Put the Jacobs Chuck (and drillbit) in the tailstock, and grip the
wood with your NovaChuck. You may have to saw the block in half,
because the bit can't reach the bottom of the full blank.
BRBR

I second that (about halving the blank). You need to do that anyway. Make a
mark on the side of the wood to indicate where the center joint is, and drill
each half from the marked end. If you do it this way, the hole will be in the
center at the marked join on both halves and your grain lines will match better
on the finished pen. Otherwise, even if the bit is long enough to go through
your match won't be as good.
If you have a drill press that's the easiest and best way to drill blanks. Make
yourself a clamping jig made of two 1 X 3's, about a foot long. Cut a notch
about 1/4" deep across both pieces with your tablesaw with the blade set at 45
degrees a couple of inches from one end. Make one pass, then flip end for end
and make another pass so you end up with a 45 degree half-square cut in each
piece. When you put them together you have a square hole on a diagonal. Then on
the end closest to the dadoes, screw on a hinge. Now your pen blank will fit in
the dado with the marked end up and you position it vertically on the drill
press table, holding the long ends together like a clamp. It's very easy to
drill pen blanks this way. For most woods I use the fastest speed of the drill
press and I use a Woodcraft 7mm pen turner's bit for the 7mm tubes. I do it
this way all the time with great success. This procedure is also shown in Kip
Christensen and Rex Burningham's book "Turning Pens and Pencils" available from
Craft Supplies USA in Utah. A great book that explains all the ins and outs of
pen turning.
-Jim Gott-
San Jose, CA