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hazegry

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Mar 12, 2006
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Hi everybody
I am just getting started and I wanted to know are the prof mandrels any better than the cheaper ones? I have access to a lathe at the hobby shop on base so thats not a problem. I want to join a local turning club but I am worried about stepping on other members toes when I start to sell my pens (if I get to that point) any suggestions? I have had alot of success with shadow boxes for guys retiring from the military and I want to branch out.
 
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terrymiller

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Oct 13, 2005
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Jason dont worry about stepping on toes everyone I have met at Tidewater Turners has been great. Penhead one of the moderators here is the VP of the club and lkorn is also a member of the club.
 

lkorn

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Jason,
Don't worry about it. We all build our own customer network and they rarely overlap. It takes tie and dedication to learn to make a pen properly. Now thats a real loose definition, that will differ between all of us. So as long as you and Terry stay on the base and leave the rest of Tidewater to me, we'll manage to get along[8D].

Welcome to the wonderful world of penturning.

Oh yeah, the mandrels. I don't know if one mandrel is better than the other, but the mounting systems are different. As I recall, the 'pro' model has an adjustable length, so the amount of whipping can be controlled. There are still better ways to do that, but one step at a time. Lets get you making pens first!
 

lkorn

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Oh yeah, the mandrels. I don't know if one mandrel is better than the other, but the mounting systems are different. As I recall, the 'pro' model has an adjustable length, so the amount of whipping can be controlled. There are still better ways to do that, but one step at a time. Lets get you making pens first!
 

TomServo

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Oct 13, 2005
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432
Location
Grand Forks, ND, USA.
haze: go with the basic cheap mandrel holder, and if you decide you need something spankity later, pay out for a beall collet chuck or a morse taper drill chuck.
 

gerryr

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Sep 22, 2005
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Billings, MT, USA.
I bought the cheaper mandrel that Woodcraft sells and have had no complaints. I think it might be the cheapest mandrel on the market, $9.99 and you can get replacement shafts for 2.99. Buy one of those plus an extra shaft because you'll need it. DAMHIKT.
 

jtate

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Feb 21, 2006
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Brentwood, TN, USA.
So, lkorn, care to comment on these better ways to control whipping? I'm definitely interested in that. I can't seeme to keep everything consistently and reliably moving in simple concentrtic circles. Wouldn't seem like that difficult a task would it? I keep getting my mandrell bent s little bit and that makes it wors. I've found that, if I put the part I'm working on as close to the headstock as possible, that helps. Pity the poor piece that finds itse;f aty the tailstock end of my mandrell! It's bound for lop-sidedness!

Julia
 

lkorn

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Julia,
Bent Mandrels and out of round? There are several issues at play here.

First, make sure that you are not applying too much pressure with the tailsock. Just enough to stabilize the mandrel is all you need.

Second, make sure the your tailstock and headstock are in perfect alignment. Bring them together and look at the points.

Third, do you have a 60 degree LIVE center in your tailstock?

These will take care of most non-concentric turning problems.

After all this is done, the "pro" style mandrel allows for an adjustable length, where you can turn only one half of the pen at a time, by shortening up te exposed mandrel so there is less of it to flex. HOWEVER, by spending (isn't it great how you can toss money and fix most problems?) a little cash, you can purchase either an Axminster or Bealle collet chuck with appropriate bushings and have a far more concentric rotation than a morse taper can provide.
 
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