Full Review Woodpecker's Ultra Shear Pen Mill-Ci

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Swagopenturner

Swagopenturner

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I ordered one of Woodpecker's new Pen Mill last December and received it around the 5th of January. I bought the 13 piece set with all the pilot shafts available. Yeah, it was expensive compared to other pen mills available.

Since then I have been putting it through its paces making 75 or so pen kits, both single and double barrel blanks.

Overall impression: Extremely well built and engineered. Very aggressive! It cuts anything I have put to it with ease; Stone, metal, acrylics, and very hard wood blanks.


Warnings: Go VERY slowly and lightly when using this tool! I highly recommend using one of those locking plies with the rubber coated jaws to hold your work. I used to just grab the blank to be trimmed in my hand and hold it up to the spinning pen mill. This tool can be very scary! I equate it to putting your hand very close to a spinning router bit and hoping note to let your skin come in contact!

Don't drop the tool on a hard workbench or floor. The carbide cutters can easily break.

Would I buy it again? Most definately. Even with the added expense, the kit is a very good tool for the serious pen maker. Compared to the other pen mills (I compared the Woodpecker's to PSI and Whiteside), I believe it is a better value, works faster, and cleaner.
 
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I hadn't seen this tool before, thanks! I really like the idea of removable/replaceable carbides, despite the claim on their website that:

Proudly made in the USA, the Woodpeckers® Ultra-Shear Ci Cutterhead features two replaceable .44 square carbide inserts that never need sharpening.

I guess that's technically true if you throw them away when they dull...
 
Mark,

How well does it cut end-grain on blanks? That was my one concern.

I had two carbide pen mills and they did not cut end grain too well. It was either - almost no cutting - to digging in and gouging. However, this is "WoodPecker" so it "should" do much better than the norm.

I think they do strongly advise putting the blanks in a vise and using the DP for better control, and I agree with them. All the blank has to do, and end grain is far more likely to do this - is to dig in and cause a catch, and it will twist out of the hand, with the blades digging into the hand too!
 
I don't have much WP stuff, but what i do have is very good. That said, since i started sanding the ends on a jig (with a light touch)--no issues at all, and i really don't have to worry about what material it is. Faux bone and real antler sand without issue.

Great to know it worked for you, but for the moment i'll stick with my sanding jig.
earl
 
It cuts well on end grain - as long as you go SLOW. Since it is very aggressive, it can get away from you. The softer woods need special attention, again, go slow at around 2000-2500 rpms. I don't feed the drill press down, just hold the blanks in the pliers and GENTLY lift into the spinning end mill.
 
I agree with Mark - expensive set, but a great set of tools - working very well on wood and resins.

Requires a feather-light touch to get the work done.

Works fine on end grain.

I use a vise.

Warm regards - Bob
 
Given the fits of the reamers, I would be wary using this at such high RPM. Any dwell time and you are likely to have friction heating in the tube and possible glue failure as a result.

I find the "sweet spot" to be around 700 rpm with a vice, and as Bob in SF said, a feather light touch to get started. Once the cutters are full face, you can let it eat!

BTW: I wouldn't want my hands, appendages, anything at all near this thing while turning 2000+ rpm!!!

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley
 
As one who gave up using end mill tools some 5 years ago I am bewildered by the $$$ spent on this process when it can be done by simply chucking up the blank and using a round nose scrapper to take off the excess wood so that the metal shows true. OK, the hard part is making sure the blank is true to the plane of the tailstock. Easy does, easy is. Philip
 
Interesting. . Thanks for your report.

When I go to the appropriate Woodpecker page, I see "Expected Ship Date: 03/31/2019"

Did they bring forward their release date ?????

One question ... the replaceable carbide cutters ... are they another instance of proprietary cutters sized and shaped specifically for this product ? . Or are manufacturers finally getting together and standardizing the cutters they use for their products ? . It sure would be nice if the latter were the case.
 
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Interesting. . Thanks for your report.

When I go to the appropriate Woodpecker page, I see "Expected Ship Date: 03/31/2019"

Since some of you already have this tool, did they bring forward their release date ? ... or maybe just currently out-of-stock?

Question ... the replaceable carbide cutters ... are they another instance of proprietary cutters sized and shaped specifically for this product ? . Or are manufacturers finally getting together and standardizing the cutters they use for their products ? . It sure would be nice if the latter were the case.

(Sorry for his duplicate post ... must be my mistake during the editing process.)
 
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The carbide inserts used in the Ultra-Shear Pen Mill-Ci are the same ones they use in their turning tools, AND they are compatible with EWT Square Ci2-Ci (0.44" Square), and Rockler S1. I think they are cheaper from Woodpeckers, at $14.99 each, than they are from EWT.
 
I ordered mine with just the 7mm shaft. I have sleeves that I use on my sanding mill so I can do other sizes. The other shafts are nice and will clean out the tube if needed, but aren't necessary if you use a sleeve.

One thing nobody has mentioned is that the 7mm shaft is has a shoulder so that when squaring a 7mm blank, the brass gets trimmed too. That was one of my issues with the traditional mills. Many times the brass would be proud of the blank after squaring a blank with a 7mm tube. I'd take a picture, but I let a friend borrow it to try out.
 
Okay; I screwed up and misled everyone. I checked my drill press settings and found I am running the mill at 1000 - 1500 rpms, NOT 2000-2500. The owners manual that comes with the Woodpeckers Pen Mill says to use 1000 rpms or slower. I tend to run things somewhat faster to try and get a smoother finish. But just to be safe, go with the manufacturer's suggestions.

I have also been advised by Woodpeckers that there is a recall for some of the SAE pilot shafts and they will ship them within 5-6 weeks. This recall will include the 15/32",12.5mm,11mm and 33/64" Pilot reamers. They did not say what the problem is with these shafts or what will happen if you use the old ones! I'll keep you all posted

Again, sorry for the misinformation about the speed.
 
I got the new pilot reamers and there is a noticeable difference in the diameters. The new ones slide into the tubes with ease, while the original ones did not fit at all or were very tight. I think I'll keep the old ones, just in case some pen tubes get a little looser! I did mark the old ones with some white paint so they do not get confused with the new ones.
 
Swagopenturner said:
I got the new pilot reamers and there is a noticeable difference in the diameters. The new ones slide into the tubes with ease, while the original ones did not fit at all or were very tight. I think I'll keep the old ones, just in case some pen tubes get a little looser! I did mark the old ones with some white paint so they do not get confused with the new ones.
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Hi Mark, can you tell me the shaft size that goes into the cutting head please.
Thanks
Lin
 
I absolutely love mine. Yes, slow is the key but dang if it still doesn't cut better and faster than anything else I've used. I make my living with my hands and have learned that you cannot really put a price on a quality tool.
 
I know I'm late to this party, but I'm looking at the Woodpecker barrel trimmer. I really like its features. As for using a vise vs. hand holding blanks during trimming, I've always used a so-called "gate jig". I heard about it years ago when I first started using a barrel trimmer. I like that it holds the blank firmly without getting your hand close to anything dangerous. But unlike a vise, it allows some movement of the blank in case the hole wasn't drilled completely square (which mine rarely are).
 

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I just ordered the 5 piece set early this morning (Wednesday, 27 November 2019). As of yesterday and today, all of the pen mill parts are on sale. The regular price of the 5 piece set is $99.99, but I ordered it for $84.99 with free shipping. I already have worn out two sets from Rockler, which cost $34.99. I resharpen them with thin diamond hones, but that can be a pain, too.

Here are the Woodpecker pen mill and parts, currently on sale and free shipping (add sales tax):
https://www.woodpeck.com/ultra-shear-pen-mill-inserts.html

Here is the Rockler pen mill that it will replace. Two of them cost almost as much as the Woodpecker version. I don't want to buy another one, so I bought the Woodpeckers version, above:
https://www.rockler.com/barrel-cleaner-pen-mill-kit

Here are the diamond hones that I use to sharpen Rockler pen mills and do other fine sharpening work. These have metal handles and four different grits; I prefer them to the plastic handle ones. Note that the grits alternate between the two paddles, which is annoying:
Metal, Recommended:
https://www.rockler.com/double-sided-diamond-hone
One Sided Plastic, Not Recommended:
https://www.rockler.com/diamond-hone-sharpening-set

Personal Note: One day I will build myself a proper sanding jig. I have so many projects in the queue that it isn't on the horizon, and I still make a lot of pens.
 
Thanks for the sanding jig help. I am confident that I know how I want to build a sanding jig for myself, but lack the time. Right now, there are many large projects that demand my time and attention. Some of them are not related to woodworking.

Pen turning is one of those "projects" that you can slip between the big jobs to make a gift or simply get away from stress to unwind and relax. Don't ask me how pen turning is so meditative, but it is. I turn pens from time to time; it helps keep my life in balance.

The new WoodPeckers pen mill will keep me going for a while, until the sanding disc jig project bubbles up closer to the top. In effect, I am buying time. I can always install fresh carbide tips and sell the WoodPeckers jig or give it to a friend later, after I build and use a sanding jig. With fresh carbide, the pen mill would be almost as good as new.
 
I've had my 13 piece set for a couple of months, probably used it a couple of dozen times. I agree with everything said above. I balked a little at the price, but the quality and precision of Woodpecker tools sold me. I'm very glad I bought it. I'm about to embark on turning mass quantities of PSI's measuring cups, all made from Texas woods, all hard as rocks. They work like a champ on the dozen pieces of mesquite, pecan, blackjack oak, and bodark I've done so far. Looking forward to getting a lot of use out of them in the coming months. Good investment as far as I can see.

Steve
 
Woodchipper said:
penicillin, here my my DIY sanding jig for the lathe. Hope this helps. PM if you have any questions. Need to add another photo of the bottom part.
Click to expand...

I'm curious. Your jig only squares the ends to the sides of the blank, correct? But what if the hole isn't drilled square? It would seem to me, if the hole isn't drilled perfectly, the ends of the blank could be sanded at an angle to the tube. Whereas a piloted trimmer will cut the end square with the tube, regardless of how well it's drilled.
 
No problem as I square on the DP and mill. I have run across too many blanks that aren't square in any direction. I use my DIYer for other things.
 
I'm still on the learning curve with this. Sometimes the ends are smooth as glass and other times there are rough spots. Sometimes on the same blank. But I'm continuing to practice and hope to get there soon. Anyone know if these work okay on the lathe?
 
pshrynk said:
I'm still on the learning curve with this. Sometimes the ends are smooth as glass and other times there are rough spots. Sometimes on the same blank. But I'm continuing to practice and hope to get there soon. Anyone know if these work okay on the lathe?
Click to expand...

I have never tried mine on the lathe. I find it works great on hard, very dense woods. I haven't had as good luck on softer woods. In my opinion it's just a matter of learning your craft and knowing what and when to use any given tool. One thing to know about this tool is you have to introduce it to the blank very very slowly at about 1000 rpm. Once it starts cutting nicely, you can speed up a bit. I never use it on segmented blanks.


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app
 
Purchased the full kit. I clamp my blanks in a vise and put mill in powered hand drill. Cuts clean and smooth, good square cuts. If you only make a few styles, save money and only buy sizes you need. Worth the $$$.
JMOICBW-BIDI
 
KenB259 said:
I have never tried mine on the lathe. I find it works great on hard, very dense woods. I haven't had as good luck on softer woods. In my opinion it's just a matter of learning your craft and knowing what and when to use any given tool. One thing to know about this tool is you have to introduce it to the blank very very slowly at about 1000 rpm. Once it starts cutting nicely, you can speed up a bit. I never use it on segmented blanks.


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app
Click to expand...
For segmented, I use the sander. I just got a sanding jig, so they will probably now be a bit more true .
 
I received mine in the mail today. That is one bada$$ looking trimmer! Can't wait to try it, probably this weekend.
 

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I used the Woodpeckers barrel trimmer for the first time today. It's worth the price! That thing is amazing. I trimmed a buckeye burl blank, and a couple of acrylic blanks. I was initially concerned about inadvertently trimming too much. But I found that because of how well it cuts it's very easy to control. Just use a light touch.

 

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qquake said:
Oops. I was a little too aggressive.
Click to expand...

If I had a pen MILL, the WoodPecker would be the one, for sure. There wouldn't be any seconds for me.

However I have and use a sanding mill for the very reason you posted. I am usually meticulous and very deliberate with each end cut, but there are times when there is a split second of carelessness, so I stay away from that. End grain cutting with a pen mill is not a 100% predictable or perfect science. Thanks for posting.
 
Maybe...if I was full time and sold lots of pens. I like light cuts on the DP and stop when the brass is shiny.
I tried a sanding disk on the lathe but if the side(s) were not straight, they would sit at an angle on the fence.
IMG_20180203_145827645.jpg
 
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leehljp said:
If I had a pen MILL, the WoodPecker would be the one, for sure. There wouldn't be any seconds for me.
However I have and use a sanding mill for the very reason you posted. I am usually meticulous and very deliberate with each end cut, but there are times when there is a split second of carelessness, so I stay away from that. End grain cutting with a pen mill is not a 100% predictable or perfect science. Thanks for posting.
Click to expand...

The Ultra-Shear is scary sharp, that's for sure. The fact that is only has two cutters is probably part of the reason it caught. But the majority of the blame rests on me and my impatience. It works very well on acrylic, which has no end grain. I just need to be more careful with wood blanks.
 
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