How do you square a blank length wise?

[Richard Gibson]

I have several blanks that are slightly warped or were cut poorly. How do you go about squaring them if you do not have a jointer?

 

[Carl Fisher]

You could do a sled on the bandsaw or table saw. Secure the blank in place on the sled and square up one edge. Then use the square edge to reference against a fence to square up the other side.

 

[hewunch]

I have several blanks that are slightly warped or were cut poorly. How do you go about squaring them if you do not have a jointer?

Belt sander.

 

[Carl Fisher]

Yup, that would work too

 

[76winger]

I usually run mine through my bandsaw and take off a little bit at a time from each side until I get it squared up. Just keep it pressed up flat agains the fence with at least two points (one at each end) touching when you start then you'll have a flat area on the cut side to use on the next pass. rotate and keep the flat side against the fence. etc. Do opposing sides then do the same for the sides at 90 deg. from those.

You could also do the same with a table saw but it would require thin push blocks and a lot of EXTRA CARE. Also, a large disc sander can be used for squaring them up somewhat too.

 

[GoodTurns]

run 'em thru the band saw at the size you need...

 

[robutacion]

I have several blanks that are slightly warped or were cut poorly. How do you go about squaring them if you do not have a jointer?

Richard,

If some blanks are only slightly warped, for whatever reason, you shouldn't need to get them exactly square, unless you are using the full blank as one single piece pen and the raw blank is already thin. For the normal 2 piece pen, as soon as you cut it (the pen blank) in half, the bow/warp is basically gone.

If having those 2 halves square is important to you, you can achieve this on a disc or belt sanders. The amount you cut down, is depending on the size (diameter) of the raw blank, you started with so for already thin pen blanks, you have to be a little more careful on how much you are going to take.

I understand that for some people, having perfectly squared pen blanks is important, while the way they are cut originally, will determine how square they will endup or not, there is one fact that some people tend to forget, and that is, any blank cut in diagonal or cross, will tend to move/bow/arch. Depending on the wood species, condition of the wood dryness and other factors, some blanks will dry/stay straight while other will not.

Poorly cut and processed blanks may have these problem accentuated but, I can assure that, some times, wood have a mind of its own and does what it wants, regardless...!

My intention here is simply to demonstrate that, timber can move at any time, particularly "unsupported", perfectly square blanks are nice to work with but, are not the most important requirement to transform it, into a quality and well made pen...!

Remember, any bowed pen blank stops being bowed as soon as you cut it in half, exceptions do apply, off-course...!:wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George

 

[workinforwood]

Mount blank between center and spin it straight across into an even cylinder

 

[jaywood1207]

I have several blanks that are slightly warped or were cut poorly. How do you go about squaring them if you do not have a jointer?

I've been known to get my fingers closer to the blades and knives of powertools than most but I don't think I would even attempt to run a wapred blank over a jointer. That is pretty dangerous. I would and have done one that is not warped but the warping could cause some major issues if it were to grab.

I would probably use the tablesaw rather than a bandsaw. I find if I am just shaving a bit off the side to get rid of a high spot with a bandsaw the blade wanders enough that the blank is not square. If you are able to start the cut on the end of the wood then it would be no problem.

 

[fernhills]

I use the belt/disc sand, or turn them to their largest diameter between centers on the lathe. Never never run such a small piece like pen blanks on a jointer. Carl

 

[sbell111]

I'd just make a pen out of it. Once you turn it, it won't matter what the outside shape of the blank used to be.

 

[nava1uni]

I'd just make a pen out of it. Once you turn it, it won't matter what the outside shape of the blank used to be.

Put it between centers and round it, drill it on the lathe and then turn it down to make a pen. To square the end you can use a disc sander, barrel trimmer or disc sander.

 

[bitshird]

Like Jeff Powell said mark dead center on both ends, use a spur and a live center and turn it round, it will also make drilling easier!!eace:

 

[sbell111]

I'd just make a pen out of it. Once you turn it, it won't matter what the outside shape of the blank used to be.

Put it between centers and round it, drill it on the lathe and then turn it down to make a pen. To square the end you can use a disc sander, barrel trimmer or disc sander.

For most pen styles, I save a step and drill on the drill press from whatever shape it started in.

 

[sbell111]

Like Jeff Powell said mark dead center on both ends, use a spur and a live center and turn it round, it will also make drilling easier!!eace:

Drillings pretty easy. You just clamp it down and drill with the drill press. Very few kit/blank combos actually require drilling on the lathe, after all. (I'm actually struggling to come up with one example.)

 

[Rick_G]

Richard if these are standard 3/4" blanks I wouldn't try, they will likely wind up to small.

If making my own I generally cut them a little over an inch square expecting them to warp when dried and then recut on the table saw. Find a side you can set on the table and against the fence without any rocking then using a push stick slice just enough off to get a flat side. Put the new flat side down on the table, again put the side against the fence that will not rock and take off another slice. Now with two flat and square sides you can reset your fence to the desired blank width and cut the other 2 sides.

 

[JimB]

I've never squared any blanks before drilling. I just drill on the DP and I'm done.