DIY Pen Press

[JasonStump]

I have been looking at pen presses online and they all require adding and removing spacers to press. I made this with a leftover piece of t-track from a drill press table top that I made. I drilled the "bowl" area, joined 2 pieces of scrap poplar. I poured a layer of Plasti-Dip in the bowl. The sliding block has a hole in one side for pressing pens with exposed treads eliminating the need for a scrap block with a hole. The cam lever is from Rockler but any knob would work too. I turned a longer handle for the toggle clamp and re-used a ferrule from a broken chisel.

 

[Cwalker935]

very clever

 

[tomtedesco]

Great idea

 

[wyone]

Great work... one idea.. can you add a spring somehow to hold things in place before you finish clamping the block down? I only say this as I have the Milescraft pen press and LOVE it.. but the one feature I love most is that it is very easy to align the pen in it because the spring holds it all in place. I am thinking.. just a spring somewhere... would pull the block tight.. and then you could lock the block down

Just a thought.. but I love your ingenuity

 

[magpens]

Great idea ! I'd like to build one too. Where did you buy the toggle clamp at the left hand end, please ? Thanks.

 

[JasonStump]

Thanks!!!

Thanks

The toggle clamp I already had. Purchased a few years back at Toggle Clamps - The Toggle Clamp Store

Good point with the spring. I did play around with some spring/tension ideas. Since the handle pulls down to press, I was gonna try a small eye-hook in the handle and attach a spring or small bungee from there to around the push rod. Keeping tension down on the handle.

 

[OLDMAN5050]

Well done....

 

[chartle]

I made a wood one and first used a knob and bolt in a slot but changed it over to a pin system, it just didn't hold. Also moved the one attachment point on the handle down to give it more pressure.

I still use a pony clamp with UHMW pads for when I need fine control or really need to put the spurs to it.