I am unable to locate any cap/body/section mandrels in stock. Does anyone have any suggestions for a workaround? I don't have access to a metal lathe so I can't make my own. TIA. Russ
I think you could make your own on a wood lathe. You would have to 'think outside the box' and opt to work with materials other than steel.
I've made aluminum mandrels that I have used to make closed-end pens - I used ordinary aluminum rod that I bought at Ace Hardware. Aluminum can be turned on a wood lathe using ordinary HSS tools, and carbide works very well on aluminum. Brass is also an option that can be readily turned on a wood lathe. And I've seen videos in which kitless penmakers used mandrels that they made from plastic pen blanks.
Aluminum, brass or plastic mandrels may not last as long as steel, but if you can make your own, that shouldn't be a problem.
Years ago, I made a dead drive/drive center from aluminum round stock and used an HSS tool (squared end scraper). I kept a flat glass plate with super fine self stick sandpaper next to my lathe and honed the scraper every minute or so. If I remember correctly, I turned it as slow as my pen lathe would go - about 700 rpm. Along with what Louie wrote, I experimented with my scraper straight on - and tilted down below the center line a bit until I found the best cutting rate. I did not use any lubricant.
Find the one that fits your cap or body and grind a flat spot on it; put a pin made from 1/16" wire or there about, on the flat spot. That will lock it into place. This was recently mentioned in another thread about a week or so ago,
Mandrels for kitless pens and custom pen makers. Suitable for caps, barrels and sections. Made from solid brass, the 15mm rear tenon can be held on the lathe in a collet chuck, an engineering chuck, a drill chuck or a wood lathe chuck. Once the pen component is drilled and threaded, it can be...
Curly's suggestion to contact Rick is an excellent suggestion. Rick's work is top shelf and his prices are very reasonable. Can't go wrong.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
I was going to suggest Rick, also. I guess a couple people beat me to it, so I 3rd the suggestion. You can order pin chucks and/or threaded mandrels depending on your needs. He has his own little spot in the vendor forum.
I made my first mandrels out of delrin. They worked fine to get started and I still make delrin ones from time to time if I am making a prototype or some odd ball one off. However I recently upgraded to steel ones from Rick and they are as awesome as everyone says!
I would second Eric (eteska). My first kitless were done on a wood lathe using acrylic acetate mandrels. I basically used pen blanks I didn like, to make the mandrels.