessons Learned

Last Christmas was in a big hurry and did the same thing! On a side note Super Glue closes wounds very nicely!

Its mistake you only make once!

Rick