I did a dumb and need help...

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Tieflyer

Tieflyer

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St. Louis
New to turning pens, only 8 finished so far. I cut and drilled 6 blanks last weekend to make 7mm slim lines. Discovered I used the wrong bit and drilled way to big. Of course I discovered this after I had drilled all 6 pair. I can re-drill to 10mm but not sure what kits will work. Any ideas how to save the blanks! Thanks!
 
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What bit did you use? Cigar kits are 10 mm. There are kits use 8mm bits, letter O bits, and letter U bits if I recall correctly. Actually you can use the blanks you have cut for any kit whose tube length will work with what you have. Check this chart and see what your choices are.

Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
:RockOn:Here is a way to save your blanks if you didn't drill the holes to much oversize. take a piece of masking tape and lay it lenghwise on your tube. I use 1/4 " and add three strips, overlaping eash strip. Test fit until you have a snug, but not to tight of a fit. You may need more than one layer. Glue this into your blank. Don't worry about it ever comming loose, it is a tighter bond than brass to wood or resin. Be careful when turning down the ends of your blanks, as you don't have the full amount of wood there any more !!! I usualy will round over the ends if this happens or I shorten the blanks and add a band to both ends of the blank drilled to the correct size. All is not lost !! Jim S
 
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I did this when I turned some of my very first blanks. I actually bought a 8mm bit that was stamped 7mm, and packaged as a 7mm bit. I saved the blanks and eventually redrilled a few as cigars and t couple pens that were Woodcraft's Hart double twist (I think someone else sells the same kit, but I do not know the name. You could try the masking tape idea if your blanks are wood, but I would not feel comfortable trying that with an acrylic blank. I have had too many tubes show thru the blank with acrylic, particularly with slimline pens. Good luck.
 
Soup said:
I did this when I turned some of my very first blanks. I actually bought a 8mm bit that was stamped 7mm, and packaged as a 7mm bit. I saved the blanks and eventually redrilled a few as cigars and t couple pens that were Woodcraft's Hart double twist (I think someone else sells the same kit, but I do not know the name. You could try the masking tape idea if your blanks are wood, but I would not feel comfortable trying that with an acrylic blank. I have had too many tubes show thru the blank with acrylic, particularly with slimline pens. Good luck.
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You would have to paint the tubes or the inside of your acrylic if you think it is going to show through anyway, with or without of the masking tape. Jim S
 
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The heart douple twist is an o kit it's pretty good. It wast first real pen kit. Great size if you want something on the lighter side.
 
Tieflyer said:
New to turning pens, only 8 finished so far. I cut and drilled 6 blanks last weekend to make 7mm slim lines. Discovered I used the wrong bit and drilled way to big. Of course I discovered this after I had drilled all 6 pair. I can re-drill to 10mm but not sure what kits will work. Any ideas how to save the blanks! Thanks!
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Do you have any kits availabe other than Slimline? If you don't, assuming the blanks are not slimline specific, set the blanks aside - measure their length and look for some kits using the same length blanks there are some 8mm and some 10mm that probably do. If the blanks are slimline specific try one of the earlier suggestions the masking tape idea will probably work pretty well if the blanks are wood.
 
It all depends on "how much too big"!
The cigar is a very popular pen. As long as you have left your blanks extra long (slimline tubes are 2 1/32 and one of the cigars is slightly longer, iirc) and can re-drill with a 10mm bit, that would be my choice.
Look on the bright side, you my well end up with some nicer pens!
 
I used tape in building fishing rods, when cementing the handle assembly to the rod blank. Works, have never had a failure. I can see it working on a pen.
russ
 
Thanks for all the great ideas, no clue what the size bit that I used. Had already tossed it back into the "normal" drill box out of frustration. My problem was the slimline blocks weren't long enough for the other kits I had on hand. Picked up a couple Cuban kits and tried my hand at adding a few segments to the upper barrel. I really try to take my mistakes and turn them into learning experiences. Here's what I came up with...

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