Got my VS Jet! Need to choose accessories

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Rusty914

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
58
Location
Madison, Alabama, USA.
Last night, I came home to find my VS Jet sitting on my back porch. Wow, that's a heavy unit... the box was all beat up, but it arrived fully functional. :)

Now I need to choose some accessories. I don't know the difference between an MT1 and MT2 mandrel. Also, CSUSA (and others) have a wide variety of lathe goodies for sale, but I don't recognize most of them.

Any wisdom you could share would be appreciated!

-Rusty
 
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Congrats on the new lathe. MT1 and MT2 refers to the size of the morse taper the mandrel will fit in. You buy based on what size your lathe has. I believe your Mini has an MT2, but you can look in the book to be sure, or wait for someone else to reply. Also, if in doubt about anything, call CSUSA and they will be very helpful about any of their products. Have fun with the new toy.
 
MT2 is the VS jet mandrel. While ordering, be sure to order an MT2 dead drive and MT2 Live center 60 degree. I am not sure if the original live center for the tail stock that comes with the Jet is 60° or not, but if not, you will need a 60° live center.
 
Gator... MT2. That was the nicest way of saying "RTFM" that I've heard in a while. :)

Hank - what's the difference between a dead drive and live center? My manual shoes a live center in the tail (the point seems to be sharper than 60 degrees) and a spur center. Are they the same?

Just checked CSUSA... sadly, they are out of stock on MT2 mandrels. Will have to order elsewhere this time, I think.

thanks,
Rusty
 
Not Hank, but the dead center is not the same as the spur drive... but like the spur drive, does not turn.. the live center for the tail stock has a bearing in the head that allows it to turn with the head stock. Hank and many others here use the dead center in the head stock to hold the bushings for turning between centers. The spur drive will have a point and little blade like fins tht holds woods to turn between centers. And if I remember correctly, the live center that comes stock is not a 60 deg... mine had a fairly sharp point recessed into a cup drive.. again handy for turning between centers, but not good for pen turning.
 
Chuck explained it well. I didn't. If you turn between centers (without using a mandrel) it is not that important to use a 60° center unless you buy Johnny's custom made bushings. But it is always good to have 60° centers in case you do want to use a mandrel or Johnny's custom bushings.

Mandrels have an indention in the end, and the indention is made to accept a 60° center. The one that comes as stock on your lathe is sharper and meant for wood, not metal mandrels. Hope this helps.
 
Absolute most important accessory to any lathe is a good close fitting pair of safety glasses. If you don't have some, get some. Some people will argue for a full face shield, and that's a good idea, but not a necessity. A broken nose will heal, teeth can be replaced, but a eye is a single issue only item, you lose it, it's gone.

I will also suggest a good quality 60 degree live center for the tail stock. My personal preference is for the larger model where only the center shaft turns, and the outer housing is stationary for several reasons. The external bearings are larger, and will usually outlast the smaller internal style. You can grab it by the housing and remove it most of the time without having to find your knockout bar. The non rotating outer edge will not grab a turning tool, eat up the edge, or possibly throw it across the room. DAMHIKT. Usually there is more clearance to work at the end of the blank.

Go ahead and get a 60 degree drive center at the same time to save shipping. It's usually less than $10, and you will eventually want to try it.

A pen mandrel is a good thing to have. I don't use it all the time, preferring to turn between centers, with a drive center and the stock bushings, but even then will sometimes put the finished blank on the mandrel to buff.

A sense of humor is also a necessary accessory :-)

Enjoy
 
Unless you are going to do a ton of slimlines I would follow the advise give above by several of our members. Get your centers. We have two sets. One soaks in acetone (best way to remove CA) while the other is in use. You will also want to get a good caliper. If you want to stick with a mandrel then a Beall chuck is a good option to have. As with most anything as a good friend once told me....Quality not quantity.

Mike
 
guys, Rusty is a newbie... been here since March, answer his ??? like he is a newbie, no offense to Rusty or anyone else, but to him you could as well be speaking a foreign languange!! [8D][8D][8D] just my 3 cents worth, sorry.

Ronnie
 
Thanks, everyone, for all your input.

I ended up getting a live center for the tail and a mandrel. I haven't done any turning between centers, but I'll ask at the next Freedom Pen get-together in about three weeks. I'd really like to see it done before I start investing in tools.

I couldn't get into the craft shop to drill some blanks; they were closed this weekend. I'll have to be content with other projects around the house. :)

-Rusty
 
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