Thread: Finish to square blank

Pen Mill providing you are using the correct dia bit in the tube will keep the mill square to the end of the tube. I am fortunate to have a disc sander so I use that in combination with a mitre gauge which is set square to the sanding disc. works every time.

ah just re read your post !! I do it very much the same way, and with great care.

Cheers
Tony.

This is an ongoing idea i have not tried myself as yet, i'd call it a "roundtoit" but making a wooden "pen mill" type thing, where you turn down a post onto some round stock that the pen tube will just slide over with a flat base. Cut out a circle of sandpaper then use the pen kit tube (a 2nds one) to punch a hole in the middle of it, then fit the paper over the post you turned. Slide the turned pen and tube over the post with the sandpaper at the bottom, push lightly and mill it flat. So duplicating the pen mill in wood but instead of cutters and teeth you'd have a flat fine grade sandpaper surface that would eliminate sanding back and forth over the ca (perhaps cracking it away) or unwanted angles on the finalised kit.

just an idea.

Neal.

edit: you could probably buy a pen mill (with the interchangeable dia posts) flip the cutters backwards and do a similar thing with the paper and the flat base of the mill.?

Hey guys ,drop " BIG SHED " a pm he makes one that uses sandpaper to square it off , NO
more breakouts / tearouts on the ends ,im happy with mine !!!

Greg, this should get you a look at Fred's sanders. I made up some of these to fit different size kits. I realised afterwards that I should have only made one to suit the Slimline kit, and then use wooden bushes to make it fit all the other kits. This is what I did for the kits that I don't have sanders to suit.

If you are concerned about keeping your blanks square for final sanding this can be easily achieved on your drill press . simply find your best fitting drill for the tube ,place it upside down in your drill press ,eg point up and holding on the flutes. have a nice flat surface on your table to sit the sandpaper on ,slide your blank over the drill and lower it so it just clears the paper and the blank is free to turn by hand on the sandpaper ,this will get them as square as your table is hehe. you can use transfer punches if available in place of drill bits , Cheers ~ John
Ps sand by hand don't use the drill ,you should at this point only have a smidgeon to remove off your blank.

Hey Greg, I do it the same way as you. I've had no problem with out of square ends, although I have on occasions sanded off the corners of my fingernails, and the tips of my fingers. I had to get fingerprinted at police headquarters last month (security license) and the police woman doing it couldn't get a proper print off my right hand thumb, forefinger & index finger, ha ha. Tips of fingers sanded smooth.

I do basically what John does but I use the transfer punches on the lathe.

Thanks for the ideas but it is not quite was I was looking for. I will stick to the hand sanding as it works with the larger blanks but is harder for the smaller blanks. I will think of something shortly and let you know.

Pariss - criminals have paid fortunes to have their fingerprints removed. Just think of the business opportunities if you teach pen turning and sanding.

Greg

I find using Johns method I have no problem getting the ends nice an square.

I use a worn out pen mill reversed with 100grit glued to the back, 10 seconds and the end is done.
Kryn