Turning without mandrels

[jack barnes]

I know there is a few turners that turn pens that don't use a mandrel, could someone tell me what they do so I can give it a try?

Jack

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Pretty easy if you have a dead center, just put the bushings in the blank and hold it between center. You do not need a lot of preasure to hold it and a little slip while first roughing it out is ok. What I like is how easy it is to remove the blank to measure with calipers. It's a lot easier to read when in your hand than on the lathe.

... and a photo is worth a million words. []

 

[Dario]

Use a dead center for the driver on the headstock and a live center on the tailstock.

You can only turn one barrel at a time.

You can use it only on kits that have "step" bushings that have tenon like transition. You cannot use it on kits that have 7mm tubes like slimline or 7mm Euro.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Huzah! Beat ya by 6 seconds there Dario! []

 

[Dario]

Beat me more than just 6 secs my friend. Beat me by thousand points too. A pic is worth a thousand words. []

 

[Firefyter-emt]

if people can sell some of these kits in the 4 digits... then my photo vs word value can hit the millions! [}]


(edit: Is this a full thread hijack now?? LOL)

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by Dario
<br />.....You can use it only on kits that have "step" bushings that have tenon like transition. You cannot use it on kits that have 7mm tubes like slimline or 7mm Euro....

Seems to me that it would be pretty easy to make your own stepped 7mm "bushings" to allow this technique to work for Slimlines??

 

[johnnycnc]

I made these 7mm bushings;modified slim shown,
(along with sets for almost everything I turn)and love them!
The accuracy greatly improved over factory bushings,IMNSHO.
They are solid tool steel and delrin,with
60 degree centers machined in,for a positive interface.
I use these almost exclusively now between centers.

<br />
and the 7mm mod. slim set with a Gent/Statesman set
for size comparison

<br />

Originally posted by Randy_
<br />[quote
Seems to me that it would be pretty easy to make your own stepped 7mm "bushings" to allow this technique to work for Slimlines??

 

[Dario]

Randy,

As John showed it can be done.

Note that this style of turning does make for very accurate turnings BUT since it works by friction, you will have to tighten the tail stock a bit more than usual. I felt/believe that this style will cause premature wear of my lathe bearings so I stopped using it. I have no proof that it will though but sharing my belief anyway.

 

[skiprat]

I have sometimes turned without a mandrel, but only for non slimlines. The only problem I've had is the tool rest is often too long and gets in the way. Before I got a metal lathe, I would turn some brass bushes on my wood lathe with a file. The inaccuracy of the tail stock to headstock meant that I often couldn't get a hole for the mandrel dead centre. I would then just hold the left hand side bush in a scroll chuck. On the bush for the tailstock, I would just let it 'find' the centre while tightening it up.[]

 

[Rifleman1776]

For larger (non 7mm) pens I use this method exclusively now. It is certainly more accurate and eliminates the whip and chatter of a mandrel. The procedure does require a bit more time but when making a quality pen, I find the time difference not even worth noting. For 7mm pens (the Euro is the only one I currently make) I use an adjustable mandrel and only do one half at a time. As for standard tool rest being too big, I suggest you just trot over to your local friendly welding shop and get whatever you want/need made up. Locally I get them made for about $10.00 each, their shop minimum.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Hmm, good idea on the slimline bushings!! I will have to grab some rod to make a set on my metal lathe!

Not sure if I follow the theroy that the preasure on the bearings can harm them from the preasure put on them unless you have a really poor lathe. I know I crank it down for bowls and and drilling way more than I would ever on a pen.

BTW, if anyone needs a small rest I can make the style that I use for about $10.00 to $15.00 each depending on the size and mood my metal supplier is in. Just drop me a line if you want one. Max size is about 12" before I would need to add some extra support int he corner. BTW, the cost reflects you making the wood infill, but I will drill the holes for you. The wood is not hard, it just takes some time so it would be more for me to add the wood.

Here is my 2" rest and a photo of the others I have made. (btw, I just noticed I have not removed the paint from the edge of the 2" one!

 

[panini]

John, Do you sell your slimline bushings??[]

 

[DaveM]

I turn slimlimes and europeans with no mandrel,and no bushings. It works really well, but I have to be careful that I don't round off the end of the blank when sanding. I messed up a pen while learning[B)] I just use calipers to measure anyways. I have to sand out to the end of the blank, but not over it.

 

[johnnycnc]

Mark,PM sent.

Originally posted by panini
<br />John, Do you sell your slimline bushings??[]

 

[jack barnes]

I would like to thank everyone. I will be giving this a try tomarrow. I'm hoping this will improve my pens as I've not been happy with them lately. The barrels at the nibs on the pens I've been making are just a little proud on one side so hoping this works for me.

Jack

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Jack, before you start, make sure you line up your dead center and live center point to make sure they are perfect. If you have a small 6" steel ruler, bring up the tailstock so that it just holds the ruler between points. You can then check it for square to see if the ruler is set at a dead 90 degrees by looking at the way the ruler is sitting. If it points to the RT then the tailstock needs to be adjusted toward you, to the left, away from you. []