Barrel Trimmer woes

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Ron in Drums PA

Ron in Drums PA

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Drums, PA, USA.
Last nite I noticed that the barrel trimmer was tearing the wood. I did sharpen the trimmer but I didn't have anymore blanks to test it out on.

Is there something else I should do or be aware of? TIA
 
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You are right about some woods, I was trimming maple burl. All figured woods will tear somewhat.

I'll have to come up with a different way for trimming burls.
 
I've started applying thin CA to the ends of some of my blanks before I trim them because of this. You can tell when the trimmer hits it if you'll need it or not. This has solved the problem for me.
 
Ron try sealing the ends with CA before you trim them or use a disk sander. For me the disk sander works the best but you do have to take the time to make the bushings for any of the tubes larger than 8mm, you can use the tube that comes with the barrel trimmer to do the 8mm. I use the sander for all of my blanks and have not had a problem sense I switched to it.

Wayne
 
Originally posted by wayneis
<br />Ron try sealing the ends with CA before you trim them or use a disk sander. For me the disk sander works the best but you do have to take the time to make the bushings for any of the tubes larger than 8mm, you can use the tube that comes with the barrel trimmer to do the 8mm. I use the sander for all of my blanks and have not had a problem sense I switched to it.

Wayne
Click to expand...

I agree with Wayne.
Since I got my sanding fixture from POC my trimmer sits idle.
 
Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />I always though using a sander would be more trouble. How do you guys keep the barrel square to the sanding belt/disc?
Click to expand...

I just lay it down and use the miter guage. The results are 99.99% O.K. I do give a final twist with the trimmer and only occasionally take off a fine shaving on one high part. I think the key is in drilling and how the blank is held while on the drill press. I use a machinists drill press vice that has verticle groove to hold the corners of the blanks.
 
Originally posted by Rifleman
<br />
Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />I always though using a sander would be more trouble. How do you guys keep the barrel square to the sanding belt/disc?
Click to expand...

I just lay it down and use the miter guage. The results are 99.99% O.K. I do give a final twist with the trimmer and only occasionally take off a fine shaving on one high part. I think the key is in drilling and how the blank is held while on the drill press. I use a machinists drill press vice that has verticle groove to hold the corners of the blanks.
Click to expand...

Having that kind of vise does not eliminate the possibility of drill wander with the grain of the wood... you can still be trimming off angle with the sander and just using the miter guage. The absolute best way to use a sander is to build a jig that has a stem the same diameter as the inside of the tube and set dead square (both horizontally and vertically) to the sanding disk.. then gently sand the blank to just touch the tube
 
Originally posted by alamocdc
<br />I've started applying thin CA to the ends of some of my blanks before I trim them because of this. You can tell when the trimmer hits it if you'll need it or not. This has solved the problem for me.
Click to expand...

I do this at times,but there is a down side.
you may occasionally experience a darkening of the wood where the CA wicks into the grain.
Sometimes it is a nice effect, sometimes not.
 
POC is Pens of Color (www.pocwoodworking.com) and the "fixture" is the Pen Blank Squaring Jig (http://pocwoodworking.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/27/products_id/137) .
 
Are the jigs like those from POC pretty stable then? I don't have a disc sander, but I've been considering one for this and other purposes (though so far I've been pretty satisfied with the barrel trimmers). I've always thought it looked like the blank would be kind of unstable sticking out on the guide rod like that - like it would start chattering or something. Is this ever a problem?
 
You're right, Eagle, that is an occasional down side. I've just been too cheap to buy the jig and too lazy to build my own just yet.[}:)]

POC carries the PSI jig and if I'm mot mistaken you can probably get it a little cheaper from Ryan at Woodturningz. He usually beats the catalog price by about $2.00 on such things. POC only discounts the jig about 50 cents or so.
 
Eddie yes they are stable but like I said in a earlier post you need to make some bushings. The bushings are for the inside of the blank and have a 1/4" holr drilled through that just fits on the shaft, thats what keeps the blank from flopping around. The slimline, 7mm just fits and you can use the tube that came with the barrel trimmer for the 8mm or the O size holes.

Wayne
 
Originally posted by Old Griz
<br />
Originally posted by Rifleman
<br />
Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />I always though using a sander would be more trouble. How do you guys keep the barrel square to the sanding belt/disc?
Click to expand...

I just lay it down and use the miter guage. The results are 99.99% O.K. I do give a final twist with the trimmer and only occasionally take off a fine shaving on one high part. I think the key is in drilling and how the blank is held while on the drill press. I use a machinists drill press vice that has verticle groove to hold the corners of the blanks.
Click to expand...

Having that kind of vise does not eliminate the possibility of drill wander with the grain of the wood... you can still be trimming off angle with the sander and just using the miter guage. The absolute best way to use a sander is to build a jig that has a stem the same diameter as the inside of the tube and set dead square (both horizontally and vertically) to the sanding disk.. then gently sand the blank to just touch the tube
Click to expand...

I can't say with 100% certainty, but using brad point bits, I don't believe I get wander when drilling blanks. I go slow and back out often. Yes, the jig is an excellent idea but the sanding then final quick twist with a standard trimmer does what I want.
 
Originally posted by DCBluesman
<br />POC is Pens of Color (www.pocwoodworking.com) and the "fixture" is the Pen Blank Squaring Jig (http://pocwoodworking.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/27/products_id/137) .
Click to expand...

That's the jig I use Lou and since I work in a machine shop I made sleeves for the other sizes.
Don't need to waste my time with jigs as it is set with a machinist square and I've not had a single problem yet
 
Some good points are being brought up here. I will submit though that there is a lot more drill bit wandering going on than people realize at time. Like Griz said, if your blank is not drilled spot on, then the squaring using the mitre guage on a sander will not work well, as it will square to the blanks outer edges. This can also happen, though with a barrel trimmer. If the blank is still in the vise (Or drilling jig) which holds the blank based on it's outer edges and the barrel trimmer is square with the deck and there was any bit wander during drilling, you might also have an issue with surfacing. Using the sanding jig, allows the blank to be trimmed and leveled to the barrel as the blank is held in place by the barrel.

Also, depending on what material is being used, you will see more or less bit wander. For example while drilling aluminum, I have seen as much as 3/16" difference from entry to exit, even though drilled using a solid drilling jig. Generally, the bit will follow the path of least resistance. If you are using a burl, which has many varying densities, than you might see more wanering too.

This amount is likely to be minimal and really not a big issue on many kits. But sometime, when building a big honker like the "Robusto", a little issues becomes very noticeable when assembly comes around.

Cheers,

Here is a small depiction of squaring and drilling issues made reference to:



2005528155243_drilledblanks2.jpg
 
Fangar, I understand what you are saying. But I don't see that it affects the final results. Even with the angle you show, the deal is placed on a lathe and turned true. All that really needs to be 'square' is that tiny bit of wood that meets the bushings and tip/center band/finial. And that is anywhere from so thin as to be immeasurable to about 1/16". Out of square can be seen as a poor fit at the end of the blank to the bushing. On maybe one or two occasions, I have removed the almost completed blank from the mandrel and given the end a quick trim with standard blank trimmer.
 
Fangar,
I agree, a vise may induce uneven trimmings. However, my solution is to still use a barrel trimmer, but to place it rather loosely in my vise (just tight enough to allow it to keep from rotating in the vise. I use a waste block underneath it to keep the blank above the height of the vise. This allows the barrel trimmer to follow the tube and, if necessary, knock the blank out of alignment. I also mark the blank before I drill it, and consistently put the blanks in the vise in the same orientation every time, regardless of what I'm doing to them (drilling, trimming, etc.).
 
Jim,

Sounds like you have the issue licked. I think I will buy a sanding jig eventually and make up some bushings on my Dad's lathe. It is easy to set a specific diameter and have it do its thing without the need for thought.

The bottom line, is that there are many ways to accomplish the task. Whatever works, works. Escpecially if one is happy with their results in the way they do it. I value the different methods described.

Cheers,

James
 
This is what I use to trim my pen blanks. I have never had any trouble with tear out with any material.
For larger pens I just make an inner adaptor by turning corian or wood on a 7mm tube to fit inside of the tube. If the tube has a very large opening you can place a flat washer behind the blank to prevent it from slipping over the back. I made this by cutting an acrylic box I found at the thrift store. Just unscrew the handle drill a hole andscrew it back together. Using something like this insures me a good square base. If you have the correct inner sleeve it is perfect every time and you do not have to buy all of those additional trimmers.

2005530115015_trimmer.jpg
 
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