live centre

[maxwell_smart007]

I have the Harbour Freight 34706 lathe (Jet 1236 clone), and my morse taper is the standard one that came with the lathe.

I hear that this will not work with a mandrel, as it needs to be 60 degrees. My mandrel's the adjustable one that moves in and out according to the length you want your piece to be.

Are there any Canadian retailers that sell these mandrels for a reasonable price?

Oh, and while I'm asking - will my mandrel handle 10 and 7 mm blanks, or do I need a thicker mandrel rod for the bigger blanks? Or do the bushings hold the blank from spinning?

Thanks guys,
Andrew

 

[cdcarter]

I'll let somebody who knows more than I do (that's pretty much everybody) take the taper and 60-degree question, but I think the general advice will be to get a chuck and you'll be good to go. It lets you lengthen or shorten the mandrel as needed. (I asked a question about this just yesterday.) The chuck will also let you use any size mandrel shaft without having to buy the taper, which will save you money. (You can get a shaft for about $3, vs. $25 or so with the taper.)

Most folks seem to start with a 7 mm "A" mandrel, but there are also larger, "B" mandrels that are stiffer and more stable. (Usually from folks like Arizona Silhouette and Bear Tooth Woods.) Where I have a choice, I prefer the larger one.

Whichever you're using, the right bushings will fit snug on the mandrel and have sleeves that stabilize the blanks. With the right bushings, you can even turn a biggie like 31/64 (Statesman) on a 7 mm.

 

[Monty]

Originally posted by maxwell_smart007
<br />I have the Harbour Freight 34706 lathe (Jet 1236 clone), and my morse taper is the standard one that came with the lathe.

I hear that this will not work with a mandrel, as it needs to be 60 degrees. My mandrel's the adjustable one that moves in and out according to the length you want your piece to be.

Your mandrel should work just fine. The inset in the end of the mandrel is 60 degrees and it's the live center in the tailstock that came with your lathe that's not 60 degrees. A lot of us here have purchased a live center from The Little Machine Shop for about $13, http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1189&category=
Grizzly has one also for about the same price
http://www.grizzly.com/products/h3408
Don't know if either ships to Canada or not. If not, let me know. I'd be happy to help you out again.

Originally posted by maxwell_smart007
<br />
Oh, and while I'm asking - will my mandrel handle 10 and 7 mm blanks, or do I need a thicker mandrel rod for the bigger blanks? Or do the bushings hold the blank from spinning?

Thanks guys,
Andrew

Most of the kits use the "A" rod, this includes the 7mm slims and euros and 10mm cigar pens. A few of the larger pen kits by Berea use the "B" rod, but it will usually thread into the morse taper mandrel and replace the "A" rod.
You are correct in assuming that the bushings, when snugged down by the nut, keep the blanks from spinning.