# My pen drilling set up



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

This is my set up for drilling pen blanks. It's not fancy but it works very well. The hole in the fence is for a standard shop vac hose and it captures most of the swarf.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

Mike, your solutions are always interesting to me because they are straightforward and inexpensive. Thanks.

And I love that word swarf! I had to look it up because it is a new one to me. But it seems to be more closely related to metal shavings rather than wood ... ?

swarf - definition of swarf by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.


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## Harrison67 (May 30, 2012)

My Wife usually makes the pen/pencil sets, but she was leery of using the drillpress....so I bought her the 2 jaw lathe attachment from PSI.

The 2 jaw, makes quick work of drilling those blanks.:


PSI Woodworking CJAWPEN Pen Blank Drilling Jaws For "C" Series PSI Lathe Chucks - Amazon.com

Before that, I drilled some of them with a metal lathe, and Mike's setup.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Chris, swarf is a common usage term for sawdust. (which isn't always made by a saw!)


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Swarf has also been used to describe the sludge you get when sharpening woodworking blades/irons. As the sharpening medium breaks down and mixes with the lubricant and metal filings. Generally thought of as just carrying away the remnants, often times the swarf aides in the cutting action itself.


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