Alzey
Member
This past weekend I had 5 pen blacks blow up on me when trying to use the pen mill on them to square them up. After 2 blow outs, i slowed down the drill press and sharpened the pen press per a video I found on YouTube ( Capn' Eddie). Still had a couple more blow outs.
Since I am only turning slimlines right now, I trimmed down the blanks from 3/4 or 7/8 down to 5/8. I plan to use the trimmed off pieces to make laminated blanks. I chuck the pin mill into my 1936 Delta Drill press. I use a crescent wrench to control the blank and a block of 2x3 to apply upward pressure to the blank. The mill will spin in the blank then all of the sudden it would grab and rip the blank apart. I did have one black that was still a 3/4 blank of Black Walnut do the same thing. The pin mill only had about a dozen uses on it before this weekend.
Are my blanks too small?
Am I running too slow on the press (680-2400 rpm, can go to 4800)?
Do I have a cheap mill (part of a PSI starter kit sold by Amazon)?
Thought I would ask and see what more experienced people have to say before I blow up any more blanks
PS. I don't have the option of sanding the blanks square.
Thanks
Since I am only turning slimlines right now, I trimmed down the blanks from 3/4 or 7/8 down to 5/8. I plan to use the trimmed off pieces to make laminated blanks. I chuck the pin mill into my 1936 Delta Drill press. I use a crescent wrench to control the blank and a block of 2x3 to apply upward pressure to the blank. The mill will spin in the blank then all of the sudden it would grab and rip the blank apart. I did have one black that was still a 3/4 blank of Black Walnut do the same thing. The pin mill only had about a dozen uses on it before this weekend.
Are my blanks too small?
Am I running too slow on the press (680-2400 rpm, can go to 4800)?
Do I have a cheap mill (part of a PSI starter kit sold by Amazon)?
Thought I would ask and see what more experienced people have to say before I blow up any more blanks
PS. I don't have the option of sanding the blanks square.
Thanks