PopPop’s Pen
Works
Antler Pen Tutorial
Tools
and Equipment
Antler Drill Gauge
Band Saw Sled
#3 Center Drill
Barrel Trim Mill
Location Pin Jig
Holding Clamp
Tube Insertion Tool
Barrel Swab
CA Glue & Curing Rack
#2 Novus Polish
Lacquer Based Friction Finish
Pen Assembly Press
Band Saw
Drill Press
Selecting
the Antler
The
Antler Drill Gauge is the most important tool used to lay out the antler to cut
into blanks. The whole idea of the
Antler Drill Gauge is to select antler sections that are straight enough and
thick enough for the drill bit to drill through and have a wall thickness
necessary for the pen style, before the blanks are cut.
Note:
Always try to cut both halves of the pen blank from the same piece of
antler. This will ensure continuity of
color and pattern of the antler.
Figure 1 Antler Drill Gauge
The
Antler Drill Gauge is made by cutting a 1/8” piece of Lexan 2 ¼” X 3”. Scribe 2 parallel lines 7mm apart about ½” in
from the edge of the short side. Using a
ball point pen go over the scribed lines to darken them. Scribe a center line between the 2 parallel
lines. Using a ball point pen of a
contrasting color go over the scribed center line. This is all that is necessary to use the
gauge for Slimline & Comfort 7mm pen kits.
If
you wish, additional lines can be scribed on the other end for a different size
drill bit. I set mine up for Cigar Pens
too. They use a 10mm drill bit, and one
blank is longer than the other. That’s
the reason for the bisecting Line scribed on one end. It designates the cut line for the short
blank.
Lay
the Antler Drill Gauge on top of the antler.
Looking through the gauge, find a section of antler that is straight
enough and thick enough to drill.
Mark the antler using the drill gauge as a straight edge. This will let you mark the cut lines parallel. Rotate the antler 90 Deg. Using the drill gauge again to mark the cut
lines again connecting them to the first set of cut lines, making sure that the
curve of the antler will allow the drill bit to drill through without blowing
out and ensure the cut lines are parallel.
Figure 2 Marking cut lines using Drill Gauge
Figure 3 Marking cut line 90deg from first cut lines
Saw
the Blanks Out
Cut
the blanks out on the band saw. Using the
sled will give you something to back up the antler and make it easier to make
the cuts parallel to each other. It’s
not absolutely critical to cut the ends perfectly parallel, but it will make it
easier to drill if they are.
Figure 4 First cut using Band Saw Sled
Figure 5 Second cut making blank
Figure 6 Finished blanks cut from same antler
Use
the Drill Gauge again to find and mark the center axis of the blank. The idea here is to use the lines on the
drill gauge to locate an axis the drill bit will follow through the blank. Sighting down from the edge of the gauge,
mark a pencil line straight down from the center line of the gauge down the end
of the blank. Without moving the gauge,
mark the other end of the blank in the same manner. Make sure that there is enough material on
both sides of the 2 outside lines to make the pen. Rotate the blank 90 Deg, and using the drill
gauge mark the end of the blank again.
This will give you an X that indicates the center axis of the hole
through the blank. The X may or may not
be in the center of the end of the blank depending on how much natural
curvature there is in the blank.
Figure 7
Figure 8 Marking other end of same blank without moving Drill
Gauge
Figure 9 Marking blank centerline 90 Deg from first line
Figure 10 Marking other end of same blank 90 Deg from first line
Figure 11 "X" marks the spot to drill
Center
Drilling the Blanks
On
the end of the blank that has the largest diameter, drill a 1/8” deep hole with
a #3 center drill running at about 1550 RPM.
DO NOT drill the other end of the blank at this time.
Figure 12 Center drilling the big end of the blank. Note the top and bottom ends of the blank
being almost parallel and square with
each other.
Set
Up Location Pin Jig
Using
“C” Clamps loosely secure the jig to the drill press table. Install your brad point drill bit securely in
the chuck. Raise or lower the table so
there is enough distance to put your blank in the drill press + ½” for bit
clearance. Run the bit down till the
point is within 1/32” of the location pin in the jig. Set the drill press depth stop to this
position. Line up the drill bit point
and the location pin then tighten the “C” clamps. The jig is now ready to use.
Figure 13 Setting up Location Pin Jig & Brad Point drill bit
Drilling
the Blank
The
drill press speed should be approximately 1550 RPM for drilling. Place the end of the blank that was drilled
with the center drill on the location pin.
Figure 14 Placing center drill hole on location pin
Position
the Holding Clamp around the blank and grip it firmly. Turn the drill press on and carefully start
drilling at the X on the small end of the blank. Advance the drill slowly, backing the drill
out and cleaning off debris often.
Figure 15 Holding the blank with the Holding Clamp, and drilling
the blank
Note: Some antler marrow is sticky will clog the
flutes of the drill bit. The drill press
will have to be stopped and the drill flutes cleaned out manually. Don’t be tempted to “Power” through the blank
when this happens. The blank will more
than likely split or blow out the side.
Take your time. Some antler has
to be drilled very slowly.
Figure
16 Sticky marrow clogging drill bit flutes
Drill
all the way down till drill press depth stop won’t let you go any deeper. Pull the drill out of the hole and place the
pin block over the pin. This will raise
the blank up.
Figure 17 Placing pin block over location pin
Carefully reinsert the drill bit into the
blank, allowing the blank to align it’s self with the drill bit. Let the blank bare against the pin block and
finish drilling the hole through. If
everything went right, the center of the bottom hole should be where the center
drill hole was.
Figure 18 Finishing drilling the hole through the blank
Figure 19 The bottom of the blank with the finished hole.
Preparing
the Blanks for Turning
Caution:
When handling CA glue, wear Nitrile gloves.
Scuff
the brass tubes up with medium sand paper.
Place a brass tube over the insertion tool. It should fit tightly into the tube, but be
able to release when the tool is moved from side to side. A coat of finishing wax on the insertion tool
will help with releasing the brass tube.
Figure 20 Appling Medium CA to tube
Coat
the lower 2/3 rds of the tube with medium CA glue. Moving quickly & holding the blank
vertically, spin the tool and insert the tube into the blank, pumping it up and
down a few times to distribute the glue.
Pull the tube out and turn the blank end for end, then with the same
spinning and pumping motion insert the tube into the blank. Add more CA glue if necessary to the brass
tube.
Figure 21 Inserting the tube into the blank
Position
the tube in the blank so there is approximately 1/16” below the rim of the
blank.
Figure 22 The tube approx 1/16" below the surface
Keeping
the tube in position, move the tool from side to side to release the tube. Spritz the ends of the blank with accelerator
to set the glue if necessary. Inspect
the tube ends to ensure there are no gaps in the glue.
Figure 23 Filling gap between tube and blank
Fill
any gaps between the brass tube and the blank with CA glue.
Trimming
and Squaring the Blank
After
the glue sets, using the Barrel Mill, trim the ends of the blank flush with the
brass tube. The Barrel Mill will square
the ends & clean out any glue that may have gotten into the tube. The guide rod has a cutting edge ground into
the end of it.
Reduce
the drill press speed to approximately 1000 RPM. Ensure the proper size of guide rod is
installed in the Barrel Mill. Bore a
hole the same size as the guide rod into a block of wood and clamp it to the
drill press table. Align the hole with
the Barrel Mill guide rod. This is
necessary because the Barrel Mill guide rod may be slightly longer than the
blank.
Figure 24 Trimming & squaring blank with barrel mill
Holding
the blank with the hand clamping tool, carefully start the guide rod into the
brass tube allowing the guide rod to align it’s self with the axis of the brass
tube. Grip the clamping tool with enough
pressure to prevent the blank from spinning, and mill off the end of the blank
down to the brass tube. Mill the blank
with short bursts of pressure, checking to see a shinny brass ring emerge
around the hole in the blank. When it
appears stop milling. Mill the opposite
end of the blank in the same manor. The
blank is now the proper length.
Clean
the inside of the tubes to remove debris by putting a small amount of Acetone on
a Q-Tip and swab out the tubes. Finish
up with a 7mm rifle cleaning swab by working it in and out of the barrel. The barrel is now ready to mount on a mandrel
for turning.
Figure 25 Cleaning tube with Acetone & Q-Tip
Figure 26 Dirt from inside tube
Mounting
Blanks on the Mandrel
Select
the proper diameter bushings for the style of pen being made. After mounting the mandrel in the head stock
of the lathe, place a sufficient number of bushings/spacers on the mandrel to
move the first barrel far enough away from the head stock to allow clearance
for turning tools. The
Figure 27 Blanks mounted on mandrel
blanks
should slide onto the mandrel smoothly.
If you have to force them on, there is probably CA glue inside the brass
tube that must be cleaned out before mounting.
Place the middle bushing and blank on the mandrel and then the last
bushing. Place more bushings or spacers
on the mandrel to bring them out to overlap the threaded portion of the
mandrel. Thread the nut on the mandrel
and tighten just tight enough to prevent the barrels from catching. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE NUT! Run tail stock (with a live center mounted)
up to the mandrel. Place center into the
center of the mandrel and snug it up. DO
NOT OVER TIGHTEN TAIL STOCK! Over
tightening either the mandrel nut or the tail stock live center in the mandrel
can cause damage to the mandrel and/or whipping.
Turning
the Blanks
I’ve
found that the best roughing speed for antler pen blanks is approximately
1600. Sharp tools are a must to turn
antler. I rough the blanks round and
reduce the blanks diameter to close to the finished dimension with a 1”
roughing gouge.
Figure 28 Roughing blanks with 1" Roughing Gouge
For
shaping I prefer a ½” or 1” skew & at the same speed. Again very sharp tools are a must. Use a shearing cut as much as possible while
shaping.
Figure 29 Shaping with 1/2" Skew
When
turning antler, it is common to turn it down far enough that you get into the
pulpy or softer part of the antler. It
will be sort of rough and may be mushy.
Depending on the age of the antler and what time of year it was
harvested, the marrow part of the antler could even be sticky.
Figure 30 Soft & punky marrow area
But
don’t worry, all is not lost. DO NOT BE
TEMPTED TO SAND THIS AREA SMOOTH, yet!
If you are close to the finished profile, remove the barrels from the
mandrel. The soft punky area must be
hardened with CA. It’s best to put the
barrel on CA curing rack first.
Figure 31 Applying
Saturate
the entire blank with
Before
remounting the blanks on the mandrel, clean out any CA that may have gotten
inside the brass tube. They should slide
onto the mandrel smoothly. Remount the
barrels and continue with the final shaping.
With a skew, use a shear cut to true the blanks again then check if you
have any punky areas. If you still have
some punky areas, apply some thin CA and accelerator to the area without
removing the blanks from the lathe.
Extra caution must be taken not to let the CA to wick through the
bushings to the mandrel.
If
after truing the blanks there is porosity in the area that was hardened with
CA, use thick CA to fill the pits. It
can be spread evenly with a small piece of polyethylene foam. Cure the CA with accelerator. True the blank again with a shear cut. Reapply thick CA if porosity is still
present, and so on.
Sand
blanks at highest speed lathe will do.
Starting with 320 grit, sand to at least 600 grit. Use a small amount of #2 Novus Polish and a
soft cloth or paper towel to obtain a high polish. Use several coats of a lacquer based friction
finish as a top coat.
Remove
the pen barrels from the lathe, and clean the inside of the brass tubes with a
dry swab.
Assemble
the pen IAW the kit instructions.
Tools and Jigs for making
pens of all types
Figure 32 Antler Drill Gauge,
Lines on left are for 7mm tube, lines on right are for 10mm tube.
Figure 33 Shop made Pen Assembly Press
Figure 34 Tail Stock Cotter of Pen Press
Figure 35 Band Saw Sled
Figure 36 L to R, #3 Center Drill, 7mm
Figure 37 Shop made Hand Holding Clamp
Figure 38 Shop made CA Glue Curing Rack with various weights of
CA and Accelerator, a piece of Polyethylene foam used to spread the CA Glue.
Figure 39 Shop made Location Pin Jig
Figure 40 Tube Insertion Tool and Cleaning Swab
Figure 41 #2 Novus Polish & Lacquer Based Friction Finish
Figure 42
Figure 43
Figure 44 The Finished Pen