cutting segment for segmented pen

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DLGunn

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Paragould, AR
How do you guys cut up the segments of a pen blank to make segmented pens? Do any of you use hand saws to cut it? I don't want to make a sled for my table saw, because I will lose too much material that way. I also don't want to use my bandsaw because I don't think I could keep each segment good and square. So I asked my hand tool folks on another forum and they suggested a good small crosscut saw from Veritas. So before I pull the trigger on this handsaw, do you think there is a better way to do this?

Thanks,
Dave
 
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I like to use a good hand saw and a homemade miter box.If you make your own miter box be sure to use the saw you are going to use to cut the segments to cut the slots on your miter box for more accuracy.
 
DLGunn said:
How do you guys cut up the segments of a pen blank to make segmented pens? Do any of you use hand saws to cut it? I don't want to make a sled for my table saw, because I will lose too much material that way. I also don't want to use my bandsaw because I don't think I could keep each segment good and square. So I asked my hand tool folks on another forum and they suggested a good small crosscut saw from Veritas. So before I pull the trigger on this handsaw, do you think there is a better way to do this?

Thanks,
Dave
Click to expand...

Woodcraft http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2003618/3495/Saw-and-MiniMiter-Box-Set.aspx

About $20; makes pretty good cuts with a pretty thin kerf, but your hand/wrist/elbow will get pretty tired. Do be sure to tape or clamp your work, even though it's a handsaw (pull saw too!).
 
I made a sled for my bandsaw. I clean the cuts up using either a flat board with PSA paper or my worksharp 2000
 
> I don't want to make a sled for my table saw, because I will lose too much material that way.

I don't understand why you say this.
Moreover, if you do any flatwork, a TS sled is a crucial safety device.

I use a handsaw too albeit I have no experience with the veritas. However, I use a TS and sled too.
 
My vote... Go back o the table saw! Your cutting pen blanks, so your material isn't that thick. Put a thin kerf 7" blade into your table saw and your not wasting much more material than the band saw. This works great.

Make your sled and your good to go.
 
Another method: If you have a disk sander with a table on it, you can tilt the table and sand in the angle you want on your blanks. You can get a disc sander pretty cheap at harbor freight. Don't lose much material if you rough cut your angle first on the bandsaw.
 
Thanks for the replies. The woodcraft saw is a little too small. My blank is slightly larger than 1" square. I do have a sled for my table saw, but I use it for bigger stuff. I don't like to cut any small items on table saw. I do not want to use my table saw. Even if I put a thin kerf blade in it, I will still lose more material than I want to. I have a blank, glued up, that is about 5-7/8" long, if I cut that up, I will not enough blank for a cigar pen.

The type of segmented pen I am making is like this:

128442-438x.jpg
 
The Byrnes mini-table saw has great reviews, but I think its capacity is 1".

There's an article for a 'make your own miter box' in Shopnotes #115 (Jan. 2011). You could use a thin kerf pull saw (like a Japanese dovetail saw), then, you could cut through things slightly larger than 1".

Do you have a sled for your bandsaw? Bandsaw kerf is probably 1/32" depending on the blade. Some sanding afterwards is required, but not too much.
 
I just started using the Proxxon miter saw for slices. The capacity is 1" for 90 degree cuts which may not suit all of your needs. The accuracy is very good as long as you can keep the piece flat on the table.
 
I have started to move into segmented pens and would like to make some DLGunn posted.I have started with the 30 degree Herring bone and am happy with my journey so far, but...

Maybe my technique with a skew is not perfect so I have tried sanding them but always end up with muddy looking light wood. I am trying to leave CA and use enduro which I have found when dipped for 3-4 coats looks very acceptable and I don't require a respirator and am able to continue working in my 1 car shop.

Am I correct in assuming I cannot sand the pens with multi-colored woods?
 
I have seen a Proxxon micro saw being demonstrated for doing this.
Just the job as the blade is only 1.5mm.
Look here.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-proxxon-fet-table-saw-prod791265/

A saw designed for precise, straight cuts, with a height adjustable and tilting saw blade, up to 45 degrees. It is made for the fine mechanic, model builder, mould making, toy manufacture, architect, model carpenter and fitter. A variety of optional blades allow it to cut a wide range of materials, such as wood, non-ferrous metals, plastics, Plexiglas, PC-cards, foam and many others. All the load bearing parts and plane-milled table are made of die cast aluminium making the FET saw very stable.
The table and drive lift for easy access for cleaning or changing the saw blade. The micro-adjustable, precise cut length stop allows cuts as small as 0.1mm to be made. The sawblade, with can be pivoted by 45°, makes the cutting of double mitres possible when used with the angle stop. The FET is driven by a special DC motor with Optibelt toothed belts connecting it the main ball bearing supported shaft. Standard equipment supplied with the saw includes a 24 tooth hard metal-equipped sawblade 80 x 1.5 x 10mm. A push stick and a non-slotted POLYCARBONATE sawing table inset for tight tolerances between sawblade and table when cutting small parts. The FET has a dust adaptor suitable for connection to a vacuum for dust free working.
 
The segmented woodturners (some do pens too) recommend that the joints be sanded for precision fits - and the miter sawn cuts will likely need a touch of sandpaper to clear the blade marks for finest fit.

Some very fine minature work is done with miter boxes -- the finer the blade, the less work with sanding.

The pictures suggest your "good-nuf" is pretty fine detail - so look for the fine tooth blades with minimum set. If money is not an object -- visit Bridge City Tool Works.
 
Enduro is a urethane finish used on floors. They sell it at a number of places I bought a pint can at either Rockler or Woodcraft. I made a device to hold the pens vertically.
I used 3/32nd threaded rod, nuts and bushing that was used to turn the pen, the bushing allows the Enduro to drip past the pen thereby not creating a ridge at the lower end. With this I made stand that looks like a swing set with holes at the top which the threaded rods goes thru to hold the pen straight down.Dip the tube on the rod into the Enduro and hang it up.
 
I agree that a tablesaw is a little wasteful ( you lose one inch of blank with every 8 cuts). But,with a good sled (search member rherrell, his design is excellent), you can actually lose less material than trying to cut segs with a hand miter set up. With a few exceptions, hand miter boxes are not really equipped to hold pen blanks with the precision needed to make small segments. Therefore, they become material wasters that end up having to be modified.

My second recommendation would be a model makers saw, such as the Byrnes.

Respectfully submitted.
 
I have a 7 1/4 inch hollow ground planer blade (non carbide) that I use when I need a thinner cut on the table say. Kerf is 1/16.

Being HSS, i only mount it when I need it so it doesn't get dull.
 
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