Belt sander for squaring pen blanks

[sachbvn]

I will try sharpening one of the cutters I have - I have two so if I muck it up, I'll still have dull chitty one!

Thanks guys - and thanks Cody for posting those pics. I have book marked this thread and will go back to making a disc sander if the barrel trimmer doesn't work. Heck - I may make the disc sander anyways.....because I have a lathe....and I can!

I'll keep yall updated.


Zac

[TDHofstetter]

Here's a question, food for thought.

It's understood that the tubes for certain pen designs are pretty length-critical, but for other pen designs they're pretty forgiving. For example, the first wooden pen I ever saw was one Limey brought with him when he dropped by for a visit - one of the tubes was fully 1/8" short but the pen worked fine.

Here's the question: Does anybody intentionally cut their blanks a tad SHORT, then glue the tubes in so they overhang half-a-tad at both ends, leaving nearly zero trimming (only the tube ends and a tiny square-up scuffing of the wood) to be done? It'd take not pressing the transmission in quite as far as normal, but may save some trimming.

[sachbvn]

Alright - so.... I don't have a diamond file, (I'll get one - too many times I've wanted one and not had one) - so I used a 6" bastard mill file, then a small stone, thin, used to use it for kitchen knives.

I used the file to first scrape any of the debris and crap that had built on on the cutter head, then worked it over, each cutter, with the sharpening stone.

I worked on ONLY the flat part, I didn't touch anything with a bevel, just the "face" part. I then put an old "Antique Pine" pen blank that I had previously busted it's partner - circa 1800's into my vise. Now - I had previously squared this blank, but it was all torn to hell, ragged - chipped out - I tried the sharpened cutter head on it - BOOM - worked great, it took the blank down a little further leaving a very clean cut - I tried it on some bloodwood that I had ruined the partner too while squaring the blank - boom, worked just fine!!!

So - I think that the cutter head being dull as hell was the culprit - I will still look into the lathe/sanding method - but THIS will take care of me for now.

Thanks guys!!


Zac

[Beezlebub]

Sharp tools are the key in everything.

[Doug B]

Zac, I'm glad you got the barrel trimmer problem resolved. I still remember my amazement the first time I sharpened a barrel trimmer. What a difference it makes.

Go ahead and make the disc sander too - you will be glad to have it for some things. I use mine frequently when making segmented blanks or adding pick guard for accents. I like to drill each segment individually and then glue up using the tube to hold them in place. That also makes it easier to get the proportions I want for the segmented pieces (I can dry fit on the tube and make adjustments until I am happy with the results). You cannot have the "well" left behind by the barrel trimmer when you want to do segmented barrels this way and the best way I have found to do this is to use the barrel trimmer first, then disc sander to flush up the entire end of the barrel.

I don't think I explained that very well...maybe I should take some pics next time I to that

[sachbvn]

Pics? We LOVE pictures!! I kinda get what you mean, but I won't argue with a set of photos!

Zac

[oakridgeboy]

As far as a disc sander goes,I made my own using an old turntable disc with a small pulley tack-welded to the back,a bit of steel rod and an old washing-machine motor.I rigged up a little table in front with a mitre slot.It really works great.It is not a precision tool by any means,but it is the cat's a$$ for either squareing up pen blanks or rough sanding.I use it all the time in my shop and would be lost without it !
Mike

[boodrow]

Zac here is the set up I use to cut the blanks clost to actual length. Will try to post pics
Boodrow

[TDHofstetter]

Ya worked out the pics!

[Ruffnek]

Jan 6, 2010 20:07:49 GMT -6 TDHofstetter said:

Ya worked out the pics!

All he needed was a couple more Natty Lights to figure it out! ;D

That's a pretty cool miter gauge attachment, Boodrow.

[boodrow]

Yeah I got um worked out , but will forget with the week how to do it. And the natty lites did help out !
Boodrow

[sachbvn]

That is a sweet set up! I wish I had something real fine like a BS to cut things - ah - the future right?


Zac