Barrel Trimmer Jig

[kooster]

Is there some sort of jig or apparatus that can be used while using a barrel trimmer to prevent the bit from drilling into a tabletop? I secure the blank with a clamp but often the trimmer is longer than the blank and the tip of the bit does not seem conducive to drilling a hole when it exits. I know it can be done on a lathe but I prefer to use a hand drill. Just wondering how this might be done.

 

[Florida Marine]

piece of wood?

you are kidding right?

 

[sbell111]

Clamp the blank into a vise.

 

[NotURMailman]

Try mounting the mill in the vise point up and turning the blank by hand.

 

[theidlemind]

I hold the blank in my hand.

Make sure you don't have meat under the exit hole!
I also use a loose grip in case of a catch.
YMMV, try not to bleed.

 

[brownsfn2]

I hold the blank in my hand.

Make sure you don't have meat under the exit hole!
I also use a loose grip in case of a catch.
YMMV, try not to bleed.

Not only might you bleed but you could lose a good chunk of skin (damhikt).

Safer to use a vice or use vice grips to hold the blank.

If you must use your hand then using some kind of glove to maintain a really good grip would be better than bare hands.

 

[jmbaker79]

I hold the blanks by hand, being sure to have my hand clear of the bottom. And use the flat back side of my barrel trimmer with peel and stick sand paper in my hand drill. Quick, efficient, and accurate plus I never have to sharpen that darn trimmer anymore.

 

[ALA]

I hold the blank in my hand.

Make sure you don't have meat under the exit hole!
I also use a loose grip in case of a catch.
YMMV, try not to bleed.

Ditto, but be careful now, hear?

 

[Dale Allen]

I grind the cutter ends off mine so they just fit the blanks.:biggrin:
Use dental wax to plug the brass tube when gluing and you won't get glue in there and thus you won't need the glue cutter.

 

[Goofy]

I used to hold the blank with my hand with the bit in a drill press. That is till I got bit. Then I used a pair of vice-grips. Since I am not a production shop and don't see the need to do 10 pens at a time, I now clamp the blank in my wood faced bench vice and put the bit in my cordless drill. No pain and the blood doesnt stain the holly anymore.

 

[switch62]

A thick piece of scrap wood with a suitably sized hole drilled in it (slightly larger than trimmer shaft).
Clamp it to the table.
Place blank over hole and trim.

Or you could make something like one of these

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/drilling-blank-lathe-99297/#post1418970

Randy's Woodshop: Pen Blank Drilling Jig Basic Homemade

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/vise-103420/

Mount the vise on a board and drill a hole in the base board were the blank will sit.

Personally I do the same as Goofy. Hold the sides of the blank with fingers only and push blank up against trimmer.