Will a pen press help me from cracking my blanks

[CrimsonKeel]

So lately ive been cracking alot of blanks on the ends when pressing my fittings in. its the most aggravating thing because everything is perfect till taht point. I have narrowed what i think is happening down to a couple things.
1. the fitting is too big and is expanding the tubes and cracking the blank/CA
2. when pressing the fitting is getting crooked and expanding the tube.

So i have been pressing with a wooden screw type clamp and that worked fine but lately it seems to be difficults to press my pens. Would a pen press help eliminate the crooked fitting issue? what else can i do besides filing down the finish on my fittings to keep it from expanding the tubes?

Anything would be great as im just frustrated at messing up pens, blanks, and all my hard work at the last possible moment

 

[lucky13]

Get a chamfering tool, and chamfer the ends before your press together your kits. I had this problem on a couple of pens, after getting a chamfering tool and chamfering the tubes before pressing the kits together I have no longer had this problem.

 

[Monty]

lso, make sure you don't have any glue inside the tube. If you do, scrape it out with a small knife or something similar.

 

[dwarmbrodt]

Luckys advice is spot on. I also want to point out one blank cracking I had upon close inspection I found I trimmed the barrel blank and left the material a touch proud of the brass tube. All pressure from assembly was on the wood, not shared with the brass tube, if that makes sense.

 

[CrimsonKeel]

lso, make sure you don't have any glue inside the tube. If you do, scrape it out with a small knife or something similar.

yeah ive been filing any excess glue out. also filing the edges of the tube to get rid of any burrs

 

[CrimsonKeel]

Get a chamfering tool, and chamfer the ends before your press together your kits. I had this problem on a couple of pens, after getting a chamfering tool and chamfering the tubes before pressing the kits together I have no longer had this problem.

Do i chamfer before gluing the tube to the blank or after its glued before turning or just before putting in the fittings?
Also any specific kind i should get. quick google search (cause i wasn't totally sure what one looked like) leads me to many different styles

 

[mikespenturningz]

Make sure there is nothing that sticks out beyond the tube. If you press in he parts and they come up against anything before hitting the tube you will crack finish, break blank or just wreak havoc with your finished pen. I always make sure I have no finish or anything on the end of the blank before I press things together.

Yes I believe a pen press is a great help to put pens together. I feel that I have more control than using a clamp the way I used to do it. A press like I have has a spring on it and it actually holds the pen in place so you can straighten it with both hands. I rarely get off center parts anymore. Also as you make larger pens it gets easier in my opinion to put them together. When you are new to turning it seems hard to keep things from kinking up when you press them together a press will help you with this.

 

[CrimsonKeel]

Yes I believe a pen press is a great help to put pens together. I feel that I have more control than using a clamp the way I used to do it. A press like I have has a spring on it and it actually holds the pen in place so you can straighten it with both hands. I rarely get off center parts anymore. Also as you make larger pens it gets easier in my opinion to put them together. When you are new to turning it seems hard to keep things from kinking up when you press them together a press will help you with this.

any particular press i should look into getting?

 

[jttheclockman]

http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/images/Chamfering_Tool_web.jpg

 

[Dan Masshardt]

I've had great luck in this area with a solid woodworking vise and a sanding mandrel for the ends after ca is applied.

 

[jttheclockman]

Always remember whenever you sand the ends or use a barrel trimmer you will always have a burr inside the tube. You must deburr before you press the fittings.

I have yet to see a wood screw clamp that can clamp evenly so yes use the drill press or buy a pen press but whatever you do you must press evenly and straight. PSI has a nice press. I have it and has worked great for hundreds of pens.

 

[flyitfast]

Here is the best tool I've found for chamfering and it doesn't cost much. It is from Harbor Freight.

Reamer/Deburring Tool

I've used it for years and pen parts slide in a lot easier and straighter.

gordon

 

[low_48]

A piece of 1/4" all thread rod is the best tool for removing any glue from inside the tube. Won't remove any metal, but rough enough to quickly remove any glue.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

A piece of 1/4" all thread rod is the best tool for removing any glue from inside the tube. Won't remove any metal, but rough enough to quickly remove any glue.

Interesting.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Always remember whenever you sand the ends or use a barrel trimmer you will always have a burr inside the tube. You must deburr before you press the fittings.

I have yet to see a wood screw clamp that can clamp evenly so yes use the drill press or buy a pen press but whatever you do you must press evenly and straight. PSI has a nice press. I have it and has worked great for hundreds of pens.

I've never deburred and never once had a problem. Makes sense though. I'll try the step and see if it makes it even better.

 

[jttheclockman]

Always remember whenever you sand the ends or use a barrel trimmer you will always have a burr inside the tube. You must deburr before you press the fittings.

I have yet to see a wood screw clamp that can clamp evenly so yes use the drill press or buy a pen press but whatever you do you must press evenly and straight. PSI has a nice press. I have it and has worked great for hundreds of pens.

I've never deburred and never once had a problem. Makes sense though. I'll try the step and see if it makes it even better.

Consider yourself lucky It just makes sense. Try it and feel the inside of the tube.

 

[flyitfast]

A piece of 1/4" all thread rod is the best tool for removing any glue from inside the tube. Won't remove any metal, but rough enough to quickly remove any glue.

That works great. Also, a set of brass gun cleaning brushes will clean well. Some of the sets have sizes that fit most brass tubing.
gordon

 

[OOPS]

I have made several presses using clamps and also have used presses that were given to me by other penmakers as they purchased better ones. The one I would recommend now is the new press at Woodcraft. Here is the link:

Buy WoodRiver Deluxe Pen Press at Woodcraft.com

I really like the quick release feature, which helps when trying to get the exact amount of distance between the parts. This is the one I will actually purchase, and not try to make myself.

 

[ALA]

Lots of good suggestions on presses and trimming, etc. I use a vice and/or drill press to assemble the parts. I also like to seal the ends of the blanks/ tubes with a little CA and then re-smooth again. I think this step has helped me tremendously.

 

[mikespenturningz]

This one looks nice because the spacers are built in and the price isn't too bad.

Milescraft 4700 Turners Press for Joining Pens and Other Turned Projects of All Types - Amazon.com

This is the one that I have. I had to make 2 extra spacers out of some thin 1/8" material but after all I am a wood worker and should be able to make them.

Spring Loaded Heavy-Duty Pen Assembly Press V4 at Penn State Industries

One more thing. I always always always deburr I use the same tool that John T. left a link for. John is absolutely right about this listen to him about it and it will save you when you start making pens that the blanks take hours to make not minutes. Get used to it now and you won't be sorry later. That deburring tool is made for use at the reloading bench and can be purchased at any place that sells reloading supplies.

 

[tharding]

Great advice here. I drilled a small hole (conical shape) in one end of my pen press to hold the nib and this seemed to cut down some on the cracking of the small pens. Ultimately, it seems to be about cleaning the tube and alignment.

 

[wouldentu2?]

If you have a drill press you have a pen press.

Several days ago I ran across this problem and wondered if it was because I mixed tubes from a Rockler Sierra and a Woodcraft Wall Street II? The tube was clean as I cleaned it out with a rat tail file.

 

[BeSquare]

If you have a drill press you have a pen press.

Several days ago I ran across this problem and wondered if it was because I mixed tubes from a Rockler Sierra and a Woodcraft Wall Street II? The tube was clean as I cleaned it out with a rat tail file.

I've mixed those tubes before and there has been no issue.

Since I started using an arbor press from harbor freight and a deburring tool my cracked blanks have become few and far between.

Another place I find that can cause cracks is if the hole is not perfectly sized to the tube. If there is a little wiggle in it the blank will not be fully supported by the tube and can cause cracking on the end.

 

[mikespenturningz]

I agree that the drill press can be used for this the problem with using it is the power that you can exert is tremendous. I don't think the pen press can exert as much force without really trying to. Just my take on it but PSI sells a 19.95 set that will do this and it is a valid way just very powerful you will need to be careful with it. Plus a spring loaded pen press is like having an extra hand!:biggrin:

Great advice here. I drilled a small hole (conical shape) in one end of my pen press to hold the nib and this seemed to cut down some on the cracking of the small pens. Ultimately, it seems to be about cleaning the tube and alignment.

 

[Sub Vet 10]

Might I suggest using a 5 minute epoxy on the tubes?
I've had several problems at all stages with CA so I just don't use it anymore.
It's ~$25 but it pays for itself the first use.

 

[Sawdust46]

I made my own and I've been happy with it. I keep a piece of craft foam to put on the wood block for padding to help prevent the cracking on the end of the blank and the bolt is a nylon so it will not damage the blank/pen component.

 

[lucky13]

Get a chamfering tool, and chamfer the ends before your press together your kits. I had this problem on a couple of pens, after getting a chamfering tool and chamfering the tubes before pressing the kits together I have no longer had this problem.

Do i chamfer before gluing the tube to the blank or after its glued before turning or just before putting in the fittings?
Also any specific kind i should get. quick google search (cause i wasn't totally sure what one looked like) leads me to many different styles

you chamfer after you turn and finish the tubes, and right before you press the kit together. I got my chamfering tool from Barry Gross's booth at the St. Louis wood working show in February, but you can buy it on line from him at: Pen Kit Finishing Supplies and Tools. It's at the bottom of the page.

 

[Hendu3270]

This one looks nice because the spacers are built in and the price isn't too bad.

Milescraft 4700 Turners Press for Joining Pens and Other Turned Projects of All Types - Amazon.com

That's the one I have. I've not had any issues so far. I do end up needing a small spacer block when I press a custom finial in.

Makes me laugh thinking about how I started assembling pens. Small piece of 2x4 and a ball peen hammer. It worked 2 out of 6 tries and then I owned a pen press. :biggrin:

 

[Marc]

I have an older woodcraft model that is still serviceable, but the Milescraft model that Mike linked to is the one I prefer these days.

Interesting tips in this thread, many of which I have incorporated over the past couple of years. It is awesome to get all this affirmation by the members. very valuable insights.

 

[Sylvanite]

When I'm working with a blank that is subject to cracking, splitting, or breaking at glue joints, I'll press the fittings in the tube (and knock them back out again) before gluing it in the blank. That way, the brass is pre-expanded and won't put much radial pressure against the blank during assembly. I'll also put a drop of Loctite (blue or red) in the tube to make sure the fittings don't come loose.

I hope that helps,
Eric

 

[CrimsonKeel]

Thanks for all the good replies. Ill look into buying a pen press and the chamfer tool in the near future.
One thing i found today is i was missing a bit of glue when i was cleaning my blanks out. i took a exacto knife and scraped and got a few extra shavings out of the inside.
anyway alot to think about and maybe this thread will help another newbie some day

 

[Stephen]

When I'm working with a blank that is subject to cracking, splitting, or breaking at glue joints, I'll press the fittings in the tube (and knock them back out again) before gluing it in the blank. That way, the brass is pre-expanded and won't put much radial pressure against the blank during assembly. I'll also put a drop of Loctite (blue or red) in the tube to make sure the fittings don't come loose.

I hope that helps,
Eric

Great idea. With all the ideas mentioned in this post, I go one step further as an added insurance. Measure the inside diameter of the tube and outside diameter of the pen mating part with callipers. Anything above 0.004 inch interference fit is a no-go and the tube gets opened out with rolled sandpaper and use loctite for a good joint.

 

[randyrls]

I have yet to see a wood screw clamp that can clamp evenly so yes use the drill press or buy a pen press but whatever you do you must press evenly and straight. PSI has a nice press. I have it and has worked great for hundreds of pens.

John; I use the wood vise on my bench. It has a quick adjust and presses evenly. I cover the jaws with oak.

 

[jttheclockman]

I have yet to see a wood screw clamp that can clamp evenly so yes use the drill press or buy a pen press but whatever you do you must press evenly and straight. PSI has a nice press. I have it and has worked great for hundreds of pens.

John; I use the wood vise on my bench. It has a quick adjust and presses evenly. I cover the jaws with oak.

That is not a wood screw clamp. A wood screw clamp has 2 handles that you tighten evenly. If what he was talking about a wood vise then that was misspoken. I have the same type vise on my table but do not use it for pressing pens. There are many different ways and tools used. All can be acceptable if you know what you are doing and watch out for the pitfalls that have been mentioned many times. Good luck to all.

 

[jsolie]

I've used my countersink drill bit to remove the burr. I did use it by hand, and not with a powered tool. A couple of quick twists, and things just started fitting better. I use a light touch to not remove too much brass...just the burr and to give the tube the slightest chamfer.

 

[Phillip Kelley]

Pen Press

I have only been turning for a short time but; I bought one of the cheaper orange colored presses early on. I broke it the 1st week I had it because for one thing, there was a sloppy misalignment on the shaft that the linkage was attached to. Even using that press made the final assembly easier but I still split a few blanks. So, 1). I bought a better quality Wood River press, 2). I have been cleaning the inside of the brass tube with a Q-Tip & Acetone (fingernail polish remover) 3). I have been sanding the inside of the tube lightly (to make sure there was no glue remaining) and 4) I have slowed down and made sure that the alignment of pen parts & tube was "spot on". I like the idea of chamfering the ends of the tube! I am going to make that one of my steps before pressing the pen together...it is so frustrating and expensive to ruin a good effort! Thanks for all of the advice from Master Pen Makers that have assisted me! Hope this helps....from a newbie that's still learnin'