Keeping cut pen blanks together

[TonyQ]

Since I normally make acrylic pens, I've never had a problem keeping the two pieces of a blank together once I've drilled and glued them. However, I'm now turning batches of wooden ones, and so it became a problem. My simple solution was a piece of plastic-coated chipboard with 4" nails mounted into it. Now when I cut a blank as part of a batch I can put the two pieces on a pair of nails, keeping them the right way up, so that I can be sure to match the grain when I complete the pen. It's a cheap, simple jig, but I now wonder why I didn't make it years ago! No, I know it's not elegant, but it is functional.

 

[Hallelujahal]

Cool! Though imagine having a much larger production run…you’d end up with a complete bed of nails

 

[TVS]

I done the same for spraying the tubes but with 1/4" doweling

 

[flexi]

As with Woody above I have a strip of Mdf with 6mm dowels glued in. I also have some clips slid over to clip the Penkit bags too if doing odd kits( stops getting mixed up)

 

[Phil Dart]

I also put a small mark inside each tube at the centre band end, with a black permanent marker. They're fine all the while the tubes are on the "bed of nails" but you still need to identify which end is which when you pick them up, (or if you drop one)

 

[Rich Aldrich]

I also put a small mark inside each tube at the centre band end, with a black permanent marker. They're fine all the while the tubes are on the "bed of nails" but you still need to identify which end is which when you pick them up, (or if you drop one)

I do mostly what Phil does!

 

[Curly]

Cool! Though imagine having a much larger production run…you’d end up with a complete bed of nails

That's the pillow.

Pete

 

[Curly]

I mark the outside of the blank with a big "----". Cut through the blank and then transfer the mark to the inside to make aligning the grain easier when I put it together.

Pete

 

[pittswood]

Like Phil, I put a black marker pen line on the two ends that have to match up on the fountain and roller ball pens.
Kelvin

 

[Bill Mooney]

I mark my blanks A/A, B/B etc. before cutting & drilling to match the grain up.
I use knitting needles for my finished blanks & stick a cork on the end. I get 3 sets of 2 blanks with grain matching or 6.single blanks on a needle.