Drilling Pen Blanks

Jim · Jan 21, 2013

I find that drilling the pen blanks on my lathe i have very little issues which i got using the pillar drill. I turn most of my blanks round before i drill them. The blanks i don't turn round are made of corian. I use a colt drill and can usually do one pass through the blank running at 800rpm ...

How do you drill your blanks? ... :thinks:

The Wood Bucket · Jan 22, 2013

I do mine the same way. I don't turn them round first but drilling on the lathe is so much easier and more precise. :thumbs:

Alan Moore · Jan 22, 2013

i use an hand held vice and my drill, it works most of the time.

yorkshireman · Jan 22, 2013

I've never tried drilling on the lathe, its something I'll have a go at shortly. For me its easy to use the bench drill and a hand held vice - as long as I take it easy that is.

ataylor · Jan 22, 2013

I also use a bench drill and a trusty bench vice. This method is hit a miss, the best results are when the blank is totally square. :thumbs:

Mattyd · Jan 25, 2013

as above, drill vice, and a drill stand..... Crap results.... but I dont have a lathe chuck...

ataylor · Jan 28, 2013

That's a good idea Jim, turning them round before drilling, i will start to do this as i lose quite a few blanks with the hole to near the side of the blank. I get really nervous when i have spent a few quid on a decent blank only to toss it in the bin. :rolling:

Jimjam66 · Jan 29, 2013

I'm another who doesn't have the kit to drill on the lathe, which got me thinking about Longworth chucks. The tail stock drill chuck is pretty cheap (£11 at Axminster), but the headstock chuck is big $$$. Has anyone here built a Longworth chuck, and if so do you have any tips?

David

Alan Moore · Jan 29, 2013

i ment to say i use an hand held drill and a vice

The Wood Bucket · Jan 29, 2013

Jimjam66 said:
I'm another who doesn't have the kit to drill on the lathe, which got me thinking about Longworth chucks. The tail stock drill chuck is pretty cheap (£11 at Axminster), but the headstock chuck is big $$$. Has anyone here built a Longworth chuck, and if so do you have any tips?

David

I have not built a longworth Chuck, but a friend of mine has. That chuck would not help with the drilling of the blanks. It would not go small enough. Also the Longworth chuck is only made for taking very light cuts or sanding and is designed for only finishing off the bottom of a piece that you turned either on a faceplate or with a tenon in a 4 jaw chuck. They are great to have, but they have a purpose. Right now I use my Cole Jaws to finish bowls.

The Wood Bucket · Jan 29, 2013

Here is a link to making a Longworth Chuck

How To Make A Longworth Chuck | Woodworker's Guide

ataylor · Jan 29, 2013

Thats a nice link TWB, but it lost me with all the lines lol :devil:

ataylor · Jan 29, 2013

Jimjam66 said:
I'm another who doesn't have the kit to drill on the lathe, which got me thinking about Longworth chucks. The tail stock drill chuck is pretty cheap (£11 at Axminster), but the headstock chuck is big $$$. Has anyone here built a Longworth chuck, and if so do you have any tips?

David

I Can't better the reply from Gary regarding the Longworth David, but depending on what lathe you have you could try this Click Me for drilling on the lathe. :nooidea:

Jimjam66 · Jan 29, 2013

Thanks WB and Tony. I wondered whether the Longworth would be strong enough, seeing as its made of wood or Perspex. Of course, you're right that it might not close to a small enough diameter to grab a pen- blank either. D'oh!

Tony, thanks for the link. Fiendishly clever idea. I did something similar to create two 'pads' that fit into the head and tailstock tapers so that I can press kit parts into the pen tubes on the lathe. Might be too wasteful of precious blanks to turn a taper for jam-fitting to drill, though? Unless I'm missing your point ... :thinks:

David

ataylor · Jan 29, 2013

No i pointed you to that link of Jim's to show you that you could turn down a blank to fit into the spindle to drill the hole for the pen barrel, there is no waste mate. :thumbs:

Jim · Jan 29, 2013

To drill the hole for the handle i turned the Sassafras to a size so that it would fit into the bore of the Spindle on the head stock ...

To do this depends on the lathe you have, i actually turned this to the size of my spindle thread as it was about the same size i had in mind for the handle ... :bwink:

Jimjam66 · Jan 30, 2013

Tony said:
No i pointed you to that link of Jim's to show you that you could turn down a blank to fit into the spindle to drill the hole for the pen barrel, there is no waste mate.

Right, think I've got you Tony. Will give it a try and report back! Will have to order a drill chuck from Axminster first, though ... What excuse for the wife THIS time? :thinks:

ataylor · Jan 30, 2013

Jimjam66 said:
What excuse for the wife THIS time?

They have just come out with a new product called a chuck love, and if i get it now i can save £20 before it hits off and everyone will want one. Hope this helps mate. :ciggrin:

Old Corky · Jun 29, 2013

I don't know if you have a Harbor Freight Tool store or the equivalent (Cheap imported tools) in England, but I purchased a 5 speed bench drill press from them a couple of years ago, priced at $69.00 and have with no problems drilling blanks. That's cheaper than a good electric hand drill and a whole lot more accurate.

Old Corky

wm460 · Jun 29, 2013

Tony said:
a new product called a chuck love,

I Google this and some of the links would make a sailor blush.

Drilling Pen Blanks

Jim

The Wood Bucket

Alan Moore

yorkshireman

Wood Rat

ataylor

Mattyd

AKA 'The Dundee Redneck'

ataylor

Jimjam66

Chief Battonager

Alan Moore

The Wood Bucket

The Wood Bucket

ataylor

ataylor

Jimjam66

Chief Battonager

ataylor

Jim

Jimjam66

Chief Battonager

ataylor

Old Corky

wm460