I'm so new to this pen turning deal I'm not sure if I have a problem or not.
It seems there is a vibration with my PSI mandrel. I can't quite get the rod to keep from visibly turning out of round out by the end (at the threads). I haven't measured it, but I would estimate ~0.5mm...enough to been seen slightly and certainly felt.
I tried using the same mandrel in a different lathe and seemed to get the same result. That tells me the mandrel is perhaps bent slightly...
However...
If I take the rod out of the mandrel and roll it across the cast iron top of the table saw, it doesn't roll "cupped". I also took the rod out of the chuck portion of the mandrel and chucked it up in the drill press and it seemed to spin smoother than on the lathe. What the heck?
The lathe a turn pens on is a Jet 1014 non VS. The tail stock center lines up very well with a drive spur center.
Mandrels are cheap...should I just go buy another one to see if I have the same issue? Maybe I should buy a better one...that is...not from PSI? Any advice would be appreciated.
It seems there is a vibration with my PSI mandrel. I can't quite get the rod to keep from visibly turning out of round out by the end (at the threads). I haven't measured it, but I would estimate ~0.5mm...enough to been seen slightly and certainly felt.
I tried using the same mandrel in a different lathe and seemed to get the same result. That tells me the mandrel is perhaps bent slightly...
However...
If I take the rod out of the mandrel and roll it across the cast iron top of the table saw, it doesn't roll "cupped". I also took the rod out of the chuck portion of the mandrel and chucked it up in the drill press and it seemed to spin smoother than on the lathe. What the heck?
The lathe a turn pens on is a Jet 1014 non VS. The tail stock center lines up very well with a drive spur center.
Mandrels are cheap...should I just go buy another one to see if I have the same issue? Maybe I should buy a better one...that is...not from PSI? Any advice would be appreciated.