I'm on so many meds I can't think straight anymore, but my heart keeps on
ticking!

I'm trying to figure out how I could put a 3/4" or 5/8" square pen blank in
a chuck so I can drill it on the lathe. I have a Jacobs chuck but it is only
1/2". I have a Nova chuck and could get smaller jaws but is there a better
way of accomplishing this?
--

Bob Darrah
West Linn, Oregon

http://www.teknatool.com/products/Ch...es/jawset1.htm

The pin jaws are so great for this and so many other things, you'd thing
they'd be standard.

"Bob Darrah" wrote in message
...
I'm on so many meds I can't think straight anymore, but my heart keeps on
ticking!

I'm trying to figure out how I could put a 3/4" or 5/8" square pen blank
in
a chuck so I can drill it on the lathe. I have a Jacobs chuck but it is
only
1/2". I have a Nova chuck and could get smaller jaws but is there a better
way of accomplishing this?
--

Bob Darrah
West Linn, Oregon

George wrote:
http://www.teknatool.com/products/Ch...es/jawset1.htm

The pin jaws are so great for this and so many other things, you'd thing
they'd be standard.

I'd second that. Thinking about it, I probably do 2/3 of my turning with
those jaws, bottle stoppers, spurtles, small face plate turnings and
probably a whole bunch of other less frequent chores.

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning

Hi Bob

Bob do you have a drill press ?
If so, you could build a jigg to drill the blanks on the drill press.
If not, get the smaller jaw set for your lathe chuck.

Bob Darrah wrote:

I'm on so many meds I can't think straight anymore, but my heart keeps on
ticking!

I'm trying to figure out how I could put a 3/4" or 5/8" square pen blank in
a chuck so I can drill it on the lathe. I have a Jacobs chuck but it is only
1/2". I have a Nova chuck and could get smaller jaws but is there a better
way of accomplishing this?

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

aaah, why not mount the blank between centers and turn it round, then put it
in your jacob's chuck? If you have some weird pen that needs more than 1/2
inch diameter, then turn a tennon on the wood and put that into the jacob's
chuck
"Bob Darrah" wrote in message
...
I'm on so many meds I can't think straight anymore, but my heart keeps on
ticking!

I'm trying to figure out how I could put a 3/4" or 5/8" square pen blank
in
a chuck so I can drill it on the lathe. I have a Jacobs chuck but it is
only
1/2". I have a Nova chuck and could get smaller jaws but is there a better
way of accomplishing this?
--

Bob Darrah
West Linn, Oregon

I'm trying to figure out how I could put a 3/4" or 5/8" square pen blank
in a chuck so I can drill it on the lathe. I have a Jacobs chuck but it
is
only 1/2". I have a Nova chuck and could get smaller jaws but is there
a better way of accomplishing this?

Probably a lot of people will tell me that I'm risking life and limb but
this system works for me. I've never even gotten a scratch while drilling
this way.

First, put a Jacobs chuck with the appropriate size BRAD point bit in the
headstock. Put a live center with a good sharp point in the tailstock.

Mark the centers on both ends of the blank and dimple the spot with an awl.

Suspend the blank between to points of the bit and the live center.

Put a heavy glove on your 'holding' hand. I'm right handed so I tend to hold
with my left hand. I use a heavy leather work glove.

Hold the blank in place, start the lathe and feed the blank into the bit
with the tailstock screw. Drill as always clearing chips often and don't try
feeding too fast, overheating the blank.

When I've nearly come through the blank, I stop and put a small piece of
scrap 1/4" plywood between the tailstock and the blank. Keep drilling until
the bit breaks through into the plywood.

I've drilled ebony, bloodwood, walnut, Osage orange and a bunch of others
this way and with (knock wood) 100% success.

I'm trying to figure out how I could put a 3/4" or 5/8" square pen blank
in
a chuck so I can drill it on the lathe. I have a Jacobs chuck but it is
only
1/2". I have a Nova chuck and could get smaller jaws but is there a better
way of accomplishing this?

here's an unteste idea:
if you have a mortising chisel/bit; then try drilling between two clamped
boards
so that a square hole is formed between them. if you drill holes through
them and
insert a bolt with a wing nut and washer, then only one clamp would be
necessary
and the wing nut would allow you to tighten up on the pen blank that would
go into
the square hole when drilling. this should give you the vertical alignment
of the square
hole and you won't have to worry about drilling the bolt holes in line with
each other.

however, the above may not work if mortising chisel/bits won't drill between
boards.
rich

I sent a message thanking all that had posted but it never came thru. Glad
it didn't because there were additional postings when I looked tonight.

There are some good ideas here and I think I can bring off drilling on a
lathe. I had seen it done but couldn't remember where or how. Harry Pye's
idea jogged my memory on both accounts.

But there are several great ideas here and I will give several a try to be
sure I comfortable with the one I choose to use.

Thanks to all!

Bob
"Bob Darrah" wrote in message
...
I'm on so many meds I can't think straight anymore, but my heart keeps on
ticking!

I'm trying to figure out how I could put a 3/4" or 5/8" square pen blank
in a chuck so I can drill it on the lathe. I have a Jacobs chuck but it is
only 1/2". I have a Nova chuck and could get smaller jaws but is there a
better way of accomplishing this?
--

Bob Darrah
West Linn, Oregon