I drill all my pen blanks on the lathe. It takes a little bit longer than using a drill press, but I find it to be more accurate, both in terms of the hole size and drilling through the center of the blank. The later is particularly important when drilling a segmented blank, as you need to drill directly through the center of the design. I’m sure others have slightly different techniques, so feel free to post any comments or tips on something I may not have mentioned. The pen blanks I show here are cherry. A customer ordered a couple of Perfect Fits and supplied a slab of cherry from which I milled these two blanks.
You can click on any of the images to see a larger version.
The first thing I do is mark the center of each end using a center finder and a marking knife. Once I locate the center I will mark it with a spring loaded automatic punch
I will then mount the blank on the lathe between centers and knock the edges off with a spindle roughing gouge. Then, starting at one end of the blank, I will turn it round to 3/4″. I use a 3/4″ wrench as a gauge. Once the wrench drops over the blank it is at the correct size. Moving the wrench to the side will burnish the wood and show you clearly where the blank still needs to be turned down.
Once the blank has been turned down to 3/4″ diameter, I move the tool rest closer to the blank and rest the tubes on it and the blanks. Looking at the grain, I mark where I plan on cutting the upper and lower barrels. I normally cut my blanks using a crosscut sled on my table saw, so I allow for the kerf of the blade between the upper and lower barrels. I also mark the two barrels and draw a couple witness lines at the center band.
Then I’ll sharpen my drill bits. I use a set of Harbor Freight bits and sharpen them using a Drill Doctor
The shot below shows the tools I use to do the actual drilling on the lathe. From left to right, PSI collet chuck, center bits and 1/2″ drill chuck. I found that when I started using the center bits, my drilling on the lathe really improved. A big thanks to “rherrel” on the IAP for turning me on to that!
When I mount the blank in the collet chuck I will orientate it so that the entry hole is on the center band side. Using a center drill that is slightly smaller than the drill bit I need to use, I will drill a starter hole in the blank. The tail stock is locked down on the lathe bed. As I advance the quill in the tail stock by rotating the handle with my right hand, I will apply pressure to the lock lever with my left hand, to the point where it starts to become a little difficult to rotate the handle. I find that pressure on the quill seems to stabilize things a bit and reduce any possible vibration.
Then I will mount the drill bit in the drill chuck, and applying pressure to the lever, start drilling the blank. I run my lathe between 400 to 500 rpm while drilling. I will typically drill about 1/2 to 1″ at a time. If I see the flutes are clearing the chips then I’ll keep on drilling. The moment I stop seeing chips being ejected, I will stop the lathe, back out the tail stock using the wheel, clear the flutes, advance the whole tail stock forward, lock it down, turn on the lathe and start advancing the drill bit by rotating the wheel. I’ll repeat this until I feel the drill bit exiting the blank.
Before I remove the blank from the collet chuck, I will push the tube into the hole to check the fit and to confirm that I have drilled deep enough. Here are shots of the tube in the blank showing both the entry and exit holes.
Then I’ll repeat the procedure on the other blank. Once done, I’ll mount a 60 degree live and dead center in the lathe and sand the tubes with some 100 grit paper.
Back at my workbench I plug the tubes with dental wax. Then I’ll coat the inside of the blanks with gorilla glue using a q-tip, dip the tubes in some water and then insert them in the blank with a twisting action. Gorilla glue expands as it cures and sometimes will push the tube out of the blank so I use some small clamps until the glue cures.
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Keith,
As you know, the “conventional wisdom” demands that we stop short of exiting the blank when drilling, so we don’t “blow up” the material. Have you used this method on resins, palm wood, and other blanks that would typically show “exit wounds”??
I would suspect that the additional support you are providing with your collet MIGHT eliminate the “blow up” syndrome, but I would be hesitant to say anything authoritative, one way or another.
Thanks for the article, it is well-done!!
Ed
I use this method on all my pen blanks Ed. I have limited experience with resins and plastics, but those that I have made have all been drilled this way. You’re right about the exit hole not being supported. Maybe the collet provides some of the support. I also am in the habit of sharpening the drill bit each time before I drill and advancing the drill slowly towards the end of the hole.
Or maybe it just “dumb luck” 🙂
Thanks for the comments!
I was impressed with the dental wax for keeping glue out of the tubes while glueing them to the blanks. Where do you get this product, and does it come in a sheet like you pictured, or do you press in into a flat piece with which to work?
How do you cut your designes so precisely with your scroll saw? Are you sanding the pieces smoothe after the cut before joining them back together?
Rock
Rock
I get the dental wax from Arizona Silhouette. Here is the address It cost thirty cents a sheet, I got ten sheets and they have lasted me forever.
As far as cutting my designs on the scrollsaw, I draw a pattern and then stick that to the pen blank with spray adhesive. Then I just cut along the pattern line. The cut from the scroll saw is generally smooth enough for a glue joint, although I will normally sand them lightly.
Where did you buy your collet chuck. I looked all over and couldn’t find one.
I got mine from Penn State.
Collet Chuck
It has a 1″ x 8 thread so I use it with an adapter when I use it on my 1642, but it threads right on my Jet mini lathe.