Universal Pen Blank Squaring Jig Isn't Square

[bugradx2]

Ok, I have a brand new universal pen blank squaring jig that I bought new and when it arrived the rod is not square with the base of the angle iron which means to get it square I will need to take the table on my sander out of square. I don't see an adjustment mechanism to be able to do anything about it and don't trust myself to bend it. There isn't anything in the instructions about adjusting it back to square either.

Is there something I'm missing?

Photo of the jig sitting on my lathe bed for reference below. You can see the right edge of the rod is pointing down.

 

[Dannv]

FWIW, Mine was the same. I shimmed it with paper to get it square, but don't particularly trust it. Definitely a poor design.

 

[Darios]

Without being able to get my hands on it I would say that the bracket looks true, but testing it is never a bad idea.
If the bracket is a good 90 degrees then it /might/ be that the hole for the rod was drilled at a slight angle.
With Dannv's reporting the same issue I'd just see about returning it for a refund and finding another solution.

If you can't (or it's not worth the effort) it might be worth trying to correct it by drilling a new hole and moving the rod.

 

[egnald]

I think Darios is spot on with his comments. Drilling the hole through the piece of angle aluminum so that the rod is perfectly perpendicular is critical. The fact that the bearing surface being only 3/8 of an inch and the clearance necessary for the threaded portion of the rod makes getting a good perpendicular fit even more problematical.

In my homemade version of this jig I have a hole that is 2-1/4 inches deep and the hole was drilled for more of a press fit rather than a clearance fit.

Before returning it, you might take the rod out and make sure that there are no burrs or anything on the hole that are affecting the rod position when the nuts are tightened. At the same time you should be able to lay the rod on a good flat surface like the bed of your lathe to see whether or not it is bent.

I also keep a 4-inch machinists square at my disc sander that I use to verify that the rod on my jig is square with the surface of the sanding disk on both axes. It is a handy little tool and I use it to check for square on a lot of my shop equipment. (I bought mine at our local Menards store for $8, but I'm sure they can be found online too).

Regards,
Dave

 

[jttheclockman]

As mentioned. Make sure the rod is straight by taking out and rolling on a true surface like tabelsaw top. Then use an accurate square to check if the angle bracket is 90 degrees as it sits now. Then whatever that hole is weather 1/4" or so. Run a bit through it to make sure hole is true and round. That rod should fit easily. Reverse the nuts in case there is a burr on one side. It is also possible the threads were threaded off center. Then you need to send back.

 

[wouldentu2?]

Maybe loosen and rotate it 180 degrees

 

[BULLWINKLE]

It's brand new so you shouldn't have a problem like that. I'd return it for a refund. If you modify it to fix it and it still isn't square, you won't have an option for a refund. I use a pen mill with a carbide cutting head. Had it for many years and never had any problem with it.

 

[egnald]

Another thing to check would be the square between the architectural aluminum angle and the base it is mounted to. I don't know what the tolerances are on extruded aluminum angles, but they are probably pretty good considering it is such a short section. If that is the case, it could possibly be shimmed to get everything square. - Dave

 

[jcm71]

I had the same issue when I bought one a number of years ago. It went into the trash. Try one of these. They work great.
https://www.turnerswarehouse.com/products/pen-blank-squaring-jig?variant=33698034764. I am not affiliated with Turners Warehouse. They were just the first link that popped up when I did a search.

 

[bugradx2]

Thank you very much everyone. I'll give your suggestions a go and see how it works out.

 

[ccccchunt]

Got one of these. SUPER sturdy and uses a punch to control the blank. Never going back to barrel trimmers again!

Pen Blank Sanding Jig - Speakeasy Pen Emporium & Supply Co

This jig, along with a transfer punch set, allow you to square off your blanks on a disc sander, making it easier to turn your blanks or giving sellers a more professional presentation when selling blanks. Both sides have milled insets allowing you so switch the arm from side to side as your...

speakeasypen.com

 

[egnald]

I really like the style that Christopher (ccccchunt) linked. This is the approach that I will be using when I get around to building my version 3.0 squaring jig. Not only can you use punches that fit the tubes, you can also use a piece of "D Drill Rod" in it and use standard sanding/squaring sleeves. - Dave

 

[bugradx2]

I really like the style that Christopher (ccccchunt) linked. This is the approach that I will be using when I get around to building my version 3.0 squaring jig. Not only can you use punches that fit the tubes, you can also use a piece of "D Drill Rod" in it and use standard sanding/squaring sleeves. - Dave

David - just realized you live in Columbus. I grew up in Ralston and have family up around the Elgin area. Small world

 

[egnald]

David - just realized you live in Columbus. I grew up in Ralston and have family up around the Elgin area. Small world

Kent, Yes it sure is a small world. I grew up in Springfield, SD, a little more than 50 miles north of Neligh on hwy 14. When I was little there was only a ferry boat between Nebraska and South Dakota at Niobrara so if you didn't want to cross the river on the ferry, you had to go East to Yankton SD and then back West through Crofton NE. There is a bridge over the river at Niobrara now though. I haven't been up that way for a long long time. - Dave

 

[bugradx2]

Kent, Yes it sure is a small world. I grew up in Springfield, SD, a little more than 50 miles north of Neligh on hwy 14. When I was little there was only a ferry boat between Nebraska and South Dakota at Niobrara so if you didn't want to cross the river on the ferry, you had to go East to Yankton SD and then back West through Crofton NE. There is a bridge over the river at Niobrara now though. I haven't been up that way for a long long time. - Dave

It is for sure.
Happy turning

 

[Don Rabchenuk]

I would give Rick Herrell ( rherrell) a shout and he is having a sale right now. He makes one of the best pen blank squaring jigs I know of.

 

[goldendj]

Got one of these. SUPER sturdy and uses a punch to control the blank. Never going back to barrel trimmers again!

Pen Blank Sanding Jig - Speakeasy Pen Emporium & Supply Co

This jig, along with a transfer punch set, allow you to square off your blanks on a disc sander, making it easier to turn your blanks or giving sellers a more professional presentation when selling blanks. Both sides have milled insets allowing you so switch the arm from side to side as your...

speakeasypen.com

I have this one and really like the design. Since it's machined from a single piece it's likely easier to manufacture perfectly square and zero chance of alignment errors creeping in when assembling three separate parts together. And once it's machined there's no chance of anything getting bent out of square ....