Need some advice on mandrel less turning

[bubbatd]

Can someone lead me to a tutorial for turning mandrel less. I don't think I am using the search function correctly.

 

[jkeithrussell]

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=41743&highlight=mandrel-less

Here's a start. There are plenty of links in that thread. Hit the Search tab, then type "mandrel-less" and you will get tons of threads.

Take all of it with a grain of salt. I've personally found the drawbacks to exceed the benefits, but to each his own.

 

[Mather323]

What drawbacks did you have?

 

[jkeithrussell]

The drawbacks that I experienced are:

1. It takes relatively twice as long to do everything. Instead of making one pass over two blanks (turning, sanding, or finishing), you make one, then change blanks, then do it all again.
2. Because each blank is turned, sanded, and finished separately, the 2 ends are more likely to turn out different than if they are mounted on a mandrel where you can see and monitor progress of both blanks at the same time.
3. You have a very small area of clearance for the tools and for the paper towels or shop cloths used in finishing.
4. Unless you can afford to buy custom made bushings, there is no good way to turn or finish 7mm tubed pens without a mandrel.

I do sometimes use the mandrel-less system when I'm making Sierras, and also sometimes for finishing up Cigars, Barons or Sedonas, etc. To me, the system has its uses, but it's not a "one-stop" solution.

There are some people who will vehemently disagree with everything that I said about the disadvantages, and they may be right. You just have to experiment with it and see if it works for you.

 

[bitshird]

Nope no disagreement here, I made my own bushings for slim lines, both steel and delrin, but you are right, it takes longer to do a slimline, or a Roadster or Anelli what ever you want to call it, But for an inexpensive pen, I still use a mandrel on occasion, but I do like my delrin bushings for finishing, it's slower, but since all I do is CA finishes, I don't get chipouts on the ends with the delrin, You can make delrin bushings just like the slimline .337 bushings for a mandrel as well.

 

[spiritwoodturner]

I haven't tried it yet, but I can see what Keith's talking about, and I guess it's what's kept me from trying it. As it is, 8 total coats of CA takes me awhile, doing 2 at a time. I really can't see how doing 1 at a time is anything approaching quicker, but maybe someone has come up with something. The only advantage in my mind (and it WOULD be a big one) is the no sticking to the bushings with CA, although I've mostly found a way around that.

I've read about everything here, and don't recall a way around that, but I'm all ears.

Dale

 

[jkeithrussell]

I haven't tried it yet, but I can see what Keith's talking about, and I guess it's what's kept me from trying it. As it is, 8 total coats of CA takes me awhile, doing 2 at a time. I really can't see how doing 1 at a time is anything approaching quicker, but maybe someone has come up with something. The only advantage in my mind (and it WOULD be a big one) is the no sticking to the bushings with CA, although I've mostly found a way around that.

I've read about everything here, and don't recall a way around that, but I'm all ears.

Dale

I imagine Delrin bushings are the real answer to sticking. I bought some Delrin with the goal of making my own, but haven't gotten it done. I might end up just buying them from Johnny.

I switched to using only thin CA for finishing (well, except when medium is needed to fill in the grain, or whatever), and the thin doesn't gum up the bushings nearly as much as medium does. In fact, I can't think of any chipping problems since I switched to thin CA, and I use a lot of coats. Just a light twist and the bushings separate easily. The pen mill / trimmer that was recently listed in the classifieds makes it simple to tidy up the ends.

 

[marcruby]

Since I'm not a production pen turner I haven't really been bothered by the time lost in getting rid of the mandrel. Even when I use a mandrel I only turn one piece at a time. On the other hand I have noticed that any problems of off-center or out of round blanks has vanished, which means I throw away fewer mandrels -- and pen blanks.

I do use bushings, except for the rare occasion when there is something wrong with a commercial bushing. Center to center turning can flare a tube, which is a whole new problem.

In any case, it can't hurt to have a 60 degree live and dead center handy - they're pretty cheap and will occasionally save the day. Then you can experiment and make the decision that suits you best.

Marc

 

[amosfella]

Doing mandrel-less pens got rid of my chronic out of round problem. Now, my out of round variables can be measured in thousandths rather than hundredths....

 

[bubbatd]

Thanks for all the information and opinions I will give it a try after my bushings get here. Not to sure about time concerns as I have no job(retired) and am not doing production.

 

[jack barnes]

I do not use a mandreI to turn 7 mm. I turn between centers, use very little pressure and take very light cuts.

Jack