Odd issue with my lathe

[chartle]

I've turned a dozen or so pens with my new lathe and PSI mandrel with the mandrel saver.

Just last night I noticed something that looked like my mandrel was bent but it wasn't acting the way I would expect it to.

I noticed sort of a wobble on all my bushings. It was almost like I was doing an off center turning on both ends.

I did a little checking by touching a pencil to various parts as the lathe was turning and I've attached a picture of what it looks like.

Now if the mandrel was bent I would expect to see some wobble in the middle but not the ends.

If the headstock or the mandrel saver was running off I would expect to see something there but nothing. I have dial indicator but I don't have a base for it so I'm off to Harbor freight to get one and tomorrow night I'll try to see how much wobble I have and where.

Also I haven't noticed any issues with pens. And TBC is too hard core for me.

 

[mike4066]

Check that you don't have anything between the bushings and the mandrel.. Possibly some CA on the end of a bushing that mis-aligns things when it gets tightened down?

 

[flyitfast]

Make sure the inside of the spindle and the inside of the tailstock is clean. If there is any debris inside either of those, it can cause wobble. Before I ever put an MT2 taper item inside either I always clean the inside. A twisted piece of paper towel works OK.
However, CSUSA sells a taper cleaner gizmo that does a great job.
Gordon

 

[Fay Prozora]

Mine has a little bit of chatter also. I can get a decent pen turned. I think before I got the mandrel saver, I over tightened the tail stock against the end of the mandrel. Will get a new one some day. Fay

 

[monophoto]

However, CSUSA sells a taper cleaner gizmo that does a great job.

A less expensive solution is to purchase a brass wire brush intended for cleaning the barrel of a 20ga shotgun. You will need to make a handle, but that's what turners do.

As to OP's problem - were you using new bushings that you haven't used before? Did they fit snugly on the mandrel?

There was another posting a few days ago in which someone found that his bushings were wobbling on his mandrel rod.

 

[chartle]

I have never removed my mandrel or mandrel saver so doubt they are dirty.

I just got a magnetic base so I can really figure out what's going on.