do i need it

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pedro68

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i have just ordered all the kit and any tools i required to begin my pen turning adventure, my question is this--do i require a pen mill i think its called for cleaning the end of the blanks and inside the brass tubing as i read somewhere that if you had a disc sander that would do the job, also is this the case and if so how do i clean up the brass inside .i can still order one if need be just thought i would ask for your advice. many thanks.

Peter
 
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I have turned 2 pens. I have also turned half a dozen other small projects that are close enough to pens. That said, a disc sander cleans up the edges of the blanks just fine - that is what I use. I have gotten around cleaning out the inside of the brass by putting the glue or epoxy on the brass rather than in the blank when gluing the brass into the blank. This works and keeps the inside of the brass clean. So I don't think you need a mill.
 
The sander will work if you have/make a jig to keep the tube perpendicular to the end of the blank. If you don't, the edge will not line up all the way around.
 
A simple way to square the ends is simply to use the long edge of a skew, on the lathe.

There is a nice little You Tube video on how to do this that I think was made by a member here.
 
hi there ,any suggestions on the jig i should make ,i have a small disc and belt sander and would you have a link to the youtube video or what to type for a search. thanks for the replys.i want to get this right and try my best to produce something i can be proud of.

Peter
 
Your disk sander should have a slot just like the band saw or table saw. Clamp a straight edge to the guide from the saw, check it with a square and you should be good to go. Apply light pressure against the disk so as to not take off much brass.
 
I use 2 chain saw files, i keep one on the lathe, i look inthe tube if there is glue,it will clean them out real good, The squaring does not get my tubes clean so it will work great and is cheap, I can also useit to clean a acrylic before i paint the insides to really put a good surface in the hole,
 
http://content.penturners.org/library/tools_and_jigs/blanksquaring.pdf

The best way to clean out the tube is to use plumbers putty or playdoh when gluing your tubes in and prevent the glue from getting in there in the first place. When it does, use a small chainsaw file or brass brushes meant for cleaning firearms.

A faceplate with sandpaper attached in combination with a drill chuck mounted in the tail stock holding the appropriate sized punch can function as a makeshift pen blank sander as well.
 
I put glue on the tubes. For cleaning out tubes I use a 1/4 in (about 3 inches long) carriage bolt; fits the 7mm tube exactly and the threads do a good job of removing dried glue with a little (or a lot) of pushing and pulling. It works good on larger tubes also. Once in a while I'll need to run some sandpaper through it. Doesn't take long and is cost effective. The bolt was a spare in case i messed up on making a pin chuck out of one.
 
hi everyone , thanks for the replys and advice , i will try the disc sander first,looking forward to getting started , the blanks and tools should be here any day now. i think the question will be coming fast now as i really want to get it right .on that note can pen blanks be made from round stock as i have some lovely yew branches all seasoned and ready and wondered if it would work, i ask because i notice all the blanks are squared of .sorry if its a stupid question .

Peter
 
pedro68 said:
hi everyone , thanks for the replys and advice , i will try the disc sander first,looking forward to getting started , the blanks and tools should be here any day now. i think the question will be coming fast now as i really want to get it right .on that note can pen blanks be made from round stock as i have some lovely yew branches all seasoned and ready and wondered if it would work, i ask because i notice all the blanks are squared of .sorry if its a stupid question .

Peter
Click to expand...
The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. :wink:
You can make pen blanks out of anything that can be turned on your lathe. I had some very irregular mesquite logs a friend of mine gave me and made them into pen blanks. You just need to be able to turn between centers, and start at a very low speed if the log is very off center. Of course, the diameter of what you want to turn depends on your lathe capabilities.
Hope this makes sense.
 
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