Well the title kinda says it all. To drill pen blanks accurately do you have to use the pen plus or can you just put the corners between the jaws and drill with them? What about pen blanks that have moved a little since cutting, won't they just wobble around? Thanks
If you want to drill pen blanks or any other small object accurately, you should use the longest pair of Pen Blank jaws that will fit your chuck. or buy a Pen Blank Drilling Chuck. It's a simple 2 jaw system and easy to use. It doesn't matter if your blank is round, oblong, square, or not so square, just mount it all the way in the jaws and tighten up. Even if your blank is warped, the rear of the blank will be centered in the jaws, and the exposed end of the blank will have a center point when spinnng. Use a centering drill placed at this front center point and lock down your tail stock. Advance the centering drill with the hand wheel or crank until it reaches the end of the flutes. put in your correct size drill. With the lathe stopped, move up your bit and center it in the hole. Lock down your tailstock and drill your hole backing the bit out every 1/2 inch or so. Once you have drilled in an inch or more you can release the tailstock lock and work the drill bit by hand. If your blank is longer than your drill bit, drill as far as you can, remove the blank and cut to your first tube length +. Place the remaining blank on your drill bit and line it up with the jaws of the blank holder. Lock down your tailstock. Make sure it turns freely by hand. Start your lathe with the drill bit in the blank. This will keep the bit from chewing up the entry hole if everything is not straight. Finishing drilling your hole. Your blanks may wobble after the tubes are glued in and mounted in the lathe, but your blanks will be centered and even out as you turn them. I have a Barracuda "C' Series Chuck with the "C" Series Pen Blank Drilling Jaws installed. Hope this answers your question !! Jim S