Shop Made Pen Press

[Steve Russell]

Hello Stu,

Nice job on the pen press! I bought one a few years ago and use it quite often, but I still prefer my old drill press jig for some pens. It has served me well for more than 11 years! Good luck to you and best wishes in all of your woodturning endeavors!

[Stuart Ablett]

..........Pressing in the finial and center band puzzles me. If that is a standard 7mm European pen, the finial cap just screws on (after you press in the threaded fitting) and the center band, for me, just slides on with only minimal finger pressure.

Hi Frank.

The center band usually slides on with just a dab of CA glue to keep it in place, it was not pressed on. The Finial Cap, I put it on as one piece, with the clip already tightened on for two reasons; one, it was done that way in the book on pen-turning I bought, and two, I can really tighten the threaded insert onto the finial, with a pair of pliers. On some of my first pens, I had the finial cap come loose later on.

Not a bit deal, just a bit different way of doing the same thing, works for me.

I used the press again on Sunday, I made 6 pens, and boy does that press ever work great, I feel stupid for not building one earlier!!

Thanks for the kind comments.

Cheers!

[Vaughn McMillan]

That reminds me, I gave my vice to my brother and never gave it a thought until now, I have no press of any kind.

You've got a Bessey clamp, I'll bet. Those will work just fine. Not as fine as Stu's press, but it'll still get the end product.

[Steve Ash]

You've got a Bessey clamp, I'll bet. Those will work just fine. Not as fine as Stu's press, but it'll still get the end product.

Yeah, I got a buch of besseys, the shortest ones are the 31"...they'd work though.

[Frank Fusco]

Hi Frank.

The center band usually slides on with just a dab of CA glue to keep it in place, it was not pressed on. The Finial Cap, I put it on as one piece, with the clip already tightened on for two reasons; one, it was done that way in the book on pen-turning I bought, and two, I can really tighten the threaded insert onto the finial, with a pair of pliers. On some of my first pens, I had the finial cap come loose later on.

Not a bit deal, just a bit different way of doing the same thing, works for me.

I used the press again on Sunday, I made 6 pens, and boy does that press ever work great, I feel stupid for not building one earlier!!

Thanks for the kind comments.

Cheers!

Whatever works. I might try that method. When screwing on the cap, with clip, it is easy to mar the finish as the clip goes round and round. Sometimes I forget to put a piece of paper betwen the clip and barrel and end up cussing a damaged finish.

[DONNIE CRUMP]

THE PRESS LOOKS GREAT BUT i WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS PLANS THAT THEY CAN SHARE FOR BUILDLING A WOODEN PEN PRESS. IF SO I WOULD LOVE TO GET A MEASURED DRAWING IF ONE IS AVAIABLE.
THANKS

[Dale Johnson]

Great looking press. I have never worked up the ambition to make one. I just use one of my parallel jaw clamps.

[Bill Nicklaus]

Hi - new member here and very impressed with your press and design. Where did you get the toggle clamp? I have been looking for one the "right" size/price to make one myself. Thanks !

[Stuart Ablett]

Hi - new member here and very impressed with your press and design. Where did you get the toggle clamp? I have been looking for one the "right" size/price to make one myself. Thanks !

Welcome to the Family Bill!

I'm here in Japan, so I doubt my source would be of much use to you, but I'm sure places like Grainger.com would have these.
Cheers!

[Chas Jones]

Good to see you have eased the assembly with your pen press Stu, I could not get on with one I borrowed and resorted to something more in line with my engineering experience and use my pillar drill as a rack and pinion press seen here in this old 'How to' not very good pics I'm afraid.