dachemist
Member
Hi everyone,
I purchased a pen drilling vise from CSUSA
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=379-2005 several (maybe it was 4 or 5) months ago and have not had much sucess drilling straight holes with it. The two "centering" jaws as well as the threaded rod that runs through them to open and close them are quite loose. The handle to tighten the jaws moves at least a 1/4 in up and down. Perhaps this is normal, I don't think it is but I've been know to be wrong once or twice.[] When I drill a hole it's reasonably centered at the top of the blank but goes down through the blank at an angle (off to the right, the direction the jaw assembly goes when pushed down). I've ruined many blanks this way because the wood was too thin to turn without cutting through to the brass tube. I don't think it's caused by too much force due to a dull bit because a)I haven't used any of my bits that much and b) I have the same problem using new bits. I've checked several times and as far as I can tell the DP table is square to the bit. I used to grip the blanks with nothing beneath them for support so as not to drill into the metal base of the vise. When it finally hit me that that wasn't perhaps my brightest idea I proceeded to put some small waste blocks under the blanks. The waste blocks worked once or twice and then the problem continued. I also tried jamming a block of wood under the threaded rod the handle is attached to. Since I only tried that once I'm guessing it didn't help (a couple of months is kind of far back to remember things).
Thanks.
I purchased a pen drilling vise from CSUSA
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=379-2005 several (maybe it was 4 or 5) months ago and have not had much sucess drilling straight holes with it. The two "centering" jaws as well as the threaded rod that runs through them to open and close them are quite loose. The handle to tighten the jaws moves at least a 1/4 in up and down. Perhaps this is normal, I don't think it is but I've been know to be wrong once or twice.[] When I drill a hole it's reasonably centered at the top of the blank but goes down through the blank at an angle (off to the right, the direction the jaw assembly goes when pushed down). I've ruined many blanks this way because the wood was too thin to turn without cutting through to the brass tube. I don't think it's caused by too much force due to a dull bit because a)I haven't used any of my bits that much and b) I have the same problem using new bits. I've checked several times and as far as I can tell the DP table is square to the bit. I used to grip the blanks with nothing beneath them for support so as not to drill into the metal base of the vise. When it finally hit me that that wasn't perhaps my brightest idea I proceeded to put some small waste blocks under the blanks. The waste blocks worked once or twice and then the problem continued. I also tried jamming a block of wood under the threaded rod the handle is attached to. Since I only tried that once I'm guessing it didn't help (a couple of months is kind of far back to remember things).
Thanks.