Creating beautiful turned pens starts with carefully preparing the turning blank. Every pen kit on the market includes a brass insert tube that has to be glued into the blank. Then the blank needs to be trimmed perpendicular to and perfectly flush with both ends of the insert tube. The trimming process is fundamentally important to great results, but until now, the tools available to pen turners for that job have left a lot to be desired. Now Woodpeckers is introducing the Ultra-Shear Pen Mill Ci, a pen mill that effortlessly cuts every material pen turners use…and through mountains of pen blanks.
The Ultra-Shear Pen Mill Ci uses razor-sharp nano-grain carbide inserts mounted in a precision-machined milling head. These are exactly the same inserts used on our Ultra-Shear Pen Size Square turning tools. The special long-life carbide edges will shave through exotic hardwoods, acrylics, polymers, stabilized woods, cast hybrids and even non-ferrous metals with flawless results. When the edges finally get dull, fresh cutting edges are as simple as loosening two screws, turning the inserts 90 degrees and locking them back down. Not only do you have sharper, longer lasting cutting edges, the head is also significantly larger than any other on the market, which means after trimming a ¾” square pen blank, there’s no annoying “halo” of material.
Keeping the milling head perpendicular to the brass insert tube requires a pilot shaft that is carefully sized to fit the tube just right…neither too tight nor too loose. The new Ultra-Shear Pilot-Reamers are cut on precision Swiss lathes to exacting tolerances. We offer the 12 most popular sizes covering virtually every pen kit on the market. In addition to keeping the milling head perpendicular to the tube, the noses of the Pilot-Reamers are fluted to carefully cut away any glue residue or brass burrs inside the insert tube.
Competitive pen mills drive off the pilot shaft, relying only on the set screw to prevent the cutting head from spinning. The part that fits into your drill chuck on the Ultra-Shear Pen Mill Ci is part of the head, and has a 3-flat design that gives you a very positive lock when you tighten your chuck.
If you turn several different pen styles, we offer two sets. The 5-piece set includes the Pen Mill Ci and the four most popular Pilot-Reamers. The 13-piece set includes the Pen Mill Ci and all 12 Pilot-Reamers. Both sets come in a Woodpeckers plastic case with a custom cut foam liner to keep everything safe and organized. If you only make one or two style pens, you can buy the Pen Mill Ci milling head and just the Pilot-Reamers you need.
Additional Info
- **Trimming Pen Blanks**: Perfect for ensuring that pen blanks are trimmed flush and perpendicular to the insert tube, essential for high-quality pen turning.
- **Working with Various Materials**: Ideal for use on a wide range of materials including exotic hardwoods, acrylics, polymers, stabilized woods, cast hybrids, and even non-ferrous metals, offering versatility to pen turners.
- **Creating Custom Pens**: Enables the creation of custom, handcrafted pens by allowing for precise preparation of pen blanks, essential for pen makers and hobbyists.
- **Removing Glue Residue and Brass Burrs**: The Pilot-Reamers are specially designed to remove any glue residue or brass burrs inside the insert tube, ensuring a clean, professional finish.
- **Multiple Pen Styles**: With the availability of different Pilot-Reamers, it's suitable for turning several pen styles, appealing to those who produce a variety of pen designs.
- **Enhancing Pen Turning Efficiency**: The larger milling head and sharp carbide inserts increase the efficiency and quality of pen blank preparation, beneficial for both hobbyists and professional pen turners.
- **Longevity and Durability**: The use of nano-grain carbide inserts ensures longer-lasting cutting edges, reducing the need for frequent replacements and maintaining consistent performance.
- **Easy Maintenance**: The design allows for easy rotation or replacement of carbide inserts, making maintenance simple and ensuring continuous sharp cutting edges.
- **Precision Machining**: The precision-machined milling head and Swiss-lathe cut Pilot-Reamers offer exacting tolerances, crucial for high-quality, precise pen turning work.
- **Organized Storage Solution**: Comes with a custom foam-lined Woodpeckers plastic case for safe and organized storage of the Pen Mill Ci and Pilot-Reamers, ideal for keeping the workspace tidy and tools in good condition.