nightowl
Member
There are videos here for alot of things but is there one for turning pens between centers? I am curious about how it is done and considering giving it a try.
Simply do this:
Place two bushings - one on each end of a tubed blank (squared with a trimmer of course)
Place that between the live center and dead center.
Tighten tail stock,
Turn!
Oh come ON! It can't possibly be that easy!
Cheers!
Gary
Tried just using the dead center and my livecenter, but had trouble getting the bushings to line up exactly straight so that I didn't end up with an eccentric turning.
Having trouble aligning the dead center and live center is probably not the fault of the LC & DC but something on your lathe. I would look for the cause.
I think the issue was my aligning the Wall Street II bushings on to the drives. I was not trying to be terribly careful about it as I figured, obviously incorrectly, that hole would be self centering with a 60 degree center tip.
I'm getting ready to try this as well as my mandrel has a terrible wobble. I replaced the bearings thinking that I had a problem in there (which I did) and the wobble got less, but there is still a wobble.
So, to troubleshoot the issue, I put a center in and mounted a piece of tiger maple. Started to turn that down and as soon as it was round, no more wobble. Now I'm at the point of purchasing a new mandrel set (I've already replaced the rod) or trying this. Since I have everything I need already, I'm going to try this.
However, everything I've read involves placing the bushings into the blanks. How is this accomplished with the Slimlines in which the bushing sits directly against the wood and brass tubes? Is it nothing more than friction force keeping them together or am I missing a step here somewhere?
Already buying new centers to do the same...after damaging a soft steel live center from PSI. Called them to find out how hard the steel was in their live centers, they said they sell so cheap they cannot use hardened steel. Guess that says it all....don't buy PSI.
So what about the clearance between the bushings and the brass tubes causing OOR? Even the CS bushings for Statesman etc have some clearance it seems. If bushings are not used, will the tubes deform on the centers? I see how you can sand etc with the centers and no bushings, but when turning, is there not too much load to eliminate the bushings? Really hope this works...I really, really dislike (h__e) mandrels.
For slimlines/7mm pens it is kinda tough. I am not trying to sell you stuff,
please don't take it that way.
But there are these available;
http://penturnersproducts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_3&products_id=73
I make other 7mm bushings also for between centers.
Oh come ON! It can't possibly be that easy!
Cheers!
Gary