Barrel trimming

[Wrongway]

For barrel trimming I have one of the usual pen mill sets that cover 4 or 5 different sizes. Pop this in the battery drill and trim away. However I have had a few pens where the pen mill set doesn't have the barrel size. The Zeta is one example. I have got away with this by wrapping a number of layers or parcel tape around the next size down trimmer bit. One of the other methods or barrel trimming is to use a sander, either belt or disk. I don't have one, but what I do have is a Proedge sharpener which is a similar thing. Would this be done thing to use or sacrilege. I would use an old or dedicated spare belt.

One thought comes to mind about using the belt/disk sander is the problem that the blank might not be quite square in the first place.

 

[Grump]

The blank doesn't need to be square, The tube needs to be square with the blank.
use a smaller size insert and trim it on the lathe, it has no choice but be squared together.
Or build a Terry jig init

 

[Twister]

i use a proedge with spare belt and the v groove support

Steve

 

[Penpal]

A device simply a dish fitted to the head stock then a simple shafting right size in the tail stock easy to make and even easier to use. Must be accurate and within what you have or could easily make. The problem with barrell trimmers is flaking and breaking.

Peter.

 

[AndyC65]

i use a proedge with spare belt and the v groove support

Steve

Steve - great idea - thanks for sharing.

Is it an old preo edge belt you use or a specific sanding belt? Is the Pro edge a standard size?

cheers,

Andy C

 

[Wrongway]

The blank doesn't need to be square, The tube needs to be square with the blank.
use a smaller size insert and trim it on the lathe, it has no choice but be squared together.
Or build a Terry jig init

i use a proedge with spare belt and the v groove support

Steve

That's why I was having second thoughts on using a ProEdge and the V block. As Brian points out it has to be the tube that's at right angles to whatever is sanding it down and is not guaranteed to be parallel with the sides of the blank.

A device simply a dish fitted to the head stock then a simple shafting right size in the tail stock easy to make and even easier to use. Must be accurate and within what you have or could easily make. The problem with barrell trimmers is flaking and breaking.

Peter.

The flaking and breaking is another reason I am looking at the possibility of moving away from the pen mill system.

I like Terry's jig and am now starting to look at a belt/disk sander. Machine Mart seem to have some reasonable priced ones.

 

[Grump]

I like Terry's jig and am now starting to look at a belt/disk sander. Machine Mart seem to have some reasonable priced ones.

Up to you but wouldn't go to that expense unless I needed it for other things plus that will take time to sort out.
Screw a plank of wood to a facelplate and turn it down to round then stick some scratch on it build the jig on your lathe.
Use transfer punches or drill bits of the near right size and you don it all for free or cheap in just a few minutes init?

 

[bellringer]

If you use a trimmer get a 7 mm tube drill a piece of wood any will do the get the bushings from the kit you want to make and turn down to the bit that gose in the tube. I am thinking of makeing a set of metal ones once I have some time.

 

[EStreet]

Toss it into your chuck and trim it to size. Yes you can chuck uneven sizes and yes it does work.

 

[EStreet]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGCJnwdlsk

 

[Phil Dart]

Robbie, very often you can use a tube from a different kit as a spacer on your trimmer shaft. A shaft for an 8mm tube, with an 8mm tube over it works well for the Zeta. I can probably get the pen made and assembled, and possibly even sold, posted and delivered before Ed has trimmed his barrel on the lathe. Nice method Ed but waaaaaaay too slow for me.

 

[bellringer]

the best way to prevent break out it to make your pen mill sharp

 

[Twister]

i drill on lathe so work to the theory that tube is fairly parallel to the blank

i then just use a 120 grit on the proedge

just keep going until tube shines
you can tell if out of square as end of tube only polished one side

not had a bad one yet

Steve

 

[Wrongway]

I'll have a go at that first Steve as it's gong to take the least amount of change. Just plonk an old belt on the ProEdge.
Quite a good few great ideas have come forward though which experiment with.

 

[Twister]

i will say clean up afterwards

sharpening hot tools with sawdust...just saying

Steve

( i have 2 so not worried)

 

[Dalboy]

i will say clean up afterwards

sharpening hot tools with sawdust...just saying

Steve

( i have 2 so not worried)

Being Greedy again Steve

 

[EStreet]

This is the insert from a 7mm to fit whatever size you want.

 

[yorkshireman]

I trim with the barrel trimmer, then remove the bulk off on the lathe and square up on the pro edge before finally finishing.

 

[wm460]

I have posted pics etc of the way I do this on the lathe with transfer punches and sanding dics.