A little help if you please, Fellow LJ'ers

I haven’t done a ton of pens but I’ve done more than a few. At this point, I wouldn’t waste your time with a half ass solution. Just spend a couple more bucks on the barrel trimmer.

If you have a disk sander, you can either make a jig to square the blank to the disk or use the miter gauge that comes with many sanders. Barrel trimmers run around $10.

—Gerry

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"

if you use a disk sander make sure you square the blank to the barrel that you drilled into the wood. If the barrel is not square in the blank then your end wont be square

-- Rob, CT, http://Robashtondesigns.etsy.com

Thanks all, I do have a disk sander, I’ll try that solution. It was total folly on my part, i was so excited about trying my hand at pens that i forgot about the trimmer. It’s not the cost, it’s the waiting that will kill me.

-- Gridlockd

I got a nice 6 blade end mill with 4 pilots here..
bornfriendwoodworks.com/cat-pen-kit-supplies.cfm
Call Bryan first to be sure he still has them.
Also, since you have a sander, set it up to take most of the wood off and use the mill on the last few thousands. It is easier and there is less chance of tear out, and your endmill will thank you.

-- Website is finally up and running....www.woodandwrite.com

I hope you can get started soon. I guarantee you will be hooked , just like so many of us. I finally posted my first pens today after almost three years of procrastinating. so, go have some fun. comeback and share.