Off Center Pens

[Marmotjr]

Or multi-center, whatever you call it.

I'm trying to make a 3 sided pen, using multi-center turning. I've been playing around with some really boring Poplar blanks I have, and I can make a three sided thingy, with each side being about the same shape and size. And the taper from the three sides down to a cylinder is acceptable, so my actual turning technique is ok. (Seriously though, this wood I'm using is downright pathetic, turns ok, but even with every finish I've tried, they end up looking like a lumpy, yellowish turd. They're just practice pieces, so they're getting tossed in the burn pile, but damn they're ugly).

But I'm working on the entire pen process now, and trying to figure out the steps to do it right. I dug through the library and didn't see anything, and a search didn't turn up much, so I was wondering if anybody has any good tips or links for multi centered (or off center) pen blanks?

thanks guys!

 

[jttheclockman]

I maybe not following you or your terminology is different than mine. Never seen an off centered pen that I can think of. Could you post a photo of your practice pieces.

As far as what I think you want to do is a faceted pen with 3 facets. That is best done either on a tablesaw ( can use a band saw also) or on the lathe using an indexing wheel.

 

[KenV]

Thad

I have played with it a bit. I have an offset chuck sold by PSI that is no longer on the PSI web site. It came with hardware for 7mm mandrel and mount for non-symmetrical pens. I figured out pretty fast that it was many times easier to turn non-symmetrical that it was to do symmetrical. I did not find the products especially appealing and went on to other things.

I found it really hard to keep the different sides of close to even size with all that air being cut. If I did 2 offset sides, I could get close. 3 or more it got to be chasing the cat around the house kind of drill. The two offset side approach has been documented for tool handles to result in oval like shapes by the ancients about 100 years ago.

Good luck with your efforts

 

[Dale Lynch]

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f56/twisted-tutorial-photo-journal-136009/

 

[Marmotjr]

In hindsight, it was kinda of a confusing post, did more complaining about poplar than I did about the technique!

Basically I have a wood blank, that is TBC roughed out. Then with calipers or the like, I make three marks equidistant from the center on each end. These are now three off center "centers". If I continue to round off the blank using these three "centers", I end up with a 3 sided blank that each side is roughly the same size. Then I mount the blank back on the original center and taper the ends to round again. It makes for a comfortable blank to hold, but I'm having trouble, in my mind, coming up with a process to smoothly apply this to a pen kit.

Appreciate the comments, and I'll check that link out.

 

[JimB]

Why can't you just drill the hole and glue in your brass tube to make a kit pen?

 

[KenV]

The PSI offset chuck was on page 141 of the catalog delivered yesterday.

Topic is a good one. Thanks for keeping after it.

 

[mark james]

Hi Thad:

Check out Dale's (Spanx) threads. His pen:


View in Gallery

He has also displayed/discussed several previously I believe.

 

[Dale Lynch]

Ken has the right idea with the off center chuck,could be used for any kit with the right sized sleeve to go between the tube and mandrel to keep the blank from spinning.To keep all the sides even ,use a popsickle stick and mark the distance from the blank to the toolrest.As long as the rest isn't moved you'll get fairly consistant sides.Sorry the link I posted was not what you were trying to accomplish,I misunderstood your first post.

 

[Marmotjr]

Trying to do this without a special chuck though. Not against it, just don't want to buy anymore toys right now. Just yet. . I'll definitely check out the thread though.

Drilling the center after I've turned it to a three sided shape seems difficult as the vice won't hold it properly, but it will probably be my only option, for now.

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

Trying to do this without a special chuck though. Not against it, just don't want to buy anymore toys right now. Just yet. . I'll definitely check out the thread though.

Drilling the center after I've turned it to a three sided shape seems difficult as the vice won't hold it properly, but it will probably be my only option, for now.

Would it be possible to give the center dimensions that you are turning on, (PCD) please, also what size blank are you using. I think I know of a way that it can be done with drilling and gluing the tubes in first. You'll need to make a "mandrel", something along the line of 2 discs drilled to suit the PCD, with a piece of dowel mounted in the centre, and a bolt through the tubes.
Kryn

 

[Marmotjr]

Well, my last blank I did was about yeay long, by about this wide. I really don't know as they are just pen blank sized lumps of wood. I cut them myself from lumber cutoffs I found.

If I drill and glue ahead of time, then the off center TBC points would seem to overlap the tube, making it difficult to mount properly. If I put the points farther out, I think it would be too odd shaped for what I want.

 

[eharri446]

I think what Kryn was trying to describe is to create pair of discs from wood with a screw or a dowel that is centered on the discs. Then you could drill a tube your wood and place it on the dowel or screw setup and then use your offset method to turn the pen.

 

[farmer]

3 sided pen

Trying to do this without a special chuck though. Not against it, just don't want to buy anymore toys right now. Just yet. . I'll definitely check out the thread though.

Drilling the center after I've turned it to a three sided shape seems difficult as the vice won't hold it properly, but it will probably be my only option, for now.

Do you have a engine lathe with a indexer ?
Indexer would be simple but not off set center
.

 

[dogcatcher]

Turn the ends of the blank and then use a disc sander to shape the majority of the "body" of the pen. As to the ends, you only need about 1/4" in length to work with the hardware. The rest of the "body" of the pen can be shaped to what you "think" is a desirable shape.

It takes practice, get some cheap blanks drill and turn 1/4" of each end and then sand the shapes you have decided on. You can even spiral 3, 4 or 5 sided pens. Lots of little tricks, but one that I found best is turn about 1/4" of both ends to fit the hardware, then round the blank, leaving it full size and sand to shape.