Our first closed end.

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Gary Beasley

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Sep 18, 2009
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Marietta, Ga. USA
The good Dr. and I got down to the dungeon the other day and managed to create a closed end mandrel for slimlines from an old pen mandrel shaft I'd pulled from service due to warping. Cut the flat on it with a mill file then chopped it to length with a dremel. It could then be screwed onto a mandrel morse for use.
Allan did the honors of turning the first trial blank out of some walnut. After leaving it set for a day I got the other half of the blank and finished the pen with a custom centerband in gold and orange PR to suggest a cigar band. The little tyke looks like one of those miniature cigars with a tip.
 

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Drstrangefart

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Sep 15, 2010
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Woodstock, Ga. U.S.A.
We still have some problems with not getting a firm enough lock on the mandrel. If anyone has some ideas here, it'd be great. I tried some PVC and the barrel still shimmies around a hell of a lot on that thing.
 

SDB777

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Feb 6, 2010
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Cabot, Arkansas USA
If you can't get a good 'hold' try keeping the live center snugged up until the very last of the finishing. And use a piece of scrap instead of the sharp point....



Congrats on the new mandrel adapted to a useable item:wink:


And the pen ain't too bad either. I'm guessing your going to be wearing this 'old mandrel' out now.









Scott (another in the club) B
 
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Jun 28, 2010
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Pineville, Louisiana
When I make my closed end razors, I use a tightening bar I got with my pen blank chuck from PSI when I started turning pens. It is just to big to fit into the 7mm tube, so I sanded it down until it fit snugly into the tube. Dunno if this helps you any but I thought I would throw it out there.
 

nava1uni

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Mar 30, 2008
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San Francisco, CA, USA.
You could use a small o-ring, tiny rubber band or a piece of knotted rubber band. It will cause the piece to grab and then it will be held much tighter.
 

Drstrangefart

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Woodstock, Ga. U.S.A.
You could use a small o-ring, tiny rubber band or a piece of knotted rubber band. It will cause the piece to grab and then it will be held much tighter.

Where would it end up going? If it works I'll use it. The tailstock holding it still seems to be the best bet so far, but that lets it wobble during finishing.
 

Gary Beasley

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Sep 18, 2009
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Marietta, Ga. USA
You could use a small o-ring, tiny rubber band or a piece of knotted rubber band. It will cause the piece to grab and then it will be held much tighter.

I did find something to make the steel pin grab much better. I put a thin strip of blue masking tape on the "downhill" side of the flat ending almost at the line the pin made on the flat during use. When the pin rolls towards that on torque it locks in really well.
 
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