10 Minutes To Better Pen Making - Drilling - Mark Dreyer

Tired of blowing out a blank when drilling? Out of round holes? Stuck drill bits? In this video, we will discuss all these issues. Good drilling techniques make all subsequent steps so much easier. In the next 10 minutes we cover things you never see in a demo.
In this series of videos, I plan to take individual topics and explore them and discuss them 10 minutes at a time. I will use my 25 years as a pen maker to give tips and tricks on the topic. Each topic will only be 10 minutes. We will explore everything from kit and blank selection, to drilling, to turning and turning tools, finishing, and marketing and sales. If there is a topic you would like to see discussed, please leave me a comment. Thanks.
Sponsor: Exotic Blanks - www.exoticblanks.com/
Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free

[@knothead5]

I was drilling on the lathe which has a short travel on the quill. I have to stop and advance the quill while holding the bit in the blank. Yesterday, I had the bit freeze in the acrylic blank!Arrgghhh! Tried several ways to clear without destroying the blank. I put the bit and blank in my drill press, put an adjustable wrench on the blank and lightly tapped it with a hammer. Blank came off, drilled on the lathe and the tube glued up nicely without any gaps. Mark, thanks for your videos. I plan on viewing all of them over time.

[@timv.4938]

Thanks information I haven't found anywhere else. I've been turning 3 years

[@arthurbarber4091]

Great tips!

[@sherrytrojanowski2065]

Very helpful tips! Thanks!

[@jontoolman]

Thanks for sharing.

[@revrup]

Very helpful! Thank you for making this video!

[@loaderopp]

Put the drill bit in a vice with the blank pointing up. With an adjustable crescent wrench work the blank like your tapping a drill hole for threads.! Works 100% every time saves the bit and the blank.

[@markdreyer2865]

Sounds great and glad you helped out. Thanks.

[@loaderopp]

@@markdreyer2865 Most welcome just sharing knowledge.

[@johngregg5735]

Geat information! I'm going to switch back to drilling holes with my drill press rather than on my lathe.

[@wwasher]

The easiest way I know to get blowout at the bottom of an acrylic blank is to use a brad point. I reserve the brad point for wood and standard for acrylic.

[@briankatz9710]

Great video as always. You mentioned running the drill press at a very fast speed. During the cutout, the bit did not seems to be turning very fast. No matter what speed I try (360 to 1500) the bit gets hot, even lifting at each 1/4 inch. What is the optimal speed for acrylic and is hard wood burl any different. Thanks B

[@dynamicsx]

Have found all of the "10 minute" videos to be extremely useful. Would love to see one on trimming pen blanks down to the tube. Do you use a drill, drill press, sander, something else?

[@markdreyer2865]

That's a new one, but I think I will do it. Thanks. In general I have a V Block and sanding center. I use pen mills only on wood or pure acrylic. Any thing like a label cast, or snakeskin, or carbon fiber - I always use the sanding center and V Block. I don't want to get the end caught. Let me know if this helps - and look for a new video on that soon.

[@dynamicsx]

@@markdreyer2865 Great. Looking forward to seeing your sanding center!

[@pjenslin1]

Do you use brad point drill bits for acrylics as well?

[@markdreyer2865]

For me I normally just use a jobber bit (37 degree) for my wood / acrylic. The brad point for segmented, but it will work just fine. Thanks for watching.

[@trynforpar]

Hi Mark, I want to purchase a set of high quality brad bits. What are the typical sizes used for pens.

[@markdreyer2865]

You will get the most bang with the following - 7mm (slim lines), 10mm (cigar), 10.5 & 12.5mm (jr series and vertex) and finally 27/64" (sierra). If planning on acrylic slimlines I drill with 9/32" (see my video on drilling or the one on painting the acrylic). Hope this helps.

[@paulmelanson1527]

When you pre drill with a smaller bit. Is it also a brad point bit.

[@markdreyer2865]

Sorry for the brief delay. Whenever I need a precise drill I always use a brad point. You can also try a centering bit and then a jobber. The centering bit does a great job.

[@paulmelanson1527]

@@markdreyer2865 thanks

[@markdreyer2865]

@@paulmelanson1527 Anytime .....

[@clarkmeasels6819]

What kind of paint do you use inside the blank?

[@markdreyer2865]

I use Apple Barrel Acrylic paints (Walmart or Michaels). Works fine - my other video discusses it but in a nutshell I use a Q-tip to apply the paint. Let it dry (I let it dry at least a day). Then 5 minute epoxy to glue in the tubes. I have also used Testors - works just as well. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.

[@pikeevans8559]

Actually the easiest way to prevent blow out is to drill the hole all the way past the total length of blank you need....then cut the pieces to the size you need. Everybody does it backwards. Hole first then cut to size. NO BLOW OUT.

[@03Gecko]

Your comments add immeasurably.