Pen Madrels

[Fleabit]

I use a shopsmith for my lathe. Therefore I do not have a morse taper on the headstock (use drill chuck). Does any one know if you have enough length on the mandrel rods (ie. the replacement rods for the morse taper sets) to just use them in a drill chuck?

Thanks

 

[Fred in NC]

Fleabit, I have used them that way.

Make sure the shaft runs true. Put the shaft in the chuck, and get the tailstock, with live center mounted, close to the end of the shaft, say 1/16" away from the end of the shaft. Then rotate the spindle by hand while looking at the end of the shaft. You should see if the shaft is running true that way.

If it does not run true, you will have oval and offcentered barrels.

 

[Fleabit]

As always....thanks Fred

P.S. Where in North Carlina are you?

 

[Fred in NC]

You are welcome!

Near Rockingham.

 

[Paul in OKC]

They make a drill driver piece that your mandrel screws into, and that goes into the chuck.

 

[Fleabit]

Hertford here.

Paul: who sells that attachment?

 

[esheffield]

I'm not sure if this is the same thing that Paul is talking about, but Penn State Industries sells a mandrel set explicitly for use in a drill chuck:

Mandrel Set fits in Drill Chuck - Part# PKM-DL
http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PKM-DL&Category_Code=

They also have a mandrel explicitly for a Shopsmith:

Mandrel Set for 5/8" Shopsmith - Part# PKM-CL
http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PKM-CL&Category_Code=

Eddie

 

[Fred in NC]

Penn State PSI carries one:

http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PKM-CL&Category_Code=

I don't particularly like the PSI shafts. They are
just a bit skinnier than the others, and some busings
fit kind of loose.

Just to give you an idea of what can be done, before I
bought my Jet Mini, I had a lathe with no Morse taper.
I used a drill chuck. I used 1/4" ALLTHREAD as a shaft.

Lowe's sells two kinds of allthread. One is in a rack.
The other is in the drawers, and is much better quality.
They sell it in 12" lengths. The diameter is actualle a
bit under 1/4", about .246, which is just right as a
mandrel shaft. I used a nylon wing nut with it.

 

[rlmill]

I picked up the mandrel from PSI, and then ordered a rod and a couple of 'nuts' from Bill at Arizona Silhoutte. Same threads as the PSI, I just put a nut on both ends of the mandrel then I just unscrew it from the Shopsmith 'adapter'.

 

[Fleabit]

I have the drill chuck mandrel from PSI. Didnt want to spend the extra on the shopsmith specific (didnt know if I was going to like this hobby....silly me). Now I am just trying to find ways to keep my accessories to a minimum (mandrel wise) without having to spend the money on full sets (money is tight right now and I have a nasty habit of going hog wild on new hobbies). In the future I want to get a dedicated lathe for turning.

Thanks again everyone for all of the help. I like the fact that everyone helps and not flame!

 

[J. Fred Muggs]

Fleabit:
Penn State also sells a mandrel with the female 5/8" adapter specifically for the Shopsmith.