Creating flat surfaces on pens

[beck3906]

Is there an easy way to create flat surfaces on pen bodies without using a Beall system? Trying to create a body that won't roll off the desk.

 

[d_bondi]

Check out this post/thread.

Facet-O-Rama lathe-top faceting jig

Hello Penturners! The IAP asked if I would share some information about the simple lathe-top router jig I made to cut facets. The document is a work in progress, but I thought I would share what I have so far to see if there's feedback or suggestions on what I might add as well as general...

www.penturners.org

 

[Drewby108]

There's the router jig like d_bondi posted, or you could make a belt sander jig with a regular hexagon/octogon however many sides you want that holds the body on a mandrel like the lathe's. That's assuming you have a belt sander with a slot or some way to keep the jig secure while you move the pen against the sander.

I know I've seen them for bandsaws, but I have no links to post for a visual. My apologies

 

[Oliver X]

It sort of depends on what you consider easy, what tools you have available or are willing to buy and how many you need to make. A piece of sandpaper glued or taped to a flat surface is perfectly sufficient, but may not be the most accurate. A simple jig for holding and indexing can be used with anything be it a hand file, block plane, router, belt sander, disc sander, milling machine, lathe, really whatever you have handy that cuts. Shawn Newton has some videos on Youtube of him cutting large facets on his pens with a hand file and also a mill, I believe. If you look for videos on making chopsticks you'll find a number of small jigs used for faceting those.

 

[carlmorrell]

I used the indexing feature on the lathe to set the angle between facets. then I made a jig to hold a dremel moto-tool that moved on the bed way. I used it to cut hollows, but a different bit would allow you to cut facets.