On Kitless

[monark88]

What chuck do you use when going kitless, for turning blanks. I've looked at the closed end mandrels at Az. Silh.

Is this a good tool for kitless, closed end or do you go with a collet set up or?

I don't want to spend a bunch of money and have to turn around and get something more appropriate for the job.

Russ

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Russ - For me, a collet chuck with a full range of collets is invaluable. I have the AS closed end mandrels that I bought years ago, but I rarely use them for custom pens. They only work with an ID the same dimension of the kit they are intended for. Great for making close end juniors or whatever. Not very useful for full custom.

I turn threaded rods (male to hold the female threaded part and vice versa) that I hold in my collet chuck. I turn my material between centers go true it up before drilling and cutting thread (using the collect chuck).

Ed

 

[Robert111]

Russ - For me, a collet chuck with a full range of collets is invaluable. I have the AS closed end mandrels that I bought years ago, but I rarely use them for custom pens. They only work with an ID the same dimension of the kit they are intended for. Great for making close end juniors or whatever. Not very useful for full custom.

I turn threaded rods (male to hold the female threaded part and vice versa) that I hold in my collet chuck. I turn my material between centers go true it up before drilling and cutting thread (using the collect chuck).

Ed

Me too. Exactly that way. Instead of threaded rod, I turn and thread "plugs" to go in the female ends of blanks, and "collars" to go on the male ends, The plugs are center drilled. And then, like Ed, I turn the parts between centers and drill and tap from the collet chuck.

 

[mredburn]

Make sure its an er32, or larger, collet chuck. The er32 will cover most everything you need up to 3/4 -20mm.

 

[edstreet]

Why use a special chuck when you can do something like this?

I looked at collet chucks but decided against them due to being to limited. Oh the back side of that item in the photo is female threaded. I also made a nut/bolt that I often use as well. These are 12mm x .8 triple threads.

 

[monark88]

thanks for pic. It makes understanding clear for me. That is, if I clearly understand.

It look and sounds like all you guys are making you own closed end mandrel, as it were.

Much like the chuck used in making bottle stoppers, where you just screw the wood onto the special chuck, kinda?

Anyway, your ways of doing this seems a whole lot easier.

Russ

 

[edstreet]

That's the same chuck I use on all the pen blanks to square the ends, drill and on bowls. On this chuck, Nova G3, is the 1" jaws.

I have watched every japanese master pen maker video that I could find and studied how they did things. One of the first things I learned was, they use wooden chucks.

Absent that you also have to deal with the material being marred up via jaws, clamping actions and the like. It only made logical practical sense to go with a screw thread insert holder.

In the end I have a decently good setup.

12mm x 0.8 threading on the lathe. Material is ebonite and brass. - YouTube

As you can see here this is an ebonite rod that I was working with and the brass 'nut' is threaded the same size.

 

[Robert111]

One thing I like about turning between centers rather than on a mandrel or in a chuck is that if you get a little catch, the drive center can slip a little and the worst damage might be avoided.

 

[monark88]

I do have this collet system from PSI. like both ideaS and both seem similar in usage. Now I have to order some brass rod and ebonite, that looks cool for blank material.

Thanks all, Russ

 

[Brooks803]

The PSI collets are ER32 so all you'd have to get is a collet set. Many say you don't use half of them, but I have an entire set and I must say I've used almost every single one for various projects.