Another great pen making tool from Rick Herrell!

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
N

NJturner

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2006
Messages
774
Location
New Jersey, USA.
A while ago Rick asked for some help designing a new arbor for holding different tools directly using the normal Morse taper on our lathes. I wasn't totally sure how useful this tool would be at the time, but he has won me over !

Rick's new Drill Chuck Arbors are the perfect add on for increasing the usefulness and accuracy of anything that might usually require a collet or a collet chuck. He also makes custom cut stubby drill bits for precise section drilling for common nibs.

The picture shows two of Rick's Drill chuck arbors - one holding a Hinze Tenon cutter and the second holding his custom stubby drill bit. These are amazing - work well, and save time setting up my normal collet chuck for different operations because I can just leave my tools mounted in them for good!

Kevin

Check these out !
IMG_4277.jpeg
IMG_4276.jpeg
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
So this is, theoretically, going to have less runout than something like a jacobs chuck for drilling? Is the drill bit just held in place with a set screw?
 
NJturner said:
A while ago Rick asked for some help designing a new arbor for holding different tools directly using the normal Morse taper on our lathes. I wasn't totally sure how useful this tool would be at the time, but he has won me over !

Rick's new Drill Chuck Arbors are the perfect add on for increasing the usefulness and accuracy of anything that might usually require a collet or a collet chuck. He also makes custom cut stubby drill bits for precise section drilling for common nibs.

The picture shows two of Rick's Drill chuck arbors - one holding a Hinze Tenon cutter and the second holding his custom stubby drill bit. These are amazing - work well, and save time setting up my normal collet chuck for different operations because I can just leave my tools mounted in them for good!

Kevin

Check these out !
View attachment 394444View attachment 394445
Click to expand...
Is that a stop collar on the stepped drill, to ensure consistent depth of drilling?
 
BHuij said:
So this is, theoretically, going to have less runout than something like a jacobs chuck for drilling? Is the drill bit just held in place with a set screw?
Click to expand...
@BHuij - yes, the set screw is the lockdown of the drill in a hole drilled to size of the arbor. I'm debating on grinding a flat on the drill, but the arbor is providing lots of rigidity.

Kevin
 
I have been using a stop collar for almost a year now, and I am able to consistently drill the section so that the nib housing threads to flush with the lip of the section. The only drawback to my stop collar is that it can slip if the set screw loosens, so I check it frequently. If Rick were to add a high quality stop collar to the new tool holder, I would probably buy it. (I may buy it anyway).
 
gimpy said:
I'm confused as to what this is
Click to expand...
So was I when I first saw it.... Basically, it's a dedicated collet chuck - one size per, with a morse taper. You tell Rick the size you want and he produces a tool holder to that size. In essence you add a morse taper connection to any tool by attaching the drill chuck arbor to it.

If you use collet's versus a chuck or other work holding device, Rick's tool gives you a relatively inexpensive way to save a lot of set-up time on the tools you use by allowing you to dedicate a collet to that tool. Here's a pic out of Rick's catalogue of it with a milling bit-
1786449336270.png
 
Hmm. Any advantage over a Jacobs chuck on the headstock? One can use various bits in the Jacobs chuck? Or did I miss anything here? I use blue tape for a bit stop.
 
Woodchipper said:
Hmm. Any advantage over a Jacobs chuck on the headstock? One can use various bits in the Jacobs chuck? Or did I miss anything here? I use blue tape for a bit stop.
Click to expand...
Two advantages when making custom pens - constantly swapping drill bits in and out of a Jacobs chuck takes time, and it's easy to get off-center. Rick's idea is that you'd dedicate one of these MT mandrels to a single bit, and leave it fitted.
 
Woodchipper said:
As I mentioned on another thread, I sort kits according to drill bit size. I don't just drill one blank and change chuck jaws again.
Click to expand...
You are touching on one of the big differences between kit pens and kitless. In a kit pen, everything is based on the size of the hole in the blank required to allow installation of the brass tube. All of the machining required to otherwise make the pen except for turning the blank and assembling it is done for you.

In a kitless pen, the commitment to tooling is all on the maker. Initial design, sizing, tapping and threading, drilling requirements - including the many needed sizes - are up to the maker. Most makers use 5 or more drill bits per pen to accommodate cap sizing, body sizing, taps/dies, clearance for the nib/inking mechanism, and ultimately multiple bores and taps for the section (the writing end).

Rick's tools are a big help to all of us, but to custom pen builders, his exceptional skill at building quality specialty tools is of real value - since a good number of his tools are targeted to help custom makers, like this drill arbor. Not to say his stuff isn't great for all - but the real value is in the time savings and added accuracy for kitless makers.

Penmaking of any type is a true craft, but jumping into kitless penmaking adds a different, costly dimension to it.....and I thank Rick for helping us out!!!

Kevin
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom