pen making problem

Re: pen making problem

Chuck Ludwigsen

>WOW Linda, thats quite a bit of deflection!

I hope the more knowledgeable here will tell us what is really going on but I will offer my thoughts. Please note that I have not ventured into pens yet. SWMBO says I have to wait a few months for all that since I just got the new lathe (Jet 1236).

I do, however, make candlesticks and the like. I always try to drill on a squared and true block on the Drill Press then put the drill hole over the live center.

As for your amount of deflection... some questions might be...

1) Are there obstructions in either of your morse taper holes or on the threads of your spindle (if applicable) that are causing things not to seat correctly?

2) have you put a live center in the tailstock and a spur drive in the headstock and verified the alignment?

3) have you put the Jacob's chuck in the headstock and chucked in a dowel or the rod to the mandrel, then brought the tailstock live center up close to measure runout while rotating the headstock slowly?

If you have not tried these, please do and report your findings. That much deflection seems to me to be a BIG problem.

Chuck in Memphis, TN.

Re: pen making problem

YoYoSpin

>Your headstock rotates...right? Check to make sure the headstock is in proper alignment. Put a live center in the tailstock and another point in the headstock. Run the two together, where they meet point to point and lock the tailstock in place. Any mis-alignment should be adjusted out by rotating the headstock slightly.

best regards,

Ed D.

Re: pen making problem

Mike-in-Michigan(Richland, that is)

>Other ideas are right on, but I noted you said you drilled a 6" blank... DON'T .. cut the blanks to length "before" you drill. That way you are only drilling 2-2 1/2" instead of 6". That will cut wander way down.

I drilled the first 5-600 pens I made that way, just a jacobs chuck in my tailstock & holding blanks in a nova chuck on my lathe.

Worked great - but I then I spent 39$ on a pen drilling vise that is self centering and used my drill press, it's the only way to go, much easier IMNSHO. You probably avoided the DP because you can't drill a 6" blank on a DP -- when it's cut down it's no problem.

Re: pen making problem

Richard Allen

>There are several different drill bits you can use.

The parobolic bist are terrific for ejecting waste. If you are concerend about the legnth of time it takes to drill, these bit will help speed up the process.

The "bullet" bit works great in end grain staying on track. You have to pull the bit out a lot to eject waste so it is slow going. Also the bit tends to get warm as it spends more time rubing wood than the faster bits. A hot bit can swell the wood it is drilling, making the hole a restriction instead of a guide for the bit.

Cutting the blank in half helps a LOT.

Take it slow and clear the waste every 1/2" (1/4" as you get deeper). Use a bullet bit if you can. Expect some deflection. Some woods will deflect more than others (naturaly the hardest woods with the most iregular grain will deflect the most).

Re: pen making problem

Greg W. in NC

>Linda,

No, that is too much deflection to 'live with'. I have to ask why you're drilling 6" at a time? Most pens you can cut first, then drill. I drill from the middle of the pen out to the ends so my grain will line up better if there is any deflection.

Bullet bits - these have helped me to drill straighter, cleaner holes than any one thing I've done. CSU sells several sizes used in penturning.

Speed? Not sure what speed you're using, but I find that faster speeds help. I use about 2100 rpm on my floor model drill press.

Make sure the end of the blank is as flat as possible. this helps the bit from being knocked off as it enters the blank. If the blank is already chucked up, with one of your lathe tools, cut a very small hole (indention) in the middle of the blank. This will help the bit start in the middle of the blank. If the bit enters the wood even slightly off center, then it will continue to drill further away from center, the deeper the bit goes. If you're off by 1/2" at the exit point, is the bit wobbling wildly? I would think so.

Hope these points help. Let us know how the drilling goes!

Re: pen making problem

linda

>First, let me thank you for all of your help.

Now I need to tell you that I am actually not drilling pen blanks. They are pencil blanks for Pentel mechanical pencils. I take a 0.5 or 0.7 Pentel that I had lying around and replace the plastic body which is about 4-1/2" long. A little extra on each end for the spur or tailstock to damage and I am up to about 6" in length.

The bits that I am using are very cheap bits that I bought at Harbor Freight. They are 25" long, yes that is 2ft one inch.

I can not find any obstructions in my morse taper or spindle threads.

The live center and tailstock seem to be in good alignment visually, point to point, while rotating the headstock slowly.

I always put a small indent in the end of the blank before starting to drill.

I am well below 2100rpm. This is because the bits seem to get hot very quickly as they get deep into the wood (black locust). The wood is hard,

the bits are cheap, the bits are long, the holes are deep.

The bit is not wobbling wildly or even noticably when I am using it.

thank you again

Re: pen making problem

Chuck Ludwigsen

>Ahhh Perspective - I love it ;-)

Now things are making more sense. It would seem the bit itself is flexing and wandering. As you said, the bits are cheap, LONG, and getting hot. That will do it.

Might I suggest the following... Since the bits are cheap, cut the shank down to 7-1/2". That gives you an inch to chuck it and 1/2" of drilling clearance.

Also, a cheap bit that doesn't have both flutes ground identical will wander when heating up and meeting the forces of the stubborn wood. try re-sharpening them carefully.

Finally, with the shorter bit, switch to the DP, take it slow, and maybe even consider drilling 3-1/4" from each end.

Maybe even use the extra 17-1/2" of drill rod to make another turning tool ;-)

Hope this helps.

Chuck in Memphis, TN.

Re: pen making problem - try this *LINK*

Rick Prevett

>Linda, if you're going to do more than a few of these Pentel pencils, I might suggest a specialized stepped drill bit that CraftUSA offers. It's made to drill the exact diameter(s) needed for the Pentel mechanism.

If you scroll down a ways, you'll see a previous discussion on Pentel pencils.

rick


Stepped Drill Bit

Re: pen making problem - try this

Scott Greaves in Blackfoot ID

>Hi Linda,

I would second Rick's suggestion of the special bit from Craft Supplies. It is a good quality bit, and is designed to do exactly what it is supposed to. The bits you're using are too thin to be that long and have any hope of drilling straight! The fact you're having any luck at all speaks to how carefull you're being while drilling! The drill bit from Craft Supplies is expensive, but it is worth it!

What I like about making these is that you can still get the Pentels in the .9mm lead, which is great for me, since I'm heavy handed! ;-)

thank you

Linda

>Thank you everyone for all the help. It looks like I need to live with the problem or use different bits. At least it is not the lathe. Thanks again.