Thread: Pen Press Options

My Option is to use this style of bearing press mounted adjacent to the lathe at my eye height. I glued thin Corian under the press stem and lower down fitted aluminium with thin Corian on this piece. Its an old pic small as it is it still conveys my best answer following so many trials of other methods.

Kind regards Petrer.

This high tech unit works well for me and only cost $1.00.

Les

Drill Press does a fine job. I turned a 30mm round (about 40mm long) and then turned one end to about 15mm to fit the chuck.
Pretty cheap as well.

Bruce

Originally Posted by crow400

Drill Press does a fine job. I turned a 30mm round (about 40mm long) and then turned one end to about 15mm to fit the chuck.
Pretty cheap as well.

Bruce

Thanks guys, the drill press seems like a great idea - one slight hitch..... I don't have one!!

I do have plans to get one eventually as at the moment I drill all my blanks on the lathe with some pen jaws (they work quite well) but I need to find space in the shed before I can invest, so I was going for a much smaller option.

This is not a bad buy for what you get and will certainly do the job
http://www.garypye.com/Pen-Accessori...Press-p84.html

Cheers Ian

i use a bench vice with some aluminum angle for soft jaws, works a treat

MIK

Originally Posted by Gabriel

but I need to find space in the shed before I can invest, so I was going for a much smaller option.

If you don't have any space then you can use your lathe as a pen press by mounting between the headstock and tailstock and slowly wind the tailstock in, similar to a drill press.


Peter.

Originally Posted by Gabriel

Thanks guys, the drill press seems like a great idea - one slight hitch..... I don't have one!!

I do have plans to get one eventually as at the moment I drill all my blanks on the lathe with some pen jaws (they work quite well) but I need to find space in the shed before I can invest, so I was going for a much smaller option.

How are you drilling your blanks now?

Les

Originally Posted by Les in Red Deer

How are you drilling your blanks now?

Les

On the lathe with pen jaws for my chuck.... They work really well.... It takes a little longer than I would anticipate a drill press would take, but it does work well

Try these, or make your own up out of scrap hardwood...you have a "press" already, its called your lathe and tail stock!
I have used these, and made copies for buddies, they work great, and being able to crank the tailstock feed slowly allows a great deal of control, as does the arbor press Peter showed, and the drill press trick from Les.
I have 2 arbor presses a big one and one like Peters, the one like Peter's cost me $24.00 American at the made in China store, see whats available over there, try auto partsstores and automotive tool suppliers.

Originally Posted by Dorno

This is not a bad buy for what you get and will certainly do the job
http://www.garypye.com/Pen-Accessori...Press-p84.html

Cheers Ian

This is the one that I have and I think it is great. The tailstock (for want of another word) is spring loaded so you can place your pen components in the press under spring pressure, which allows you to maneuver the parts into line with both hands. Also very solidly built.

I was using a bench vice with plastic inserts over the metal but there is no guarantee that the pen will press together easily and without cracking. In the end I just bought a proper purpose made pen press for around $40. It does the job perfectly and was well worth the money. You will probably find the purpose made ones are all the same and made in the same factory in China, so just shop around for the best price from one of the pen suppliers we use.

Originally Posted by Dorno

This is not a bad buy for what you get and will certainly do the job
http://www.garypye.com/Pen-Accessori...Press-p84.html

Cheers Ian

I have one of these and find them easy to use as well,since i have moved up here to Maclean i have it mounted to my bench and i makes it more stable than having it just sitting on the bench top..

Mick!!!