Bobalu
Member
I bought the PSI pen blank squaring jig, so that I could square off inlay pens. Right out of the box, it was obvious the jig wouldn't work with my disc sander because of its small table and mini-mitering gage. I just couldn't see this thing having any repeatable accuracy without some modifications. The photos below show my present solution to the problem.
I started with a 1/2" plywood base to enlarge my working area. A hardwood runner on the bottom of the base ties this in with the miter gage slot. I wanted the base to have no movement once mounted, so I cut the runner oversize and worked it down slowly on my planer, then with a hand scraper until it just fit the slot.
Atop the base I mounted a piece of 1-1/2" aluminum angle to which the PSI jig is affixed. The aluminum angle is mounted to the base with two 5/16" T-slot bolts which were countersunk into the bottom of the base. The bores through the aluminum angle are slot-gated just slightly to allow horizontal adjustment of the jig.
The jig is attached to the aluminum angle by two 1/4" T-slot bolts and wing nuts. Vertical adjustment is accomplished by adjusting the table angle. The entire assembly is clamped to the sander's table with two spring clamps.
It works well, but in retrospect clamping the jig to the aluminum angle doesn't allow you to inspect the blank without removing the spring clamps and lifting it off the table. This isn't too bothersome if I'm only squaring an inlay pen periodically, but I wouldn't want to use it as my primary squaring device. I'll stick with my pen mills for all other projects.
It's still a "work in progress", so comments, suggestions, and critiques are welcome.
I started with a 1/2" plywood base to enlarge my working area. A hardwood runner on the bottom of the base ties this in with the miter gage slot. I wanted the base to have no movement once mounted, so I cut the runner oversize and worked it down slowly on my planer, then with a hand scraper until it just fit the slot.
Atop the base I mounted a piece of 1-1/2" aluminum angle to which the PSI jig is affixed. The aluminum angle is mounted to the base with two 5/16" T-slot bolts which were countersunk into the bottom of the base. The bores through the aluminum angle are slot-gated just slightly to allow horizontal adjustment of the jig.
The jig is attached to the aluminum angle by two 1/4" T-slot bolts and wing nuts. Vertical adjustment is accomplished by adjusting the table angle. The entire assembly is clamped to the sander's table with two spring clamps.
It works well, but in retrospect clamping the jig to the aluminum angle doesn't allow you to inspect the blank without removing the spring clamps and lifting it off the table. This isn't too bothersome if I'm only squaring an inlay pen periodically, but I wouldn't want to use it as my primary squaring device. I'll stick with my pen mills for all other projects.
It's still a "work in progress", so comments, suggestions, and critiques are welcome.
