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How do people drill there pen blanks

trapper

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Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Posts
252
I use one of two methods dependant on if the blanks round or square. For the square(ish) ones i use my pillar drill and Planet pen blank vice.Sometimes i'll just use it to drill small holes at each end with a centre bit then turn the blank between centres before putting it on my metalworking lathe to bore the blank....... I do this particularly if the blank is longer than usual. The accurancy of the metal worker gives pretty much a dead centre bore in this way and almost never gives any blowouts
 

clumsysod

GOBBY GIT
Graduate Member
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Apr 7, 2013
Posts
687
Location
Grantham
Am I missing something here?
If you have a bent drill bit you get a bigger hole.
If you have a straight dril bit its right diameter.
How can you drill a bent hole?
 

turnaround360

Caracktycus Pots
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Mar 6, 2013
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2,427
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Essex
First Name
Frank
I drill some on the lathe and some on the drill press take your time and remove the swarf often don't force the the drill bit or it will take the easiest route and the hole wont be straight or it will blowout my two penneth Frankie.
 

trapper

Registered
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Feb 13, 2013
Posts
252
[Without joiking there is away to drill a hole around a crescent........ i'll look it up as I can't remember the detail......... here's something to keep you occupied turn on get an old bake been tin drill a hole through the sides right through the diameter, now attach a laser pen to one hole shine it through now hold the can under the tap and fill the tin......... who says you can't bend light?
 

ataylor

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Nov 6, 2011
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Andy
I drill some on the lathe and some on the pillar drill, get more off set with the drill tan with the lathe. :bwink:
 

clumsysod

GOBBY GIT
Graduate Member
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Apr 7, 2013
Posts
687
Location
Grantham
Maybe I am getting this wrong or have been very lucky so far, but every hole I drill is straight.
Whether on pilar drill, lathe or by hand.
It may not have gone in the intended place but it is still straight nevertheless.
Surely even if you went in at the total wrong angle and driiled through the side of the blank you still have a straight hole.
Trim the top and bottom to make it usable and drill another through the side for the next tube.
The important thing is getting the wood or whatever material square to the tube.
 

arcos

Apprentice Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Posts
9
I take my cordless drill, hold the blank in my other hand and drill away! :whistling:

No disasters yet and, as long as the hole is not too close to the edge on exit will turn without out too much problem once trimmed
 

Ian

Apprentice Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Posts
49
Location
Mosgiel New Zealand
I use a jig I made that slides along the bed, chuck with bit in headstock and push the blank onto the bit clearing often ,6.9 mm bit for slimline

Ian
 

ataylor

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Nov 6, 2011
Posts
1,668
Location
UK
First Name
Andy
I take my cordless drill, hold the blank in my other hand and drill away! :whistling:

No disasters yet and, as long as the hole is not too close to the edge on exit will turn without out too much problem once trimmed

I am sure if you keep at this routine your disaster will happen. :bwink:
 

Terry

Chairman Plonker
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Jan 31, 2013
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An exile Geordie living in Kingston upon Hull
First Name
Terry
Arcos, please stop doing that before you hurt yourself. Even holding the blank in a vice would be better (but no more accurate).

I use the Sorby pen blank drilling jaws on the lathe but in the past i have used drill presses and drilld in stands to good effect.

I was thinking of getting some of those jaws Walter. I think they are around £24. It seems you are in favour of them.
Regards
Terry
 

Walter

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Amble on the sunny Northumberland coast.
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Walter
I was thinking of getting some of those jaws Walter. I think they are around £24. It seems you are in favour of them.
Regards
Terry

If you already have a Nova or Sorby chuck I think they are a good choice. Stronger than the PSI pen blank chuck.

For anyone with an Axminster chuck their engineers jaws will do the job too but a bit expensive if that's all you are going to use them for.
 
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