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- Rockler Pen Press/Drilling Jig
Overview
Drill and assemble your pens perfectly with flush fittings and a smoothly-operating mechanism! This dual-purpose jig takes care of both prep work and assembly. It holds your blank firmly in position for drilling, creating a precise, perfectly centered hole the entire length of the pen. Later, it smoothly presses your parts together without any bowing or misalignment. Notched jaws automatically center the blank for drilling, while two countersunk holes center the parts during assembly. Large clamping wheel provides slow, controlled pressure so you'll never crack a casing again.
After all the careful work of turning, the worst possible thing is to have something go wrong during assembly. The Pen Press/Drilling Jig prevents this from happening in two ways. It ensures a straight hole to accept your mechanism without binding, and it pushes everything together with steady, parallel clamping action. The result is a smooth operating pen, every time.
Features:
After all the careful work of turning, the worst possible thing is to have something go wrong during assembly. The Pen Press/Drilling Jig prevents this from happening in two ways. It ensures a straight hole to accept your mechanism without binding, and it pushes everything together with steady, parallel clamping action. The result is a smooth operating pen, every time.
Features:
- Includes 3 replaceable sacrificial wood blanks for the exit hole in drilling operations.
- Extruded aluminum base provides space for a shop made drawer.
- Feet are pre-drilled for mounting to an auxiliary base.
- Cast aluminum jaws are notched for vertical drilling and countersunk for horizontal pen pressing.
- Self-centering jaws allow for repeatable drilling of various pen blank sizes.
- Centered countersink in the jaws allows precise pen pressing without bowing and misalignment.
- Clamping wheel provides slow, controlled pressure when pressing your pen or clamping your pen blank.
What's included
(1) Rockler Pen Press/Drilling Jig
Technical Details
- Brand: Rockler
- Weight (lbs): 5.6000
- Type: Drilling
Product Warnings

Related Articles
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Questions and Answers
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Browse 3 questions
Browse 3 questions
and 31 answers
Why did you choose this?
Rockler Store
Watched it on a video
Rick F
on Apr 4, 2018
Best I found
Ron B
on Feb 27, 2018
needed a more stable drilling jig
Jeffrey L
on Dec 31, 2017
Tired of trying to drill blanks on only a drill press.
Lyle
on Dec 12, 2017
My son wants this item.
Janice D
on Dec 3, 2017
I have been wanting one of these for some time after seeing a pen turning demo. I did not realize that the drilling jig also was a pen press. Two items in one device!
Jim D
on Nov 11, 2017
Tired of the rigging I use. 2 jigs in one.
Frank B
on Mar 22, 2017
Cost compared to similar products, and Rockler quality, and want to get into pin making
Stevie P
on Nov 23, 2016
Price and ability to use for drilling and as a press at an overall cost savings.
BRIAN R
on Sep 29, 2016
I wanted to get into pen turning, I like the idea of having on tool that can serve mulitpule functions, the only thing i wish this tool had was a 1:1 set of plans for a drawer
ANGELA S
on Aug 30, 2016
Use this jig almost daily for drilling my blanks and then assembling the pen or kit after turning and finishing.
C U
on Aug 6, 2016
Also was not aware that this was available for drilling pen blanks. Again...website should be more intuitive to suggest this when buying pen kits.
Rick S
on Jan 7, 2016
Didn't have one
Fred U
on Jun 4, 2015
Watched it on a video
Rick F
on Apr 4, 2018
This should be a great resource
Eric V. B
on Mar 29, 2018
Best I found
Ron B
on Feb 27, 2018
Bought this for my husband's birthday. He wants to start making pens
Peggy K
on Feb 27, 2018
needed a more stable drilling jig
Jeffrey L
on Dec 31, 2017
I ordered this jig to help me in drilling my pen blanks easier.
Thomas Y
on Dec 29, 2017
Tired of trying to drill blanks on only a drill press.
Lyle
on Dec 12, 2017
Out of all the reviews I read, this one had the best reviews.
Rick C
on Dec 12, 2017
My son wants this item.
Janice D
on Dec 3, 2017
Referral by another pen maker
Roger M
on Nov 26, 2017
I have been wanting one of these for some time after seeing a pen turning demo. I did not realize that the drilling jig also was a pen press. Two items in one device!
Jim D
on Nov 11, 2017
I watched several videos and the ones that used the Rockler Pen Press/Drilling Jig made it look a little easier, and it looks like it will hold the pen blanks straight and square when drilling.
Ron B
on Aug 23, 2017
Tired of the rigging I use. 2 jigs in one.
Frank B
on Mar 22, 2017
Really good tool.
Russell G S
on Feb 7, 2017
Cost compared to similar products, and Rockler quality, and want to get into pin making
Stevie P
on Nov 23, 2016
hobby
L A
on Nov 7, 2016
Price and ability to use for drilling and as a press at an overall cost savings.
BRIAN R
on Sep 29, 2016
for pen making
Rick B
on Sep 12, 2016
I wanted to get into pen turning, I like the idea of having on tool that can serve mulitpule functions, the only thing i wish this tool had was a 1:1 set of plans for a drawer
ANGELA S
on Aug 30, 2016
i NEED IT
RONALD P
on Aug 25, 2016
Use this jig almost daily for drilling my blanks and then assembling the pen or kit after turning and finishing.
C U
on Aug 6, 2016
great help with your drill press
harley e
on Jan 13, 2016
Also was not aware that this was available for drilling pen blanks. Again...website should be more intuitive to suggest this when buying pen kits.
Rick S
on Jan 7, 2016
mounted on drill press to drill pen blanks accurately
Robert T
on Dec 18, 2015
Didn't have one
Fred U
on Jun 4, 2015
This should be a great resource
Eric V. B
on Mar 29, 2018
Bought this for my husband's birthday. He wants to start making pens
Peggy K
on Feb 27, 2018
I ordered this jig to help me in drilling my pen blanks easier.
Thomas Y
on Dec 29, 2017
Out of all the reviews I read, this one had the best reviews.
Rick C
on Dec 12, 2017
Referral by another pen maker
Roger M
on Nov 26, 2017
I watched several videos and the ones that used the Rockler Pen Press/Drilling Jig made it look a little easier, and it looks like it will hold the pen blanks straight and square when drilling.
Ron B
on Aug 23, 2017
Really good tool.
Russell G S
on Feb 7, 2017
hobby
L A
on Nov 7, 2016
for pen making
Rick B
on Sep 12, 2016
i NEED IT
RONALD P
on Aug 25, 2016
great help with your drill press
harley e
on Jan 13, 2016
mounted on drill press to drill pen blanks accurately
Robert T
on Dec 18, 2015
Would his work on a 8” drill press or will it be to talk for it?
Colesammon
on Dec 26, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Normally that is referencing the throat distance and not the table positioning (up/down). This press doesn't take up all that much room, probably 4" in height at most. By lowering the table to a comfortable height for using the press should work fine at even 6" (total) from the chuck. The press is hollow in the middle which takes up part of the pen body length allow you to get closer to the drill bit.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- John M on Dec 27, 2017
- Purchased on Jan 26, 2016
BEST ANSWER: Normally that is referencing the throat distance and not the table positioning (up/down). This press doesn't take up all that much room, probably 4" in height at most. By lowering the table to a comfortable height for using the press should work fine at even 6" (total) from the chuck. The press is hollow in the middle which takes up part of the pen body length allow you to get closer to the drill bit.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- John M on Dec 27, 2017
- Purchased on Jan 26, 2016
The distance from the drill press table to the top of the blue portion of the jig (where your piece will sit) is 4-1/6". So, you need 4-1/6" + the height the piece you are drilling to the bottom of your drill bit.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Dana B on Dec 26, 2017
- Purchased on Jan 9, 2016
I originally tried it on a small press and there wasn't enough space to fit this under the bit. It works on my new, floor mounted drill press just fine.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- James on Dec 27, 2017
- Purchased on Jan 28, 2016
I wish I could help you but I do not know if it will work on an 8 inch drill press. I think it may but not positive. Sorry.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- David B on Dec 27, 2017
- Purchased on Jan 16, 2016
Vote for the best answer above!
Can this be used for bottle stops?
Mark B
on Oct 14, 2017
BEST ANSWER: I don't see why not. The jaws open more than wide enough and the faces have divots for assembly of pens. I plan to use mine for this when I start making bottle stops.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Stephen J on Oct 15, 2017
- Purchased on Nov 26, 2015
BEST ANSWER: I don't see why not. The jaws open more than wide enough and the faces have divots for assembly of pens. I plan to use mine for this when I start making bottle stops.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Stephen J on Oct 15, 2017
- Purchased on Nov 26, 2015
Yes there are no issues using the jig for bottle stoppers also. The jaws open wide enough for a standard bottle stopper blank.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Clifford B on Oct 15, 2017
- Purchased on Nov 30, 2015
Vote for the best answer above!
Reviews
3.4 / 5.0
63 Reviews
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
19
13
16
6
9
Great jig. Smooth turning and very versatile
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It really makes drilling the blanks easy. Works great as a press also.
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Great tool makes it much easier for drilling holes straight and assembly of pen.
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Pen Drill Press
I have not had a chance to use it yet.
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This press works great, it does a nice job aligning the wood in the jig, makes the job a lot easier
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Works great
Works great! Makes pen making easier
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110% satisfaction
This is my second one and I think it is GREAT
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Up until I purchased this, press/drilling Jig, I have used one I purchased from another source and used it for many years. This Jig is much, much better. It is more accurate, easier to use and it can also be used as a press. I would recommend this item to anyone.
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Great multiuse tool.
Great vice for pen making, added a storage drawer and mounted it to a base for secure clamping to the drill press table. Love it!

Added Jan 2, 2017
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This tool is amazing. I am able to set it up and drill all my blanks accurately and quickly without having to reset it repeatedly! I recommend it to anyone planning on making multiple pens and being accurate all the time.
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Great for turnings
This has simplified drilling out centers for pens, bottle tops, and other turnings. Makes drilling straight, repeatable holes fast and easy. I mounted it to a board as described and it is easy to take on and off the drill press. Well worth the purchase.
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Well designed, mainly.
The jig works exactly as described. It needs to be mounted on MDF to make it easier to mount to your drill table or workbench using C-clamps or whatever other means that you have at your disposal. I have one relatively small issue with the jig - small because it might improve the performance of a jig that works well enough that I haven't bought another space occupying item to drill and assemble pens. It seems that it could be fitted with a larger wheel to turn the jaws tight. The smaller wheel doesn't provide a lot of torque to move some of the tight fitting parts together with ease. In some ways, I can see that the smaller wheel forces the user to go slow, which is precisely what you want to do when assembling pens, but really - a little more torque would be nice. I've never had to use two hands to turn the wheel as some users have reported. Mine has (knock on formica) not had any issues with screws backing out or bearings failing, either. The wheel issue is so minor that I think that it earns 4.5 stars, so, by rounding up...it earns a 5.
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August 24, 2014
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I am a game call maker...
I am a game call maker and bought one of these to hold my 2" square stock just to try it out. This is the best clamp I have ever used. I bought one on each drill press, one for the barrels and one for the stoppers. Now all I need is something to hold them down.
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December 22, 2011
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After reading some of the reviews...
After reading some of the reviews I was not sure about buying it. It went on sale and I took a chance. It is a great product. Some people did not like the slow turning wheel. I think it is great. When putting your pens together it gives you complete control. I was using my bench vice and broke som pens because it was hard to control, this is not. Also it makes drilling a snap. I am so glad I bought this as it will save me a lot of time and make things eaiser.
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December 31, 2010
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I bought this product to save...
I bought this product to save money from buying 2 pieces of equipment. I use the jig to drill my blanks first then change over to a pen press. It's a little tight trying to get fingers in between jaws when pressing smaller pieces. So I turned two round dowels that fit in the 1 countersink and are turned down to ½ . The length depends on the length of the pen tubes. I also made one with a cone tapered hole to hold the pen tip. It works great.
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December 27, 2010
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This tool works great for drilling...
This tool works great for drilling and works great as a drill press. This way you get two tools in one. Thank you Rockler, another great tool.
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January 22, 2010
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Very well built and easy to...
Very well built and easy to use. Jaws line up spot on and hold tightly. I love that it opens wider than 2" so larger pieces can be used. I wouldn't use it as a pen press because the threads on the crank are a bit fine, but I didn't buy it for that anyway. I highly recommend this.
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March 10, 2009
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I just opened the box and...
I just opened the box and found the unit ready to go. I've screwed it to a sub base that I "C" clamp to the drill press table. I really like the self centering feature since not all my blanks are cut the exact same size. Now I don't have to keep repositioning my drilling jig. I turn a variety of items so what I'm going to do is make a pattern of the wood inserts and make a bunch. Then I'm going to label each one for the different size drill bit being used...this will help reduce the tear out(if any). The clamping "wheel" is very precise compared to squeezing a clamp...it looks like this is due to the fine threads.
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January 2, 2008
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The new pen press worked very...
The new pen press worked very well. I've used the jig to make 7mm pens and cigar pens. The self centering vise was very smooth and I like the replacable MDF inserts to help eliminate blowout. The ability to slowly close the vise was a plus when assembling the 7mm pen. The jaws do not "give" like wood jaws can. When this happens the pen nib gets driven in the wood. There is no guessing about closing the vise another 1/32" and hoping that the vise doesn't slip and drive the insert in too far. This is a good product that requires virtually no setup (other than mounting the jig to a plywood base for easier clamping) and the jig eliminates the need to have self-centering vise of some kind and another method to assemble the pen. The only thing left to do is make a storage drawer for my bits and bushings. Highly recommened.
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December 31, 2007
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This does work great and I use it all the time
This does work great and I use it all the time for vertical drilling pends and bottle stoppers.
It would be perfect as a pen press if the jaws would quick adjust like some vises do. Otherwise, that's a lot of turning of the knob to get there.
It would be perfect as a pen press if the jaws would quick adjust like some vises do. Otherwise, that's a lot of turning of the knob to get there.
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Very handy for drilling blanks and then assembling the parts. Only beef is that the faces of the clamp rack a bit when tightened down.
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Works as advertised
The jig is relatively easy to use, and I ve used it to make two pens already. One blank had to be recycled, as I somehow damaged the end of one of the pen tubes, but I had bough some spares, so really no problem, other than I have to be more careful in my technique. I worked with maple blanks, which turn out a nice looking pen. Surprisingly, I found that reversing the grain on one pen made a better appearance IMO, so I wouldn't rule it out in the future. Suggest that a mandrel saver be included in recommended items.


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Works great-came broken
Worked great as a drill press vise. Held the pen blanks firmly and square. No apparent damage to box, however when I opened it, the wheel was broken. Waiting on return call from Rockler. They have always been good to deal with, so not too concerned.
My only complaint so far is the sharp edges all around the unit. Feels like I will cut my fingers every time I pick it up. Hopefully the pen press will work better than some of the other posts suggest.
My only complaint so far is the sharp edges all around the unit. Feels like I will cut my fingers every time I pick it up. Hopefully the pen press will work better than some of the other posts suggest.
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Great
Works great. Vise clamps from both directions. Anodized Aluminum construction so I would not want to clamp steel or non ferrous material in it.
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Does a great job
Works fine. A little slow having to screw in and out to press a pen vs a lever pull down press, but built well and does a good job. Does great as a drilling jig.
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Good, but not precise.
It is adequate for most my blank drilling. There certainly are cheaper shop made jigs that may work better. The jaws are loose and I question its ability to be square. For short projects such as pens, bottle stoppers, and short handles; this is good. For longer projects I use a lathe mounted device.
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Good multi-purpose tool
In my small shop it's nice to have a single tool that can wear more than one hat. I've found this one to be quite capable as both a drilling jig and a pen press. As a press it is nice to have the delicate touch of the wheel although I would suggest the wheel could be larger to make it easier to apply force.
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I bought this product to save...
I bought this product to save money from buying 2 pieces of equipment. As of right now I am pretty happy with it. I drill my pen blanks all at one time then remove the toll and put on my bench. Is a little tight trying to get fingers in between jaws when pressing smaller pieces.
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February 21, 2009
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General construction quality is very good,...
General construction quality is very good, pretty robust design. The recessed pockets for using as a pen press can be a little deep, but not a show stopper for me. This is a HUGE improvement over the machinist vise I was using for drilling, and the hand clamp I was using for assembly. Better accuracy in drilling and better control in assembly, and both in a single tool.
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December 28, 2008
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Once I had my drill press...
Once I had my drill press table square I was able to put most any size blank and have it centered. The press worked well for p-en assembly although it was a little ackward still on the drill press. My fingers seemed to run out of room with small pens I am thinking of cutting a blank to insert in one side to increase finger room. It would have to be removeable for drilling.
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January 28, 2008
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The press works great and I...
The press works great and I find it preferable to the lever action presses. I like the MDF inserts and the smooth action of the press. My only criticism is that it sits up relatively high and that takes away from the clearance between the bottom of the drill bit and the top of the blank being drilled.
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January 25, 2008
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All right for drilling
This tool is all right for drilling but is slow for assembly. Get a separate press for assembly if you are making a large number of pens
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Not as helpful as I hoped.
This item is great in functionality but somewhat lacking in convenience. It works quite well on the drill press and gives me good control drilling the holes in pen stock. When using it for pressing parts, it takes too much time to open the jaws up for the larger parts. Also there is no room for my fingers to hold things in place.
I will probably relegate this to the drill press sometime soon.
I will probably relegate this to the drill press sometime soon.
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This press/drilling jig works well on the drilling side but can be hard to press pens. The well could be larger allowing more pressure to be placed on the press. If you order this make sure all of your bolts and screws are tight before using this product.
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Nice vice. I have a smaller drill press and it is too tall for that. But it works for barrel trimming.
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Good tool for starter
The tool performed well for about the first 15 pens. A problem started with the turning wheel not staying connected and I was always having to tighten. At some point in time I can imagine this part to fail to tighten. Another issue is once the pen is pressed, it is difficult to release. It takes two hands to get it to release and remove the pen. Even with these setbacks, it is still working ok and I will continue to use as long as I can.
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Cross vise lever operated pen press vs Pen assembly vise
I purchased this press about 6 yrs ago. Mounted it on a piece of 3/4"plywood. I drilled holes in the plywood too match the holes in the drill press table. Used bolts, washers, nuts and mounted it to the drill press table. The Allen screw kept coming loose, so I removed the Allen screw, took off the round handle, Re-drilled the hole in the shaft. Put the round handle back on, and I replaced the Allen screw with a pan head Torx Screw. It developed side play when drilling. I adjusted the side play but still not enough.The handle is a little too small when pressing pens together. Hard to unscrew the handle when pressing pens tight. It now sits on my work shelf after 3 yrs collecting dust. I replaced it with a cross vise which stays on my drill press. Bought a pen press that has spacers you flip over as you build the pen. Spring loaded for easy placement of pens which frees up one of your hands. Has a long handle for leverage for pressing the pens together.
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April 10, 2014
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I bought this Jig about a...
I bought this Jig about a year ago when I started turning pens. It seemed like a good solution to two situations! drilling blanks and assembling pens. The jig works for both tasks. Used for assembling pens requires a large amount of hand strength to turn the handle, too much I think. It also occasionally jams when extreme assembly pressure is applied. Also very long pen blanks must be absolutely square if they need to be drilled from both ends. I have not found a way to secure the jig to the drill press table so its position must be adjusted for each hole drilled. Not a bad product for starting out but there are better solutions out there.
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November 27, 2012
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This device is an excellent drilling...
This device is an excellent drilling guide, but is not good at all for a pen press. The handle is nice and works well, but took too much pressure to press tight pens together. I did have to put a drop of glue in the four bearing holes because the set screw holding the bearings in kept backing out. Once that was done, it has served me well having used it on over 200 pens. Would like to add Rockler has the best support and fastest shipping for everything I have ordered from them in the last 5 years, Good Work Rockler team.
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March 20, 2011
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Overall it is constructed very good....
Overall it is constructed very good. I'm sure I will have no problems with it. The reason that I rated it a 3 Star is that the wheel that you turn is way too small. As we all know the larger the wheel the less resistance in turning it. The current wheel is 3 1/2" in diameter. A 6" wheel will fit on the tool with no further modification and made it a whole lot better to apply pressure to push in the pieces of the pen. The circumference is 70% more on the 6" wheel.
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June 17, 2010
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This works great to drill blanks,...
This works great to drill blanks, but it does not do well as a pen press. We bought an arbor press that does the job with a lot less effort (be careful, however, to watch very closely--the one ton press can put too much pressure on the pen piece and it will crack.). We also had a problem with ball bearings and set screws coming off. Rockler has good quality items and this is a bit disappointing.
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May 3, 2009
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I have just recently started making...
I have just recently started making pens and pencils and have been using home made decices for assembly this is my first commercial press. l like the press and clamp. The only complaint I have is it is quite slow on the assembly side. I have tried spraying the threads with silicone and they are still hard to turn and slow to operate hopefully they will wear in, other than that I am well pleased
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February 13, 2009
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A bit clumsy to open and...
A bit clumsy to open and close the jaws when constructing and building a pen. Very hard to keep the jaws level and I have split a pen because I was unaware that the jaws were not level with each other.
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January 1, 2009
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The threads are thin, heavier threads,...
The threads are thin, heavier threads, I think, would make a better vice. It's much better than the lever type I was using. I'll be using it for clamping parts together, drilling large squares. It's too crowded for small drilling. I found laying a scrap on the base to hold the pen in place, level. makes it easier to use(clamping). Spraying silicone on the threads helps some.
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December 1, 2008
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I have only recently started making...
I have only recently started making pens and the like requiring this type of apparatus. It clamps nicely and is easy to do a whole series of blanks at one time in the drill press. With regard to the pen assembling part, I have found that when I am having to go from a short piece to a longer piece more that a few cranks the extension handle on the wheel seems to always unscrew and then I end up having to re-attach it before continuing. Shame to there isn't a way to slide the jaws to a wider setting real quick and then use the threads as a finer adjustment is needed... but overall it works fine for the few I do.
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August 15, 2008
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As far as a drilling jig,...
As far as a drilling jig, it works great. The replacable insert is a nice feature. I bought this in order to save money over buying a drilling jig and a pen press, however I didn't think it out very well. I have to continously move it back and forth between my drill press table to drill the blank and my workbench to press the pen. If I try to press my pen while it is on the drill press, the bit gets in the way unless I drop the table low and it has turned out to be more trouble than it's worth. Think about your work habits before buying a dual-duty jig.I will be buying a new press because this product performs much better as a drilling jig than it does a press. The wheel action is smooth until I actually start putting pressure on the pen parts. Then it gets extremely hard to turn and I have to let go of the pen and turn the wheel with both hands. If I am using CA glue on the parts they can set up before I get them seated. I also have to feed a wrench through the wheel spokes and use that as leverage to wind the wheel back out because I cannot do it with my hand strength alone. I'm not sure why the wheel gets so tight but it is an issue for me.
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July 19, 2008
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This works well for a drilling...
This works well for a drilling jig but pressing large pens can put a fair amount of stress on the plastic bushings resulting in eventual failer. I see this as a potential problem. Once a part is pressed into the pen blank I find that backing out requires more exertion then the actual pressing.
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March 2, 2008
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Don't lose the set screws...
This is my first time using it and I was disappointed to find out that there were set screws and they were loose right out of the box. Two fell off before my I could finish my first blank and I had to search through the sawdust in my shop to find the tiny screws and springs. Then come to find out that an Allen wrench was not even included. The set screws are black and blend in with the jig and are somewhat underneath the track so you have to know that you're looking for them. For what was paid for this jig, it would have been nice for a small piece of paper instructions pointing out the loose set screws and including an Allen wrench would have been nice,
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poor build quality
This is a very nice idea but the vice jaws are so loose on the tracks that it is very hard to find center on a piece and manage to hit that center with a drill bit. There should not be 1/8" or more of wiggle after you tighten a piece of wood in the jaws.
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September 5, 2014
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You have no obligation to purchase the product once you know the price. You can simply remove the item from your cart.
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