Pen blank Squaring Jig

[21William]

I saw this on a YouTube video and thought it was quite neat.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKSQUARE.html

I don't have any angle but I do have some alloy bar so I knocked this up today. Just a 3" X 2" X 11/2" block tapped M6 and three mandrels. 6mm, 8mm and 10mm so far.

To use it I'll just clamp it to the mitre fence on my disc sander like the Penn state one.

 

[Buckeye]

You still can't get better than Terry's jig, simple to make and simple to use, with a range of transfer punches.

Peter

 

[21William]

Thanks for the link, looks good.
I've spent enough money recently though so mine was made from scraps I had to hand so it hasn't cost me anything.

 

[Lons]

You've put a lot of work into that William and it's nicely finished and will work but if you had done a search first on here you would have found some good examples in the old threads.
I think Terry made a nice one and is the one mine is based on. Just a sled with angle and an old drill chuck to use your transfer punches so the exact fit for any pen tube. Much more precise and quicker than clamping to a mitre fence which has the potential to move out of true.

EDIT: I type too slowly - Peter beat me to it. Mine cost me nothing btw!

 

[Penpal]

I saw this on a YouTube video and thought it was quite neat.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKSQUARE.html

I don't have any angle but I do have some alloy bar so I knocked this up today. Just a 3" X 2" X 11/2" block tapped M6 and three mandrels. 6mm, 8mm and 10mm so far.

To use it I'll just clamp it to the mitre fence on my disc sander like the Penn state one.

Its a real pleasure to see your professionally made jig precision making matches what we seek in pens.

Peter.

 

[21William]

Transfer punches are not something I've ever needed to be honest.

 

[Penpal]

You've put a lot of work into that William and it's nicely finished and will work but if you had done a search first on here you would have found some good examples in the old threads.
I think Terry made a nice one and is the one mine is based on. Just a sled with angle and an old drill chuck to use your transfer punches so the exact fit for any pen tube. Much more precise and quicker than clamping to a mitre fence which has the potential to move out of true.

EDIT: I type too slowly - Peter beat me to it. Mine cost me nothing btw!

Mine is made from timber and I hold it against the mitre sled that beds in an accuate groove easily gives me a feel for any catches on tough burls. So many ways to skin a rabbit.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

Beautifully made William well done.
This is what I made, I dont have a disc sander.

 

[Buckeye]

Transfer punches are not something I've ever needed to be honest.

Most pen makers have at least one set of transfer punches and it beats making mandrels for each tube size.

Peter

 

[Penpal]

All it takes one stem and a couple of sleeves easy breezy. I modify bushes for that.

Peter.

 

[Lons]

Transfer punches are not something I've ever needed to be honest.

Cheap enough William and invaluable when you need to take a pen apart.

 

[Buckeye]

All it takes one stem and a couple of sleeves easy breezy. I modify bushes for that.

Peter.

A couple of sleeves won't cover the range of tubes available, transfer punches come close to that.

Peter

 

[Penpal]

Make how many sleeves you like they can be parked on a stand weigh little punches are heavy bulky and tend to be used for other things often where you do metal work mine gravitate this way, punches extend a long way out as well ie the handles do standard sets of punches dont cover the range needed in Australia one firm had their punch set modified to overcome one problem. When you can machine like William the sky is the limit, I watched a mate make a firing pin for a revolver recently that had to be tough and tiny and intricate and precise.He just came off machining a barrell for a rifle with accuracy over 1 1/4 mile for competition shooting.

I use my sleeves on the lathe for other pens using my standard mandrel that allows the standard set up ie non removal from the headstock and the tailstock speeding up the process, use of my design mandrel saver.I tend to multi function if I can at each station in my workshop. Dedicated drill press for pens X and Y accuracy micro adjusters, vee jaws all fun things they get so many repititions then every glued up pen blank gets a square face.

In time I will tire of making pens.

Peter.

 

[Lons]

The transfer punches we use don't have handles Peter, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Silverlin...155422?hash=item33aff13fde:g:P6gAAOSwKtlWl~a0 They certainly aren't too long at 125 mm or heavy and when fitted in the drill chuck on the sanding sled are set at exactly 90 deg to the disk. Takes only seconds to change punch size which I find useful as I sand in batches often different sizes.
I've also used them to support tubes in the lathe as well of course to dismantle pens very easily. At the price they are almost disposable and as they can be bought imperial as well as metric sizes it's pretty certain there will be sizes to fit most things. I don't of course know about availability or cost in OZ but definitely worth while in the UK.

I have a small metal lathe but not worth the cost in material or time as far as I'm concerned - each to his own though.

 

[Penpal]

THanks Bob like them and yes over here to get a set of metric and imperial to the finished accuracy I would aim for would be exorbitant. I have one set I use for the rare dismantling.

When I made mine I used rock hard timber was a trial to mount a cut off mandrel at right angles all round using my set up I just thought nothing wrong with using round stock so easy to bore a centre hole accurately and fit a cut off mandrel and use sleeves my way. There is very little strain to hold the unit against the mitre at right angles this way I slide the mitre across the twelve inch multi purpose sander to use all of the useable sanding disk, I find out toward the edge for roughing toward the centre vibration free to finish the squaring.

I must say I like the conversation a beautifully machined project as this was by William refreshing I compare it to Georges finished turning above my ability and something to aspire to along the way some alternatives popped up always welcome.

Peter.

 

[Lons]

Can't be much simpler or more accurate than this Peter, ( thanks to Terrys' version which I copied ). The sled slides in the mitre groove.
I've seen sets of transfer punches on OZ ebay for $25 though didn't check postage. Think they were imperial but not sure.

 

[ataylor]

That is a well made piece of equipment mate.

 

[Bammer]

Excellent work William, well thought out and Original

I just use the guide on my disc sander

I turn pens, but don't own a set of transfer punches, never felt the need for them.

 

[Penpal]

Can't be much simpler or more accurate than this Peter, ( thanks to Terrys' version which I copied ). The sled slides in the mitre groove.
I've seen sets of transfer punches on OZ ebay for $25 though didn't check postage. Think they were imperial but not sure.

Bob thank you for the Pic simple and accuracy depends on placement and making as always I did not have a memory of this one before and reall y appreciate your reference I can see why you copied this.

When I made mine so long ago I had every small thing I needed except the the mandrel in the wood block, sleeves were in use at the lathe already, I had an excellent Mitre unit already set at right angles another 12 inch disk sander took me 15 minutes to cut drill glue the cut off mandrel in the block this was the way I went.

Like the way you made yours very neat do you lift it to fit the blank on or slide the unit along? Turn the disk off between blanks? I like the height above centre the dust below centre and to the right would spray out and be uncomfortable on any set up. I often use my disk sander for flattening burl pen bases if I err to the right I get a face full. I guess with the chuck, punches, adapter for holding the chuck you were in for about 50.00 dollars well worth it if one were to start from scratch.

Great adventure squaring blanks especially home cut irregular ones. Thanks for your opportune example mate.

Peter.

 

[Jim]

That is very well machined William ..