LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Wixey 8'' Digital Protractor  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

Attention Pen Turners, repetitive cutting of brass tubes...

« back to Woodworking Skill Share forum

Forum topic by ShannonRogers posted 549 days ago 166 views 0 times favorited 5 replies Add to Favorites Watch
View ShannonRogers's profile

ShannonRogers

370 posts in 688 days


549 days ago

Topic tags/keywords: pen turning

LJ’s,

I just purchased some replacement brass tubes for pens and they came in long lengths from the retailer. Since I know that I will be making a lot of this style of pen I am wondering if anyone has any ideas or built any jigs that allow for repetitive cuts safely in this small scale. The repeatability and safety are my biggest concerns since I want the finished pens to be identical and the scale is quite small and seems like an accident waiting to happen. Any thoughts, ideas, etc.

-- Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog

View fredf's profile (online now)

fredf

321 posts in 610 days


549 days ago

what size tube, what length?? I assume square ends??

-- Fred, Springfield, Ma

View Mario's profile

Mario

882 posts in 951 days


548 days ago

HF has a small saw that does a good job on this. bolt it to a peice of plywood and make an adjustible stop system like the ones used on Miter saws. It works great. The saw is 25.00 and has a 2” blade.ITEM 42307-6VGA

This will save money in the long run as it is cheaper to but the tube stock in bulk.

-- Hope Never fails

View jeffthewoodwacker's profile

jeffthewoodwacker

487 posts in 704 days


548 days ago

I made a jig to use on my band saw to cut the brass tubes to length. Pretty simple to use. The jig is a sled with a rail to ride in the miter gauge slot. I use a stop to get consistent lengths for the various pens that I make.

-- Those that say it can't be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

View ShannonRogers's profile

ShannonRogers

370 posts in 688 days


548 days ago

Mario, I have seen this before. Penn State sells it for $55! They say they include jigs for 3 different size tubes. I cannot believe the price difference for the same tool!

-- Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog

View ShannonRogers's profile

ShannonRogers

370 posts in 688 days


547 days ago

So I put some more thought into this and so far I have have made well over 200 pens and this tube trimming issue only just now came up. Until the need arises more often I think a simple measure would suffice best. Here is what I came up with using some scrap plywood. I clamped the fixture to the miter gauge to set the distance to the band saw blade. The stops on either side of the tube are fixed using double sided tape so that I can adjust the width for different diameters in the future.

Photobucket

-- Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog

You must be signed in to reply.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase