***Pen Press, Drill Vise, Pen Molds****

[ColinH60]

I'm looking for a decent pen press to put the pens together, a drill vise, and some molds to make acrylic blanks and to cast blanks.

 

[Jim Smith]

Colin,

You will find a number of threads on IAP referring to pen presses/vises. After using one of the purpose-built pen presses for a number of years, I switched over to using a Zyliss woodworkers vise. It's the absolutely the best pen press I've ever used. Smooth, easy to control and with enough leverage to make the job almost effortless. My biggest gripe with the purpose-built pen presses is that the turning wheel is so small that it take a tremendous amount of effort to press a pen and to release the vise. Here is an example of the Zyliss vise available on ebay. Zyliss Portable All Purpose Vise Clamping System Swiss Made | eBay

I have no affiliation with the seller, I'm just the very satisfied owner of two of these vises.

p.s. You can buy pads for the jaws, but it's just as easy to make them yourself out of wood that slip over the jaws to protect the pen parts. Just a thought...

Jim Smith

 

[wood-of-1kind]

I have an extra pen press and plenty of round delrin pen blank molds. Can post details if interested. The only drawback with be the weight to have these shipped to MA from Canada.

 

[Russianwolf]

if you are looking for a vise to use on your drill press, they are easy to make a simple one/

Get a piece of scrap 2x4. cut a v into it approximately in the middle. Attach a hinge on one end and add a piece of scrap wood (used a piece of 1x4 on mine). Blank goes into the v and the smaller piece of scrap holds it in place while you drill.

Again if you are using a drill press, you have a pen vise. Simply make a piece of scrap wood to fit in the drill press. then use it to press the parts in.

Casting mold. There are several articles in the library/casting section that show how to make simple molds from the white plastic cutting boards, PVC piping, and even Aluminum foil.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

To add to the mess, skip the drill press altogether and invest the money in a chuck to drill on the lathe. You won't regret it.

I also Assemble with a woodworker vice.

There are also little Pen press inserts for your lathe that are cheap

 

[randyrls]

Colin; This isn't criticism, just an comment. I don't like single purpose tools unless they do a job so much better that it's no contest! A Pen Press falls into the things that are nice to have, but aren't essential category. I use the woodworkers vise on the side of my work bench with a set of oak wood covers over the steel jaws. As a pen press, it works first time every time.

 

[turncrazy43]

If you want to start pouring your own acrylic blanks and need molds the silicone ones on Exotic Blanks are excellent. But if you want to start cheaper, go to Home Depot and buy PVC pipe in 3/4" size, cut them in 6" lengths, buy #10 corks at your hobby center. Use pieces of Nitral gloves over the corks. Build a rack so they are upright and that is about as cheap a start as you can have. Check out Youtube for a tutorial on same under Fool4Peppers. Those tutorials will give you a good idea of its use.
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