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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Bendigo Victoria
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    Default My take on a pen mill

    Having been inspired by 2 pen turners, Penpal and Skiprat, I have made a pen mill attachment for my milling machine. Penpal made his from a Clisby Miniature metal lathe, Skiprat made his from scratch as an attachment to his metal lathe.

    I was going to use Skiprat's idea and adapt it to be used on my mill but a couple of weeks ago I picked up an old wood turning attachment for a power drill from Ebay (photo 1). It cost me the princely sum of $20, couldn't have bought the aluminium need for that!

    As the overall length, even after I cut the attachment bed in half, exceeded the length of the mill table I had to provide a base plate which attached to the miil and in turn takes the pen mill attachment (photos 2 & 3)

    As the turning attachment was designed to take a 42mm collar of a power drill I decided to use the front part of an old, dead, Bosch drill that has been kicking round the shed for years (one day...........). I cut the front of the drill off just behind the gear box and milled the whole thing flat.
    (photo 4)

    I then made up a frame from 40x12 aluminium to take a 12mm shaft which has been drilled with an 8mm recess to slip over the Bosch drill shaft and attached with a 3mm grub screw. (photos 5 and 6)

    Next was making a 6mm thick aluminium plate, turned to 160mm diam on the metal lathe, fitted with an aluminium bush and attched to the 12mm shaft with a grub screw (flat milled on shaft).(photo 7)

    At present there are 2 sets of index holes in this dividing plate, 1 set of 12 and 1 set of 18, have another groove left for another set.

    The whole thing fits together quite nicely (photo 8), next step is to mill some logitudinal grooves in pen blanks, or flats, and start playing.

    Another addition to this contraption will involve extending the X axis lead screw and put a small gear on this to drive the divider plate to achieve some spirals, as Skiprat has done and similar to the Beall contraption.

    Am I having fun yet? You bet!

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    East Warburton, Vic
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    Default

    Looks good Fred
    Cheers

    DJ


    ADMIN

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Maryvale, Queensland
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    Default

    Yikes! Sounds complicated. Way out of my league.

    Bet we'll all be jealous when we see the final results.

    Russell
    Pen Affair Craft Supplies - Cheapest Pearl Ex & Pemo Polymer Clay in Australia
    http://craftsupplies.penaffair.com

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    Default Fred

    Goodonya mate well thought and made,
    Questions : How do you hold the blank firm for cutting?.
    Do you use the index plate to change positions?.
    Is the mill speed sufficient?
    What cutters will you use?
    How will you scroll the blank as it is cutting.
    I am so happy both Skiprat and I have stimulated you to design this unit the very purpose of our being is to share our knowledge and experience, no secrets here.

    Very pleased to hear the rest of the story and see your pen designs. I am in the process of doing inlays using my penmill. Bought a cement mixer have to modify that and in the next few weeks Pour footings garden stuff before winter commences.

    Top regards for your ideas Regards Peter

  6. #5
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    Thumbs up

    Very Nifty adaptation Fred.

  7. #6
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    Oct 2006
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    Trinity Beach, Qld.
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    Default

    Fred, looks very good, an inventive brain, deserve a greenie credit for engenuity, Amos
    Good, better, best, never let it rest;
    Til your good is better, and your
    better, best.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Bendigo Victoria
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    Default

    First of all, thank you all for your kind comments, time will tell how all this will work!

    Quote Originally Posted by Penpal View Post
    Goodonya mate well thought and made,
    Questions : How do you hold the blank firm for cutting?.
    Peter, just the same as for normal turning, on the mandrel (shown) with the nut.

    Do you use the index plate to change positions?.
    Yes, after each each longitudinal cut, the index plate is moved to the next position and the process repeated.


    Is the mill speed sufficient?
    I hope so, if not I will be mounting a small trim router or Dremel next to the mill head.


    What cutters will you use?
    I have some 1/16 and 3/32 cutters (one shown in the mill and will start with that, but will probably get some Dremel cutters as well.

    How will you scroll the blank as it is cutting.
    Not sure what you mean here?

    I am so happy both Skiprat and I have stimulated you to design this unit the very purpose of our being is to share our knowledge and experience, no secrets here.

    Very pleased to hear the rest of the story and see your pen designs. I am in the process of doing inlays using my penmill. Bought a cement mixer have to modify that and in the next few weeks Pour footings garden stuff before winter commences.

    Top regards for your ideas Regards Peter

  9. #8
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    Sep 2006
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    A.C.T
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    2,769

    Default Fred

    No hidden meanings just saying glad you picked up on ideas in use.
    Saying I wont be too active in pens while I bash the garden about.

    Three things
    1. I feel cutting two blanks at the one time gives you 8 places where skidding or turning can occur which can wreck all cuts.
    2. Mandrel sag is doubled on impact with two blanks.
    3. My method of a snug recess into the live centre about 3/8 of an inch holds infinitely better than a pointed live centre into the mandrel.
    Yesterday seeking something else I asked directions in a business that sells plastic sheeting etc and they use a C and C router to cut their stuff with and also cut aluminium so if you go the way of an outrigger on your mill firms like this can cut the aluminium holes in plate aluminium, very neat and accurate.

    Near the beginning of next month on the Pen Shop I have a more detail explanation with pics of my pen mill in the monthly newsletter showing the swap pen on that forum being made ( just for interest)

    The twist action using a penmill is needed to give some of the designs on Skiprats unit and the one in America. I do not intend to pursue a twist action that way myself.
    Something else is watch the chips fly only cut in one direction and use extraction.

    Sure is fun to plan and execute and yes I look forward to your take on cutters, speeds, shapes, dust etc.

    Regards Peter.Always in a rush.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Bendigo Victoria
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    Default

    Thanks Peter, it is certainly a whole new ball game to me.

    My comment about not being sure what you meant

    Not sure what you mean here?

    How will you scroll the blank as it is cutting.
    was directed at your question re the scrolling of the blank.

    I intend to leave the blank in one piece when I do the milling and cut it in half after. I am currently playing with truning up some special mandrels a bit like a closed end mandrel that expands.

    Look forward to your upcoming article, again my thanks for sharing your undoubted expertise.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Wales UK
    Posts
    91

    Default

    Fred,
    I've already told you how cool and pro it looks

    I think what Peter was refering to was rotating the blank while you milled, to do spirals.??

    I very much agree with him about cutter speed too. On soft material you really want warp speed..

    .......however

    how SLOW can you make your mill go? Perhaps slow enough to mill metal blanks?

    Heck, just sticking a slitting saw and arbor in the set up now, will produce some amazing 'feather' blanks.

    I hear what you say about becoming a tool junkie too But for me, making the gadget-jig-tool-thingame is often more rewarding than the finished pen
    My workshop is full to the rafters with prototypes

    All the best
    Steven

  12. #11
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    Jun 2007
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    Default

    Just caught up with this Fred well done interesting ideas come to mind also

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
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    NSW
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    Default

    I'm thinking "C and C" should maybe be "CNC"?
    (Short for Computer Numerically Controlled)

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