Why is this happening?
- Thread starter RonSchmitt
- Start date
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Monty
Group Buy Coordinator
Do the points of your dead and live center line up correctly?
vallealbert
Member
Does it occur when turning non cross cut pen blank?... I noticed you turn a cross-cut blank and almost all cross-cut pens I turn are slightly oval shape...it seems some areas of the cross cut blanks are harder and others softer, and during sanding the pressure you do over the blank cause the oval shape pen...
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ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Try different bushings--some are not drilled in the center.
Ruby pen turning
Member
Maybe get rid of the bushings and insert the centers directly into the tube careful to not over tighten. Then use the bushings or a calipers to get the correct end size.
IPD_Mr
Member
First make sure that when you mill the ends of your blanks that it is square. If you are off by a couple of degrees you can be out of round when turning. Next check and make sure the tapers for your dead and live centers is clean, both male and female side. Then take a good look at the center points and make sure they are clean and smooth. Last would be the bushings. Make sure they are clean. Also it looks like you are using standard bushings. The outer hole is not cut at 60 degrees if it is. I highly recommend JohnyCNCs bushings with TBC method.
That's what I've experienced too,so although it seems to take forever to do,when I get it down close to the bushings,I'll stop and even it out sanding length-wise so it ends up not oval shaped.
Steve
okiebugg
Member
OVAL
What they said
Make sure that you're not putting too much pressure on your blanks with your mandrel nut. Sometimes you start out with a square blank that is difficult to get started because of the square corners hitting your tool and stopping the rotation of the blank...The answer is to tighten the nut so you can make it round. Make sure that if you have to tighten that nut, that you loosen it as soon as your blank will turn with less pressure on your tool.
What they said
Make sure that you're not putting too much pressure on your blanks with your mandrel nut. Sometimes you start out with a square blank that is difficult to get started because of the square corners hitting your tool and stopping the rotation of the blank...The answer is to tighten the nut so you can make it round. Make sure that if you have to tighten that nut, that you loosen it as soon as your blank will turn with less pressure on your tool.
fernhills
Member
+ 1 on the above..
Johnny westbrook
Member
Check to make sure that your head stock shaft is not running out, that was my problem i had to make a new head shaft to get it right.
my shaft was out .009
my shaft was out .009
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Daniel
Member
I had a lathe that was horrible for this. Notice I said had. Replacing the lathe ended up being my fix. Until I was able to do that I would turn the pen about as far down as you have in the photo. Then turn the blank on the mandrel about 90 degrees and turn again. and sometimes turn it another 90 degrees. Not a perfect fix but it came very close. I never was able to get a larger item like a pepper mill to be centered. I finally after several years just replaced the lathe though.