pen press or arbor press

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Chasper

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My pen press died last night after five years and 6-7,000 pens assembled. The threads on the adjusting knob have been stripped for a year or so, the aluminum base plate has been bent and bolted down to a slab of wood to hold it straight, now the plunger holder is bent so much that it is far out of alignment with the receiver. Time to get a replacement. I don't want to hear about making one out of clamps or levers, don't tell me about pressing on the drill press or lathe, and don't tell me about the PH press (unless you have one for sale), I've been on that list for two years and I need a new press this week. Also I know the opinions about pressing verticle or horizontal, I do it both ways.

The question is, buy another light weight press from the usual sources PSI, CSUSA, Woodcraft, Grizzly, etc? Or buy a real arbor press. I'm leaning toward a light weight pen press, if I tear it up after another 7,000 assemblies I can live with that. Opinions?
 
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Let's see, cheapskate!!! A one-ton press is $50. You sell your pens for $100----ONE LOUSY PEN (well a GOOD pen, you don't make lousy pens).

Go spring for the arbor press and replace the metal table with a piece of corian. You won't believe how EASY it is to make that 20th pen in a row.

(Really, you WILL like it, Gerry!!!)
 
OK, I was in Harbor Freight looking at the 1 ton arbor press and I thought I would check Forum Runner on my Droid one more time, there was Ed's message, and now I have a arbor press. I replaced the metal table with corian and I'm thinking of cutting two short sections off a 3/4 Duron rod and attach one to the ram and one to the table. I'll try attaching the Duron by drilling a hole in the table and ram and using a torsion pin. Do you have a better solution to avoid metal to pen part contact?
 
I have that press and I lay a piece of leather on the table and one small square over the part to be pressed, never a scratch.

Chasper said:
OK, I was in Harbor Freight looking at the 1 ton arbor press and I thought I would check Forum Runner on my Droid one more time, there was Ed's message, and now I have a arbor press. I replaced the metal table with corian and I'm thinking of cutting two short sections off a 3/4 Duron rod and attach one to the ram and one to the table. I'll try attaching the Duron by drilling a hole in the table and ram and using a torsion pin. Do you have a better solution to avoid metal to pen part contact?
Click to expand...
 
Gerry, I am with Ed Brown on thgis question surprised you hesitated but then that same Arbor Press cost in excess of 100 of our dollars and it is worth? the same as your dollar.

I enclose pics to help my explanation.

1. Chuck the Anvil piece under the press arm, fit an Aluminium solid just below the surface drilled and bolted from one side the one you cant see now.and glue a piece of thin Corian on top. Try to maintain the largest gap possible some things are longer than others and size does matter.

2. Check the flatness of the compressing arm on mine it was out so I reversed it was out so now flat, take it off and prepare then glue thin Corian on the pressing face.Reassemble.

3. Mount it so you can eye ball the two verticals in my case you will notice I gave it a wooden platform. I choose to sit at my workbench, welded and designed just fror me.
Although now 76 no I dont need to but choose to. Alongside on the small table is a variable speed buffer. So after finishing I assemble the pens seated as well.

Have success has served me well for many many years.

REgards Peter.
 

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Peter brings up a good point, Gerry.

Put a bolt through the corian replacement table, but let gravity hold it in. From time to time, you will want to remove the corian and use your table (that the press is sitting on) as the base, when the pen is too long for the distance between corian and ram.

Doesn't happen often and you usually just need a little room so the weight of the arbor suffices to get you pressed in far enough to reinstall the corian base.

Probably 3-4 times a year for me---special applications.

ENJOY!!!
 
ed4copies said:
Peter brings up a good point, Gerry.

Put a bolt through the corian replacement table, but let gravity hold it in. From time to time, you will want to remove the corian and use your table (that the press is sitting on) as the base, when the pen is too long for the distance between corian and ram.

Doesn't happen often and you usually just need a little room so the weight of the arbor suffices to get you pressed in far enough to reinstall the corian base.

Probably 3-4 times a year for me---special applications.*

ENJOY!!!
Click to expand...

* Like a long click pen.
 
I removed my ram from the press and sanded the bottom smooth to remove the grid teeth and I've had no problem with scratching the pen parts.
 
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