Alignment

[bhenr99]

I have a Rikon mini lathe and when I put steb centers in both the headstock and tailstock they line up perfectly. When I turn a piece round and if I switch the piece end for end I have to true the piece up again. Each time I switch it end for end I have to true it up again is this normal? Thanks for any help.

Bob

 

[ed4copies]

Install your mandrel WITHOUT a pen blank on it. Including positioning the tailstock to hold it, as you normally would.

Turn the lathe on, is the center of your mandrel turning true? Or, can you see it "wobbling"? Most likely it wobbles. Put your toolrest in position and slowly touch the mandrel with a sharpie, coming over the toolrest. JUST TOUCH> turn off the lathe, you will have a mark on your mandrel. Tap it with a hammer (rubber mallet) ON the mark. You are bending the mandrel, back to straight. Continue this until you no longer get a MARK on your mandrel - instead you are making a RING around the mandrel. When that happens, you are straight.

TURN A PEN and GASP!! See, you're a mechanic, you just didn't know it.

 

[Constant Laubscher]

I have stopped using a mandrel and just turn between the centers. You can still use bushings but your blanks would not be out again. Investment of $35 Dollars for the centers if you don't have them. When I turn blanks for the inlay kits I don't even use bushings. It speed things up a lot. I can turn about 75 blanks in an hour, ( I do not go to final size) Try it if you will.