The Pen is Mighter than ?

[JRD]

First off, a "BIG THANK YOU" to Steve for helping me get back up and running after a change of ISP's.

I've been hanging on to some Deer antler for about a year with every intent of trying to make an antler/rifle cartridge pen. Yesterday, with a day off of work and nice weather, became the day.

A few words of explanation. The cartridge is 30-06, and the pen was based on a slim line kit. The nib on the kit was a perfect match for the neck diameter of the cartridge. As others have written, I confirm, antler stinks when cutting, turning, and sanding it!

The two hardest parts of making these were finding a way to hold the cartridge when drilling through its bottom so that I didn't crush or marr the cartridge exterior, and drilling the antler for the center brass tube. I drilled through the side of three pieces I'd cut and ruined them.

I suspect these will become gifts for a few hunters I know.

Thanks for looking,

Jim

 

[RandyJ]

Nice pens, Jim:icon_thum!

So how DID you hold the casings while you drilled them??:dontknow:

 

[JRD]

Randy,

After trying a rag and vise grips, and a few choice words, I finally hit on another idea.

I have an old jar opener, with a rubber? grip band that wraps around a lid. I detached the band, put it around the base of the cartridge, and held snug to the casing with vise grips.

Drilling thru the neck and into the bottom helped keep the bit running straight as did sitting the bottom of the cartridge on a piece of waste wood. I'd also used a square beforehand to make sure my drill base table was at 90 degrees to the bit.

Even with the rubber banding holding the case, it did at times start to spin with the bit. When ever that happened, I'd just let off, raise the bit to help clear shavings from inside the casing, and proceed again very slowly.

Jim

 

[MikeL]

Jim, those are very nice. Fine job on the tricky execution!

I have been wanting to try to make one of those for my cousin. I have some antler that was given to me but need the casing. It's nice to know what casing matches waht pen kit. Where did you find yours? (I don't want to ask my cousin and give the gift idea away)

 

[DaveO]

Mike I have some casings already tubed if you want some they are 30-06.
Dave

 

[DaveO]

Jim, great work. I really like the "bark" inclusions that you maintained.
Dave

 

[sawduster]

man that is one of the kewl-est pens I have ever seen :eusa_clap What a great idea !
You guys with the spinny things just blow me away
Good job ! :icon_thum

 

[MikeL]

Dave, I will take you up on that offer! Thanks man.

I agree that they are too cool. We need more casings! :qleft7:

 

[JRD]

Just remember, the hardest part is drilling out the casing without scratching the brass and drilling thru the antler without blow out.

Jim

 

[Eaglesc]

You are right on finding a good way to hold the casing for drilling accurately being difficult.
I made my first cxasing pens three years ago and after trying to find an inexpensive alternative for a collet chuck I wound up finding this site after searching 80 pages of Google hits.
http://www.davidreedsmith.com/
Scroll through the articles section until you find the "All wood collet chuck"
That's how I drilled my first 50 until I could afford a Beall.
For drilling antler turn round first then you have center.

 

[gator]

For drilling antler turn round first then you have center.

I learn something from every one of eagle's posts.:icon_chee:icon_chee:icon_chee

George

 

[Eaglesc]

Another method for drilling antler is a little more tricky but gets excellent results.
Cut your antler a little long and make sure the ends are close to parallel.
I have a Bessey parallel bar clamp I use as a "holding fixture, because the head is right angle to the bar.
I roll the antler until it finds the spot where it wants to sit flat..
Clamp it in the bar clamp with one side proud of the jaws. I put the back side of the bar clamp against my fence on the TS and run the antler through the blade like a sawyer would run a log through his blade at a lumber mill.
I now have one flat side. Rotate the antler 90 degrees and make another cut.
This will give you a 90 degree side and you can use that side in your drilling jig.
There is no need to square the other sides once you have a 90.
Use whatever method you choose to ease the corners, some sand it .

 

[MikeL]

As always, thank you for the info Eagle. :icon_thum I only have a small bit of antler (that's large enough for the pen) to work with so any helpful hints are a definite plus.

 

[DaveO]

Another method for drilling antler is a little more tricky but gets excellent results.
Cut your antler a little long and make sure the ends are close to parallel.
I have a Bessey parallel bar clamp I use as a "holding fixture, because the head is right angle to the bar.
I roll the antler until it finds the spot where it wants to sit flat..
Clamp it in the bar clamp with one side proud of the jaws. I put the back side of the bar clamp against my fence on the TS and run the antler through the blade like a sawyer would run a log through his blade at a lumber mill.
I now have one flat side. Rotate the antler 90 degrees and make another cut.
This will give you a 90 degree side and you can use that side in your drilling jig.
There is no need to square the other sides once you have a 90.
Use whatever method you choose to ease the corners, some sand it .

That's what I do...I wonder where I learned it :-D
Mike I got antler coming out my .... if you need some to practice with.
Dave

 

[sawduster]

That's what I do...I wonder where I learned it :-D
Mike I got antler coming out my .... if you need some to practice with.
Dave

Hmmmmmm ....not touching that one ! :rotflm:

 

[AlexL]

Jim,
Wow, nice pens.:icon_thum I wish I could do that.

Alex

 

[DaveO]

Alex, for what I have seen, you can. If you can turn an acrylic pen you can turn some antler...the casing part is pretty easy...there isn't a lot to turn.
Dave

 

[AlexL]

Dave,
From what you said it does sound easy.
Once again, thanks for the advice,
Alex