In search of a BETTER pen press
 

I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

Ken
I just use the drill press. I put a bolt in the chuck and a piece of ply on
the table. It works a treat.

Darrell
www.aroundthewoods.com


"kcleere" wrote in message
ups.com...
I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

Yes I bet that works great and I have several friends that do it, As it
is though, I get tired of going back and forth from drill bit to pen
barell trimmer on that drill press. I don't want to introduce yet
another task to use the drill press for. I like having all the final
assebly done up on the bench. I just need to look for a really heavy
duty toggle that won't flex.


Thanks

Ken


Darrell Feltmate wrote:
Ken
I just use the drill press. I put a bolt in the chuck and a piece of ply on
the table. It works a treat.

Darrell
www.aroundthewoods.com


"kcleere" wrote in message
ups.com...
I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

"kcleere" wrote in
ps.com:

Yes I bet that works great and I have several friends that do it, As
it is though, I get tired of going back and forth from drill bit to
pen barell trimmer on that drill press. I don't want to introduce yet
another task to use the drill press for. I like having all the final
assebly done up on the bench. I just need to look for a really heavy
duty toggle that won't flex.


Thanks

Ken


Darrell Feltmate wrote:
Ken
I just use the drill press. I put a bolt in the chuck and a piece of
ply on the table. It works a treat.

Darrell
www.aroundthewoods.com


"kcleere" wrote in message
ups.com...
I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The
push toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around
slop in the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press
and want to make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good
heavy duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was
handled on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great
too.

Thanks....Ken




I use a simple pipe clamp that is supported up off the bench by blocks
and held in place by small hand clamp. Works well and can be
disaasembled in just a minute.

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

You could make one very easily out of an old bottle-capping press. I see
them available for a few bux at flea markets from time to time. I have also
used a thing from Harbor Freight that is intended for pressing in glasier's
points.

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

On 29 Jun 2006 09:00:50 -0700, "kcleere"
wrote:

I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

i use a harbor freight arbor press. works great and can be mounted to
your assembly bench in a matter of minuts. cheaper than a good pen
press too!

skeez

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

I use a cable assembly press that I got for about $2 at a swap meet -
like a light duty arbor press. you can make your own very easiy out
of many different designs, but it's probably faster to just get a
small arbor press

On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 01:19:07 GMT, skeezics
wrote:

On 29 Jun 2006 09:00:50 -0700, "kcleere"
wrote:

I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

i use a harbor freight arbor press. works great and can be mounted to
your assembly bench in a matter of minuts. cheaper than a good pen
press too!

skeez
Bill

www.wbnoble.com

to contact me, do not reply to this message,
instead correct this address and use it

will iam_ b_ No ble at msn daught com

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

On 29 Jun 2006 09:00:50 -0700, "kcleere" wrote:

I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

I modified my PSI press with an eye bolt, but I've heard of a few folks making
their own pen presses out of those can crusher things that you buy for $10..

Also, regarding the PSI press, I also made a few extra slotted blocks for it...
the first time that I put a key chain pen kit together and had to use my bench
vice, because the press wouldn't reach..

Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

I use a pipe clamp


kcleere wrote:
I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

I have also made some extra blocks for the press but what did you use
an eye bolt for?

wrote:
I use a pipe clamp


kcleere wrote:
I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

Hi Ken,

Mt solution to a simple but effective pen assembly press is the wood
vice on my work bench. Hold parts in position with one hand, tighten
the vice with the other... Been doing it for years and it has never
failed me.

Bob


Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

On 2 Jul 2006 15:03:43 -0700, "kcleere" wrote:

I have also made some extra blocks for the press but what did you use
an eye bolt for?

I got tired of having to line up the center of the ram with the center of the
press block.. like others have said, it lifts and makes the ram go high...

I tried mounting a stiffer plate under the ram but that made it lock up, so I
ended up drilling a hole in the base about an inch in front of the of the metal
baseplate and putting the eyebolt over the shaft (you have to take the nut and
stuff off the end of the rod) with the threaded part of the eyebolt through the
hole in the base with a locknut on the end...

The eyebolt is as far from the base as I could get it without preventing the ram
from fully retracting, so it adds just a bit of alignment help... but mostly
tells me that the assembly needs bending down again when the rod rubs the top of
the eyebolt opening..

I read what I just typed and confused myself, so I guess I'll have to drag the
camera out there.. *g*


wrote:
I use a pipe clamp


kcleere wrote:
I currently use a pen press from PSI and it's only "Adequate", The push
toggle flexes up under pressure and theres a little all around slop in
the opposite pressing surface. I like this style of press and want to
make my own.

Just wondered if anyone has built their own and has found a good heavy
duty horizontal toggle that didn't flex and also how flex was handled
on the other end. Any pics you might have would be great too.

Thanks....Ken

Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

Has anyone thought of using their lathe as a pen press? After all,
you can turn all the adapters you want, and there's a ram in the
tailstock...

I thought of this last night as I was using my tailstock to press 3/4"
ball feet blanks onto a 1/4" jam chuck.

In search of a BETTER pen press
 

On 03 Jul 2006 12:39:31 -0400, DJ Delorie wrote:


Has anyone thought of using their lathe as a pen press? After all,
you can turn all the adapters you want, and there's a ram in the
tailstock...

I thought of this last night as I was using my tailstock to press 3/4"
ball feet blanks onto a 1/4" jam chuck.

The main problem there for me, and maybe it's because this all started with my
Shopsmith, is that we tend to give the lathe too many jobs...

Unless i came up with something that left the pen mandrel in the spindle and
such, it would require going to a production mode and pressing them all at once
or turning a pen and changing to a press, them back to turning mode...
It's just not worth it to me...


Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm