How to Cut Pen Blanks
When turning your own wooden pens on a lathe you need to have pen blanks that exactly match the length of the pen hardware that will be used. Pen hardware kits come with metal tubes that are glued into the pen blanks and provide a place for the pen's mechanics to reside.
Instructions
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1
Measure the length and diameter of the metal sleeve that you need to install in your pen blank. Make the measurement as accurate as you can so you can cut pen blanks correctly.
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2
Select wood that is at least a quarter inch thicker than the diameter of your pen sleeve. Rip a strip of the wood that is as wide as it is thick (if it is one inch thick, rip a one inch wide strip off of it). Set the rip fence on your table saw to allow you to make a straight cut. Account for the kerf (the width of the saw cut) so you end up with a piece that is the same height and depth. Use the feeding tool that came with your table saw to feed the wood through the saw.
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3
Measure the exact length of the tubes onto the piece of wood. Mark the wood with a pencil. Cut the first blank slowly lining up the miter saw with the line. Notice to which side of the line the saw removes the wood. You need the full length of the blank to match the tube so adjust your cutting to leave the pencil mark just intact. Re-measure, mark, and cut your next blank.
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4
Sand the ends of the blank to correct for any slight discrepancy when cutting.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't measure all your pen blanks at once since the kerf will change the length slightly after each cut. Measure again after each cut.
