blank drilling ?

[65GTMustang]

I need to Purchase a new vise for drilling pen blanks.
The quick solution is to go to my local woodcraft and buy there product.
I'm looking for your advice on who sells the best vise.
Any recommendations for where and what to buy would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

 

[beck3906]

There will be many who come on here and say to use the lathe to drill. Me personally, I use a Huffman vise to drill the majority of my blanks. Most don't need the precision offered from drilling on the lathe.

Huffman vises are available from Classic Nib.

 

[edstreet]

One would have to ask what type and size blanks you work with as I could see several situations that may not be good to have those specialized pen blank vises.

Also drilling on the lathe is not just about 'precision'

 

[Jim Burr]

To many, this is considered the best.
CLASSIC NIB - HOME OF THE ORIGINAL PH DESIGNS VISE AND PRESS

I'd have to agree with Ed, speed and control don't equate to precision, but precision in any craft should always be a top priority.

 

[edstreet]

To many, this is considered the best.
CLASSIC NIB - HOME OF THE ORIGINAL PH DESIGNS VISE AND PRESS

I'd have to agree with Ed, speed and control don't equate to precision, but precision in any craft should always be a top priority.

So what makes this item 'the best'? That price seems grossly offensive, esp noting that you can buy a drill press, drill bits, vise, vise jaws and still come in cheaper than that vise. Also worth noting is most of the vendors have that same design but 1/4 - 1/3 of the price.

 

[Justturnin]

If you have a chuck for your lathe I consider making a set of these.

http://www.davidreedsmith.com/Articles/AuxPenJaws/auxiliary_pen_blank_jaws.htm

I made a set in about an hour and love them. They will replace the pen blank vise and cost much less to build than purchasing a vise. If you don't have a Drill chuck buy that instead. Many more uses in this set up than a single use vise.

Just another option.

 

[LagniappeRob]

To many, this is considered the best.
CLASSIC NIB - HOME OF THE ORIGINAL PH DESIGNS VISE AND PRESS

I'd have to agree with Ed, speed and control don't equate to precision, but precision in any craft should always be a top priority.

So what makes this item 'the best'?

LOL... I think I started something.

To Jim's credit he did qualify it "To many, this is considered the best"

 

[edstreet]

To many, this is considered the best.
CLASSIC NIB - HOME OF THE ORIGINAL PH DESIGNS VISE AND PRESS

I'd have to agree with Ed, speed and control don't equate to precision, but precision in any craft should always be a top priority.

So what makes this item 'the best'?

LOL... I think I started something.

To Jim's credit he did qualify it "To many, this is considered the best"

There is a big play on words with that post as well. 'to many' and the high cost of the item is somewhat epic in itself.

I did note the quality of construction seemed to be very good and noted there is no bottom so longer blanks could be used potentially. Having never used or seen one in person I wanted to ask because I was thinking I was missing the boat on this one.

 

[healeydays]

Been talked about here:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/drilling-blanks-115795/

A number of us around here use the Nova Pen Plus Jaw set on our lathes.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/nova-pen-plus-jaws-111668/

Would never think about going back to a drill press again...

Mike B

 

[Kenny Durrant]

The experiance I have with vices is limited. I've used the one from PSI and it's ok but one side is fixed to the base and the other side floats. There's not a lot of play on the floating side but the longer the blank the more it will be off at the bottom. The way I compensated for that was to use a shim on the floating side. It's not too overly priced. The one I use now is a Rockler Pen Vice and both sides float on a base that is one piece. It's a lot more accurate but also more expensive. When precision is a must I use a drill chuck on the lathe. It's not hard to set up but when I just need a hole I use the vice from Rockler. I'm not sure who carries what but there are just a few places I deal with because they're local not because they're cheaper or better. Hope that helps.

 

[kovalcik]

I have this one from Woodcraft, though I know I did not pay $90 for it two years ago. Must have hit a sale. I like the replaceable board on the bottom to back up the bit. It holds blanks well and is easy to adjust. I use it for general blank drilling. Segmented or fragile blanks I drill on the lathe.

Buy WoodRiver Deluxe Self Centering Pen and Bottle Stopper Drilling Vise at Woodcraft

 

[Alchymist]

I do all my blank drilling on the drill press, with the aid of a simple jig. It consists of a 6" long piece of aluminum stock 3/4" X 2", with a 3/4" square hole in the center that goes 1/2 way through the 3/4" dimension. There is a round hole centered on the square recess that goes all the way through, and is large enough to clear the largest drill used.

One end of the jig has a pin protruding from the bottom, and the other end has a hole for a 1/4" bolt. In use it is laid on the DP table with the pin in one of the slots, and the spindle lowered until the bit passes through the hole in the center of the jig. The jig is positioned so the hole is centered on the drill bit, and a bolt through the hole in the end opposite the pin end clamps the jig in place through a table slot.

In use, a 3/4" blank is inserted in the square recess, (vertically), and the drill bit is centered on the blank, then drilled. If I only have one or two blanks to drill, I will sometimes grab a small machinist vice with a v groove, and turn it on it's side.

Can get a pic of the jig if anyone is interested.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Any thing that's going to be turned on the lathe, I drill on the lathe... partly because my drill press is one of the Harbor Freight wobblers and secondly, I make far more pepper mills than I do pens and they are much easier to drill on the lathe than in a drill press.