How do people drill there pen blanks

[Terry]

If you already have a Nova or Sorby chuck I think they are a good choice. Stronger than the PSI pen blank chuck.

For anyone with an Axminster chuck their engineers jaws will do the job too but a bit expensive if that's all you are going to use them for.

Cheers Walter I have the Nova so I knew they would fit!!

 

[Jim]

I use the 4 jawed pins for holding the blanks, only thing with these is that your blank has to be 100% square or it has to be round for the hole to be centered the full length of the blank.

 

[Terry]

I use the 4 jawed pins for holding the blanks, only thing with these is that your blank has to be 100% square or it has to be round for the hole to be centered the full length of the blank.

That is why I have been considering these Sorby pen jaws!!!

 

[Alan Moore]

I use a hand drill held in my vice

 

[Jimjam66]

I use the 4 jawed pins for holding the blanks, only thing with these is that your blank has to be 100% square or it has to be round for the hole to be centered the full length of the blank.

Yeah, me too. I make my own blanks and square them up on the bandsaw so I *usually* have no problem. Brain-out moments are not that rare, sadly ...

 

[bellringer]

Dose anyone know if the sorby pen blank jaws will fit a nova chuck

 

[Terry]

Dose anyone know if the sorby pen blank jaws will fit a nova chuck

They most certainly do.!!!
Regards
Terry

 

[wm460]

Copied this from another web site.

If you mean .05mm total “slop”, instead of .05mm all the way around, that’s pretty good.
Keep in mind you don’t want a snug fit between the tube and blank, there has to be a small amount of space for the glue to go, and for the brass tube to expand when we press the parts together…if it is a snug fit “dry” then when you press the pen together, the blank will crack.
Take a slimline, the hole we drill is 7.0mm, but the tube is 17/64th (6.77mm) of an inch…same with the Sierra, a 27/64 (10.60mm) hole for a 13/32(10.32mm) dia tube, right at a 32nd (.30mm) of an inch “slop” give or take.

 

[Jimjam66]

Copied this from another web site.

If you mean .05mm total “slop”, instead of .05mm all the way around, that’s pretty good.
Keep in mind you don’t want a snug fit between the tube and blank, there has to be a small amount of space for the glue to go, and for the brass tube to expand when we press the parts together…if it is a snug fit “dry” then when you press the pen together, the blank will crack.
Take a slimline, the hole we drill is 7.0mm, but the tube is 17/64th (6.77mm) of an inch…same with the Sierra, a 27/64 (10.60mm) hole for a 13/32(10.32mm) dia tube, right at a 32nd (.30mm) of an inch “slop” give or take.

Nice one, mate. Hadn't thought of the need to allow for expansion when you press the accents in. Makes perfect sense when you think about it.

 

[Old Corky]

Drill a small dimple in the exact center, on each end of the Pen Blank. Drive a screw or nail through a board where the point is out, maybe an eighth of an inch or so. Clamp the board on the drill press table with the point exactly in line with the drill point. hold blank upright with pliers with bottom dimple on the point and drill through the top dimple. Move point before going all the way through. Exactly centered hole. Kinda old fashioned but it works every time. :up:

Old Corky