Hi,Dan.Welcome to the group!
I think everyone has given good advice.
Get your lathe running first.
Let me say that turning a pen on a mandrel,
and turning a pen between centers are two very
different methods to arrive at the same destination.
Developing good turning skills apply no matter which
way you choose,though.Sharpening your tools,too.
I'll tell you my story,if I may.
Sorry,long-winded.
I started with a mandrel set-up,and was thrilled at first
just to be making pens.
Then,my turning skills got a little better,and I started
to get picky about things.In particular,how the
wood fit to the hardware.(might as well do it right).
I noticed,sometimes no matter how I tried,I got wood
that was "out of round" in how it mated to the hardware.
I got some good pens off a mandrel.I also got some
poor results from a mandrel.Pretty discouraging.
I bought different mandrels,several mandrel holders,
new 60 degree live center to fit mandrel,even bought a
Beall collet chuck.
chucked mandrel short,tried turning one half at a time
on the short,stiffer mandrel.
Spent a bunch of money,still hit and miss results on
being out of round.Dangit!!
Ran across the concept of turning with no mandrel
here on IAP.Chuck one blank and bushings between
a dead center in headstock,live center in tailstock.
This would surely be better,right?,I mean no mandrel to wobble.
Well it worked better.For a while.Then I got a little
pickier about fit,trying to fine tune.What, still a little
out of round??!!ARGHHH!
I'm a machinist by trade,and probably expect a LOT more than
I should from a wood lathe and hand held cutting tools.but.
So,on closer investigation..I found,
the factory bushings don't always fit snug in tubes,and
they aren't always concentric from the shank to shoulder.
Don't fit well,not running true..=out of round?
Huh!imagine that for $3.99.(taiwan,quality control?)
Duh,(I said to myself),freakin' make your own.
So I did,after almost losing my mind gaging and measuring.
And the results were what I was after.
I do my part,between centers does it's job.
Nice 60 degree drive centers to align and solid,no flex.
Is between centers a silver bullet?
NO, but for ME,it is light years ahead of a mandrel.
My mandrels and Beall chuck sit unloved,along with
all those factory bushings.
If I had starting pens to do over,I would go for a
dead and live center,using the factory bushings between
centers.That will get you going for cheap.
Give it a whirl,you'll never have to suffer
the warped mandrel blues.And that is a good thing.
Dan,I notice you are a fellow Hoosier.[8D]
I work in Indy,NE side.If you ever want some
turning company on a Saturday afternoon,I'd be
glad to bring some centers and my bushings and help
get you up and running.