Thread: Needle Holder Key Ring

Like pens, the wood should finish flush with the end of the brass tube.

I gather you don't have, or use, a pen mill? :confused: They're a fitting a bit like a backwards-built forstner bit (eg. http://au.store.yahoo.com/cws-store/...lsbushes.html) and are used to square up the pen blank flush to the end of the brass tube before turning.

You can also buy bushes that fit the pen mandrel for the needle case you're making and, oddly enough, these bushes will also fit over the pen-mill...

If you can't afford the mill just yet, I suggest trimming the blanks as close (and as aquare) as you can get before gluing the blank. As for the one you've glued, well... perhaps you can cut the wood back as close as you can w/out damaging the tube and using a power sander or similar to bring it square.


Good luck, happy turning!

I've got the penmill and I do use it when I'm prepping pen blanks.

I'll have to take some pics of this beast, but the construction definately requires that the brass tube is recessed inside the wood about 3mm.

I'll take some pics and show you.
Cheers
Paul

Originally Posted by smidsy

I've got the penmill and I do use it when I'm prepping pen blanks.

I'll have to take some pics of this beast, but the construction definately requires that the brass tube is recessed inside the wood about 3mm.

I'll take some pics and show you.

Sounds like a good idea, it must be a different kit to those I'm used to. [shrug]

I gather you meant that you had to square it to 3mm from the tube end then? I haven't had to do that small a gap before, but I've had kits that required 5mm or greater.

I simply cut a piece from another tube of same dia to roughly the right length, then find a bolt to fit inside and adjust the nut so the end of the bolt is the length I want. A lock-nut's a good idea, BTW. I then slip the tube over the end of the bolt and using the bolt as a handle cum depth-gauge grind or sand the tube 'til flush with the bolt end.

Bingo! A spacer to slip over the pen mill/bush to give you the required gap...

Hope I've explained that clearly? :confused:

Paul

Drill the hole to take the tube into a blank that is exactly 10 mm longer than the tube. Mark 5 mm on a piece of dowel, nail, bolt or whatever will fit inside the hole. Glue the tube into the blank and push it in with the dowel till the 5 mm mark aligns with the end of the blank. The tube is now exactly centered 5 mm from each end of the blank. Drill two pieces of wood, about a quarter the length of a pen blank, ie about 30 mm each with a 6 mm hole ( 1/4" ) which will then fit snug on the mandrel. Put that on your pen mandrel and turn one end of each of the two to a very shallow taper so that the end bits will fit inside the 10 mm keyring tube. Use your pen mandrel, put one tapered piece on it, slide the keyring blank assembly over the tapered end, then slide the next tapered block on with the tapered end into the tube. Do up the mandrel. Turn to the right shape and diameter. As you allowed 5 mm on each side of the brass tube but only need 3, turn each end off 2 mm, tightening up the mandrel if necessary. That will square up the ends.

What was the problem????? Wood turning is all about lateral thinking, not masses of expensive gear.
BTW the cost is about 2 minutes to make the tapered pieces from scrapp wood.

Cheers Joe,
I also found that this kit is also referred to as a secret key ring - that's what it's called on the Gary Pye website.
Cheers
Paul

Originally Posted by smidsy

Cheers Joe,
I also found that this kit is also referred to as a secret key ring - that's what it's called on the Gary Pye website.
Cheers
Paul

Now Now Paul, don't you dare let the secret out!