Question: Wooden pin vise

Matthew Evans

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
410
I’m looking for a wooden pen style pin vise to hold recycled drill bits as scrapers. Short of making one myself I haven’t seen any that are made strictly for comfort, anyone got a source or interested in making some for sale? I don’t have a lathe otherwise would go to town on one.
 

DanM

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
203
Location
Minnesota
I’m looking for a wooden pen style pin vise to hold recycled drill bits as scrapers. Short of making one myself I haven’t seen any that are made strictly for comfort, anyone got a source or interested in making some for sale? I don’t have a lathe otherwise would go to town on one.
Your statement is too vague,anything on this page look like what you want?
 

monk

Moderator
Staff member
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
10,857
Location
washington, pa
it is likely just a small drill chuck threaded into a wooden handle. would accept any tool from.062" to .250"
 

Matthew Evans

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
410
I may very well just buy this and see if I like it enough, but my imaginations says I can make a long calligraphy type pen from wood with just the chuck on the end. Really want to try what sam w is best known for with the two step, draw and cut.

p.s. got a buddy on the cafe who said he’ll work something up so thank you for all the kind responses. The cafe never disappoints
 

Attachments

  • 8E6E7D72-27E2-4FB6-8749-DE5F20928FF0.jpeg
    8E6E7D72-27E2-4FB6-8749-DE5F20928FF0.jpeg
    43.2 KB · Views: 38
Last edited:

PS_Bond

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
130
Location
Southampton, UK
I've got some pin vice ends set in GRS Thermoloc handles; there's no reason something similar couldn't be done with a length of dowel instead. Donors looked like these -

That said, I often use a length of 2mm silver steel (similar to drill rod) in a clutch pencil as a scribe.
1643699385388.png
 

SamW

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
2,426
Location
Castle Valley, UT in the Red Rock country
Matthew, these are my pin vises. From left to right, the first is one I have had for 40 plus years and I don't remember where I ordered it. Holds a 1/16 drill rod stock scribe point that I use for drawing on steel. It is final polished on a black Arkansas surgical stone for smoothness and the sides of the tapered point work well to burnish out lines that need correction when drawing (often).

The second one is an Excel hobby knife handle I got from a hobby shop in Grand Junction for about $5. It is designed for the Exacto hobby knife blades. I drilled down the center of the collet so that it would also hold 1/16" drill stock. I use it primarily for stipple shading but works just fine for drawing on steel like the first tool. It is very comfortable...the red portion is a medium soft rubber compound.

The third one is made from a GRS handle like PS Bond shows above...mounted on a wood dowel. It is useful for holding carbide tool blanks when forming or sharpening as background stippling tools.

The forth is just a carbide scribe mounted in a wood dowel and very useful for heavier scribing. I use it to scrape out undercuts around an inlay cavity edge as that does not raise up metal.

The fifth is Rio Grand's 2 mm. polishing pin vise, designed for use in a dremel but put into a wood dowel so I can use the polishing pins like a pencil eraser. Useful for a number of tasks, including cleaning gold line inlay that has been darkened by the carding off process in rust bluing.

The last tool is also an Excel handle drilled to hold 1/16" drill rod stock, this one holds a small burnishing tool.

Remember, when drawing a design on metal you must have a fine polish on the surface so that you can sketch very, very lightly which allows you to burnish off lines that need correcting. If you scribe too deep the lines will be very difficult to remove and correct.

Hope this helps.

Tools.jpg
 

Matthew Evans

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
410
.
 

Attachments

  • B9306FB5-302C-48CB-AE3A-E38559C5B454.jpeg
    B9306FB5-302C-48CB-AE3A-E38559C5B454.jpeg
    24.3 KB · Views: 14
Last edited:

PS_Bond

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
130
Location
Southampton, UK
Why in my head do I have someone yelling stop playing with your food and you going no you can’t make me. That might be the winner. I’ll try ‘em all lol

Chew the end first & nobody will try to use it to eat :)

Another one (courtesy of Jason Marchiafava) is to take the eye off a needle and then use a cheap plastic propelling pencil to grip it.
 

AllenClapp

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2019
Messages
377
Location
Raleigh, NC
That’s perfect Ty, will buy that and this and see if some finagling will get why I’m looking for.
Less than a ten or 15 dollar fix works for me. Thanks everyone
These don't have a grip for a round rod. They have what, for lack of a better term, is a double circle grip, where you slip the curved back end of an ink nib between the circles and it is held in with pressure.
 

Andrew Biggs

Moderator
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
5,034
Location
Christchurch, New Zealand
These are recycled drill bits being used for scrapers.

Recycled beading punches and carbide burs are also great for burnishers and all sorts of useful things.

A length of 10mm ~ 12mm dowel cut into whatever length handles you want. Drill a hole and araldite/superglue the drill bit into it.....you can have as many scrapers as you want for probably less than a dollar each............they are cheap enough to throw away after their use by date which should be about 50 years or more !!! :) :)
 

Latest posts

Sponsors

Top