New to Chucks

[bookboy22]

I have a Nova II Comet lathe. I have been turning pens for a while but have gotten a few unique requests to create a unique pen. One that is drilled on one end only. Think of it as a pool cue or drum stick. I have built a couple of these the best way I know how to, and they have come out good, however, the only way I have done so is by using a chuck that clamps around the piece. I clamp the wood piece in, turn it do the desired diameter. When I am done with that, then I remove it form the lathe, cut off the end that I had in the chuck. My dilemma is how do I now round off the end and complete the sanding and finish? I was wrapping the end and putting that in the chuck, but it just ends up marring up the wood anyhow. Plus, I can't finish the entire thing in one setting either. No matter what I try, the piece ends up with gouges and off the lathe, I can't seem to get a good finish to it.

Am I using the incorrect jaws or chuck for this, is there any alternate ways of doing this? I was thinking I could drill the other end, then once I am done plug the end I don't want to have a hole. But that would end up leaving a filled in hole! Not what my desire was there. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Robert Taylor]

Pictures would surely help, but if I understand what you are doing I would reccomend a "collet" chuck.

 

[qquake]

The only thing I can suggest is to sand and finish it while it's still in the chuck, then part it off with either a parting tool or a hacksaw. As for jaws, there are pen blank drilling jaws for chucks. I don't know if they would help you or not.

 

[KenB259]

I have a Nova II Comet lathe. I have been turning pens for a while but have gotten a few unique requests to create a unique pen. One that is drilled on one end only. Think of it as a pool cue or drum stick. I have built a couple of these the best way I know how to, and they have come out good, however, the only way I have done so is by using a chuck that clamps around the piece. I clamp the wood piece in, turn it do the desired diameter. When I am done with that, then I remove it form the lathe, cut off the end that I had in the chuck. My dilemma is how do I now round off the end and complete the sanding and finish? I was wrapping the end and putting that in the chuck, but it just ends up marring up the wood anyhow. Plus, I can't finish the entire thing in one setting either. No matter what I try, the piece ends up with gouges and off the lathe, I can't seem to get a good finish to it.

Am I using the incorrect jaws or chuck for this, is there any alternate ways of doing this? I was thinking I could drill the other end, then once I am done plug the end I don't want to have a hole. But that would end up leaving a filled in hole! Not what my desire was there. Thanks for any ideas.

PSI sells this mandrel for that purpose. I haven't used one so I can't comment on its effectiveness.

 

[monophoto]

If I understand correctly, you are making a 'closed end' pen in which the blank is drilled from one end, but the other end is left intact and eventually sanded and finished.. To do that, you are gripping the blank with your scroll chuck from one end (which will eventually be the closed end), and drilling and turning the barrel. So the question is how you you grip the blank the time comes to filp it around and finish the closed end.

The solution I would use is a pin chuck. A pin chuck is basically a metal rod that fits within the drilled barrel. There is a flat area filed on the side of the rod, and a small bit of metal is placed in the flat - then, when the rod is inserted into the barrel and rotated, that bit of metal wedges against the inside of the barrel to lock the blank into place. The rod can be gripped in a standard scroll chuck while you turn, sand and finish the closed end of the barrel.

I made my pin chuck from a length of aluminum rod that I purchased at the hardware store. I mounted it in a scroll chuck, and used the lathe to turn down the diameter to match the ID of the pen barrel. I used a carbide tool, but you can turn aluminum on a wood lathe with conventional HSS tools, or you could just use a file to reduce the diameter of the rod as it spins on the lathe. Then, I filed a flat on one side. The small bit of metal that I use is simply a finishing nail with the head cut off.

There are several ways to actually use a pin chuck to make a closed-end pen. The way I have done it is:
1. Grip the blank in a scroll chuck, and then drill a 'blind' hole from one end.
2. Glue in the tube, and face off the open end using a disc sander.
3. Mount the blank with the glued-in tube on the pin chuck to turn and sand the entire body. This way, I can do the entire pen body in one step without having to remount the blank. An optional step is to use the tail stock for added security up to the point where I need to turn and sand the closed end. For this to work, the pin chuck has to be made to match the ID of the pen tube, but that's not a big deal since the pin chuck is shop made; you can easily make several to match the pen kit tube sizes you normally use.

Ken's suggestion of using the PSI closed-end mandrel is another option - a closed end mandrel is functionally the same as a pin chuck.

 

[ed4copies]

An alternative approach is shown here:

 

[crokett]

I have not made a closed end pen (yet). I have made other smaller closed-end items such as wine glasses. For those I turn a tenon on both ends between centers. I mount a scroll chuck and mount the bottom end in the chuck. I drill the piece, then reverse it in the chuck and do the turning. I part the tenon off the foot of the glass and do final sanding, then part the piece off the tenon on the top end.

 

[rherrell]

I've made hundreds of pin chucks, if you think a pin chuck will work for your application please see my Vendors Page.

"Custom Made" penturning tools/accessories

This thread is Closed. But here's the link to my New PDF catalog. https://www.penturners.org/threads/ricks-custom-made-tools-pdf-catalog.180009/

www.penturners.org

If you decide to make your own please PM me and I'll walk you through the process.