Mandel saver vs 60 deg. live center

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Band Saw Box

Band Saw Box

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So now that I know that what size MT the lathe I want to get has I can look for the other items I need to get. That brings me to a question. What are the advantages/disadvantages between a mandel saver and a 60 deg. live center. Would having a 60 deg. Live center other then the one that comes with the lathe be good to have if I wanted to do spindle turning. Any help you csn give me would be grest.
 
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For just a little more than twice the price of a mandrel saver, you can buy a collet chuck with collets ($55-60, eBay and Amazon).

It is nearly impossible to bend a mandrel when using a collet chuck. Additionally, you can adjust the collet chuck so that no spacer bushings are needed. Also, it has been my experience that lathe makers pay far more attention to making sure that their lathes run true at the head threads rather than at the MT taper (many turners never use MT FITTINGS, but a BIG piece requires a true head screw).Finally, my experience is that mandrel savers is are EXTREMELY noisy and have a VERY SHORT life span.

IMHO, mandrel savers are a waste of money. That money would be better spent on a collet chuck or turn between centers setup.

Respectfully submitted.
 
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A lot of these questions depends on how much money you have, and how much money you want to spend, especially when just starting out. There are all kinds of gadgets and step-savers that you can buy to help you turn pens. Older turners started without all these bells and whistles, as they weren't available on the market at the time.

I have been turning on a regular mandrel for three years. I bought an additional mandrel so that I could let blanks cure without touching them after the finish is applied. I only recently purchased a collet chuck. After looking at the mandrel saver, the 60 degree centers, etc. I concluded that the varied uses of a collet chuck would more than justify the additional cost over the other accessories.

On this site we all have opinions and there are lots of people who become cheerleaders for the way "they" do things. Many will boast that "this is the only way to do it." I have saved a lot of money by NOT following some of the advice (fads) on this site, and this allowed me the funds to purchase things that really helped me.

I hope this provides you some food for thought.
 
I got a mandrel saver and it seems to help quite a bit, however I am now wanting to start turning between centers. I have a collet chuck but am not sure how it would be used with a mandrel but I will when I get back in my shop.
 
Another reason to choose the 60 degree over the mandrel saver is that a 60 degree live center is a MUST HAVE ITEM for most other types of spindle turning.

Your lathe should come with some kind of live center, but most OEM live centers are not all that great.
 
turnin4fun said:
I got a mandrel saver and it seems to help quite a bit, however I am now wanting to start turning between centers. I have a collet chuck but am not sure how it would be used with a mandrel but I will when I get back in my shop.
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Attach the collet chuck to the headscrew. Insert a 7-8 mm collet (1/4 inch depending on the mandrel used), put the mandrel in the collet opening, adjust the mandrel to the exact length needed, secure the tail end of the mandrel with a nut, AND HAVE AT IT:smile:
 
I am fairly new to this sport and only get to turn two or three times a week the mandrel saver is great. Way better than the brass nut. It does make a small amount of noise. The one thing I like about it over the brass nut is if you get a catch it slips on the made real and does not blow up the blank. Most of the time that is. Most likely turning between centers would do the same thing. My powermatic came with a 60 center so I was lucky on that. You can ind them at WC or online on this sight for reasonable price. My deal is trying to get the 60 bushing. I am having a little trouble with that.
 
I have every accessory mentioned here and there are lots of ways to skin this cat.

The collet chuck idea should be mentioned more often than it is. Collet chucks are nice.

Many mandrels are adjustable to length too.

My method (one among many) is to turn between 60 degree dead and live centers. And my mandrels and saver have not been touched for awhile. I'll prob dust them off for some kit eventually.

No matter what you do in the tailstock, my recommendation for everyone is to check runout. I had a live center that had a crazy amount of runout (5 thousandths) and another that has almost none (on the dial indicator)

Incidentally, the headstock taper runout on my jet is extremely low.

But, in line with a comment made earlier, not all wood lathe headstock tapers are very precise.
 
The only thing i use my mandrel saver for is putting the brass tube on it for painting, used it once for turning a pen. JMO. I use my 60 center for everything i want to do.
 
I started with mandrel, then mandrel saver then to collet chuck. Now and for the past 6 months it is turn between 60 degree Dead center on headstock and triple bearing live 60 degree center on tailstock for pens.

For bowls, either faceplate or my Baracuda 2000 chuck. Mandrels and mandrel saver boxed up and on a shelf.

Ray
 
Wow lots of different views. I don't really understand how you support the tailstock end of a mandrel if you use a collet chuck. Were can I find a mandrel to use with a collet chuck. Are there any videos showing the use of a pen mandrel and collet chuck. I can see that it would still be a good ideal to have a 60 deg. live center to do spindles.
 
Band Saw Box said:
Wow lots of different views. I don't really understand how you support the tailstock end of a mandrel if you use a collet chuck. Were can I find a mandrel to use with a collet chuck. Are there any videos showing the use of a pen mandrel and collet chuck. I can see that it would still be a good ideal to have a 60 deg. live center to do spindles.
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Dan, you would still need the 60 degree center to support the tail end of the mandrel, not sure if the mandrel saver version has a "dimple" on the end for a 60dg center. Hope this helps
Just checked my MS, it does not have a "dimple" in the end for a 60dg center.
If you have a regular pen mandrel, with the brass screw, the rod should unscrew from the end, then you could use a collet chuck.
 
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I have a mandrel but rarely use it. I pretty much turn between centers now. I would not purchase another mandrel unless there was no other way to get the job done. After you get used to turning between centers it is very easy and just works. I think if I was going to use a mandrel again I would do it the way that Andy explains.
 
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