• Thanks for visiting The Penturners Forum today.

    There are many features and resources that currently you are unable to see or access, either because you're not yet registered, or if you're already registered, because you're not logged in.

    To gain full access to the forum, please log in or register now. Registration is completely free, it only takes a few seconds, and you can join our well established community of like-minded pen makers.

pen press

jiminfife

Apprentice Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Posts
6
Location
Lochgelly, Fife
First Name
jim
Just wanted to ask what do you use for pressing pens, i have looked at the axminster one and don't really want to fork out £60, i have seen a few ideas on youtube but thought id ask to see what you guys recommend,
Thanks in advance
Jim
 

alpha1

Fellow
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Posts
1,175
Location
middlesbrough
First Name
Dave
I use an arbor press that I all ready had I normally use it with bushing dies for neck sizing cartridge cases it works a treat and sits nicely on a bench top its also highly portable you can use it on any flat surface. A bit more than £60 to buy though.
 

Bammer

Fellow
Joined
Oct 5, 2015
Posts
1,482
Location
Cambridge
First Name
Brad
Depends how many pens you make I guess

I've got a milescraft press, works a treat, easy peasy
 

flexi

Executive Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Posts
6,159
Location
Maidstone
First Name
mark
I have used loads.....from a simple G cramp in a vice.....an arbour press ( but it's a little limited, won't do steampunk pen)......I now use the Axminster press, real easy:thumbs::thumbs:
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
I use mainly a Bearing Press mounted at eye height adjacent to the lathe. From my swivel chair I finish the pen where I sit.
Peter.
 

Attachments

  • DSCF0003.JPG
    DSCF0003.JPG
    137.1 KB · Views: 210

AllenN

Fellow
Joined
May 20, 2013
Posts
2,242
Location
Lancaster, UK
First Name
Allen
I use my woodworking vice but gently! I have used a hardwood adapter on the lathe ( really a homemade version of the Charnwood device) but somehow I never felt it was doing the quill any good so I stopped. I have also used a simple lever clamp ( Screwfix) with the soft rubber ends covered with a hardwood sleeve to stop the pointed bits sticking in the soft rubber. For the most part the vice works very well but as I say go slowly and gently or you could undo all your good work.
 

martin.pearson

Full Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
Posts
223
Location
Balingry Fife
First Name
Martin
+1 for a woodworking vice, I already had one mounted on the bench when I started making pens, thought that it would do me to get started & I could upgrade to a proper pen press at some point in the future. Still not reached that point because I am still using the vice lol
If I were doing a lot of pens then I might look at getting one as it is probably quicker but I am probably never going to be making enough pens to make spending a lot of money on extra equipment really worth while.
 

21William

Fellow
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Posts
1,618
Location
Dorset
First Name
William
I use a bench vice. If I didn’t have that I’d use the tail stock on the lathe. £60 for a “pen press”, is that a joke?!
 

jiminfife

Apprentice Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Posts
6
Location
Lochgelly, Fife
First Name
jim
Thank you all for info, i have been trawling through you tube and decided to make my own, I have found a push/pull toggle clamp on eBay for a couple oh quid and i have enough scraps lying around the workshop i think i can put something together. An added bonus is the toggle clamps comes with a horrid red rubber handle that i get to remove and then attempt to turn a simple handle, my first attempt at a spindle If I'm allowed i will stick of pic up once i complete it
 

Frederick

Registered
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Posts
871
Location
Chatham
First Name
Frederick
I use my bench vice or the quill on my lathe. I do agree that some pen presses are a little on the pricy side which is why I don't have one; I don't think they are a necessary tool.

Cheers
Frederick
 

21William

Fellow
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Posts
1,618
Location
Dorset
First Name
William
Thank you all for info, i have been trawling through you tube and decided to make my own, I have found a push/pull toggle clamp on eBay for a couple oh quid and i have enough scraps lying around the workshop i think i can put something together. An added bonus is the toggle clamps comes with a horrid red rubber handle that i get to remove and then attempt to turn a simple handle, my first attempt at a spindle If I'm allowed i will stick of pic up once i complete it

Good idea. Let’s see pics when it’s finished.
I’ve noticed before that those toggle clamps can range from “that’s not bad” to “How much!” :funny:
 

jiminfife

Apprentice Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Posts
6
Location
Lochgelly, Fife
First Name
jim
my pen press

IMG_2047.jpgView attachment 39143IMG_2048.jpg

Almost finished my pen press, i used scrap cutting of sapele, cut blocks down to 20mm and shaped on the bandsaw to use as spacer's i drilled a 5.5mm hole through each spacer and half way through the stop block, i fixed the stop block and braced it, got a 300mm length of 5mm steel rod and fed it through the spacers and into the stop i could then mark the block for the toggle clamp to pass through and a matching hole for the steel rod, i removed the plastic handle from the clamp and using a 50mm square off cut i attempted to turn the handle, i turned the end section down to 18mm to suit inside diameter of some scrap aluminium tube i had, i cut a 25mm section as a ferrule, base and spacers are coated in a finishing oil, the handle i used sanding sealer then Hampshire sheen wax, i have ordered some samples of thick leather to cover the end of the clamp
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2046.jpg
    IMG_2046.jpg
    45.8 KB · Views: 77

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
My pressing takes place at the lathe using the Bearing press ,if the pen is too long I use a Swiss Styliss I picked up brand new a few years old for 20 bucks mounted just behind where I turn. Interesting to hear comments on price (age pensioner for nearly 23yrs now) ,when amortised as I do with everything I use the cost over twenty or more years is peanuts. In reference to drills I feel no compunction using drills that are unable to sharpen, I get so many drillings from them and I figure the flutes sharpness is critical also they are cheap as chips so to speak, especially when bought in sets the cost is quite small for the larger ones. Guess it comes down to buying,sole earner for eight for so long I have always regarded convenience and quality as essential. Besides my main workshop consists of a double garage with two single garages in front that started as car ports then built in.

Renewing my house and contents last week the firm asked me how many sheds on the property and it came to eight plus a 20 ft shipping container for my bits and pieces as well. I clearly remember the container being slid off a truck 12 feet from where I wanted it and levering it on my own all 21/2 ton of it into position with a length of steam pipe and a one foot square block, lifting the corners one at a time the same way while Wilma slid a concrete block under. I was given top sheets of 11/4 inch top sheets of laminated stuff 12 feet long by 8 feet wide I loaded on my 6X4 feet traiier three at a time from quite some distance away, arriving home slicing the sheets to twelve feet by two feet and Wilma and I lugging them into the shipping container where I had welded large angle brackets for them. All scary stuff in retrospect,Wilma would forbid me to use the trailer and climbing on the roof, using ladders since I am a frequent flier these days (involuntary falls).

Last year I without my prompting fell from just three steps out the front door onto the old Mercedes all wheel drive onto the huge rear vision mirror,it buried right in to the spleen and took out two ribs. I came inside told my lass I think I busted a couple of ribs and went out back and finished weling a stand for my Carnivorous Plants. Next day Sunday I made a necessary trip by ambulance not feeling too bright where they confirmed two busted ribs etc.

People would like to bully and try to restrict my endeavors these days of very old age but with the help of a Disability Scooter in the boot of both vehicles I remain the sole driver and we live an independant life in our own home quite happily. My wide by the way is 5 feet !!/2 inches and 6 stone 7lbs when we married nearly 64 yrs ago.When I freefell off the roof a year or two back surrounded by 6 doctors and the boss doctor asked my dribbly name I was tempted to say stupid but I do like to have a go.

Bottom line I rarely remove anything from the headstock of my lathes and tend to use some things dedicated to purpose if they are needed often.OLd age is not for cissies,off to the specialist to finalise last months operation on both feet,bless the day I bought the disabilty scooters. Wilma is always saying don,t go so fast but they are so much fun for me.Aged Care helped me buy a ne one last year and I kept the old 2nd hand one and value both in the boot of the car,the battery pack is really heavy for both.

Kind regards to everyone,have a good year.

Peter.
 
Warning! This thread has not had any replies for over a year. You are welcome to post a reply here, but it might be better to start a new thread (and maybe include a link to this one if you need to).
Top