ekeogh
Member
Thank you for add to this pen turning source.
I have to admit I purchased my first ever lathe yesterday and dropped a decent amount of money on a Rockler mini lathe and all the accessories I thought I need for pen turning including a center & pen vice jig.
Let me start of by detailing my journey this far. I purchased a Rockler(USA) model Mini lathe 10 x 18 1/2HP machine and it is real sturdy-at over 85lbs. I received a spur center and a ball bearing live center. (no chuck).
The problem that I am having is that I cannot get a cocentric hole, I do own a benchtop drill press from WEN and tried using that as that was one of the reason I purchased a center & vice jig but the jig is so tall I am running out of room to fit the jig and the pen blank to drill the hole, so after doing some research i decided to use the lathe to achieve the center hole and thats when I realized that I didnt receive a chuck with MT2 taper to fit in the tailstock of the lathe, so off I went to purchase the 1/2" chuck when I got home I installed the chuck into the tail stock end thinking I was going to get a nice centered hole when I realized that when I put the pen blank on the spur center on the other side of the lathe the pen blank just stayed still and didnt turn at all when I turned the machine on.
I really cant afford to spend any more money on this as I have already spent alot.
What options are open for me, I am almost giving up at this point, if I cannot drill a centered hole for the pen then whats the point, I really do want to learn how to use the lathe but at every junction im getting road blocks.
I have to admit I purchased my first ever lathe yesterday and dropped a decent amount of money on a Rockler mini lathe and all the accessories I thought I need for pen turning including a center & pen vice jig.
Let me start of by detailing my journey this far. I purchased a Rockler(USA) model Mini lathe 10 x 18 1/2HP machine and it is real sturdy-at over 85lbs. I received a spur center and a ball bearing live center. (no chuck).
The problem that I am having is that I cannot get a cocentric hole, I do own a benchtop drill press from WEN and tried using that as that was one of the reason I purchased a center & vice jig but the jig is so tall I am running out of room to fit the jig and the pen blank to drill the hole, so after doing some research i decided to use the lathe to achieve the center hole and thats when I realized that I didnt receive a chuck with MT2 taper to fit in the tailstock of the lathe, so off I went to purchase the 1/2" chuck when I got home I installed the chuck into the tail stock end thinking I was going to get a nice centered hole when I realized that when I put the pen blank on the spur center on the other side of the lathe the pen blank just stayed still and didnt turn at all when I turned the machine on.
I really cant afford to spend any more money on this as I have already spent alot.
What options are open for me, I am almost giving up at this point, if I cannot drill a centered hole for the pen then whats the point, I really do want to learn how to use the lathe but at every junction im getting road blocks.