Pen mandrel saver

Hi everyone

I am thinking of buying a pen mandrel saver, any suggestions on where to get one, as I understand there some Chinese ones that are not very good?

Many thanks
David

Penfold said:

Hi everyone

I am thinking of buying a pen mandrel saver, any suggestions on where to get one, as I understand there some Chinese ones that are not very good?

Many thanks
David

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David you can get one from The Turners Workshop and they are the Planet Rotur brand at £27.50

As Terry says, here is the link David ... Click Me!

I have the turners workshop one

David and Terry this subject is very important to me has anyone on the forum bought one of Davids mandrel savers? anyone made one? Anyone bought one somewhere else?

A very famous lady wrote what is called the definitive book on Cooking to paraphrase her introduction First Slaughter your Ox.

So first of all how do you turn pens now?

How do you hold the mandrel in the headstock?

Do you use the point of your live centre fitted to the indent of 60% in the end of the mandrel?

Is your live centre also 60% point to fit correctly into the mandrel?

Do you intend or insist on turning two pen pieces at a time on your mandrel.?

If you fit two dead centres one in the head stock 2 morse taper and one in the tail stock morse taper when you bring them together do they meet point to point.?

Do you use the knurled nut to tighten the blank or blanks and spacers on the mandrel.?

How much tension do you apply on the mandrel to hold the blanks on the mandrel.?

Do you know that the threaded end of a mandrel measures smaller than the mandrel itself?

Do you use an adjustable collet to hold your mandrel in the head stock?

Do you have a tapered reamer that fits your morse tapers in your machine?

All of these basics are needed the answers ie before anyone could give you a recommendation re a mandrel saver.

Are you capable or equipped to make one for yourself if you are I can show you how I make my own have done since the eighties.

The first experience making pens firmed my determination to do away with the point to recess method it is a terrible way to hold blanks on a mandrel (my opinion).

By the way Mark in Tennant Creek wm460 has some experiences with his Mandrel Saver.

Every question needs an answer I have attempted to convey these things before little to no feedback the rest is up to you. Happy to explain.

Kind regards Peter.

Two or three years ago I bought a good quality scanner and my daughter no 3 on her visits annually has copied thousands of pics etc I will try to learn how to use it cause a drawing plus pics make easy explanations IMHO, I do have pics already often I hear how do you you do this and that happy to show but need feedback my one finger typing cant spell often adds letters too.

What do you think?

Kind regards Peter.

Penpal said:

Two or three years ago I bought a good quality scanner and my daughter no 3 on her visits annually has copied thousands of pics etc I will try to learn how to use it cause a drawing plus pics make easy explanations IMHO, I do have pics already often I hear how do you you do this and that happy to show but need feedback my one finger typing cant spell often adds letters too.

What do you think?

Kind regards Peter.

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Yes please Peter !!!!!

Thank you all, just ordered one.

Penfold said:

Thank you all, just ordered one.

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From where ??????

The Turners Workshop

Do you use an adjustable collet to hold your mandrel in the head stock?

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If so loosen it adjust length tighten it.
Do you need a mandrel saver?

Grump said:

If so loosen it adjust length tighten it.
Do you need a mandrel saver?

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I use one it is a good bit of kit

Terry,

Send me your E Mail addy by pm its so much easier to send pics this way. Perhaps I am too late for those who have purchased so I will answer to you the fourteen reasons already asked in question form, my intention was not to bore anyone, nor convince anyone but exchange what I do.

Kind regards Peter.

I bought this pen mandrel from Craft Supplies in the 90's, seems these new mandrel savers work on the same principle. The mandrel shaft is loose/removable and can be replaced if needed.

Penpal said:

Two or three years ago I bought a good quality scanner and my daughter no 3 on her visits annually has copied thousands of pics etc I will try to learn how to use it cause a drawing plus pics make easy explanations IMHO, I do have pics already often I hear how do you you do this and that happy to show but need feedback my one finger typing cant spell often adds letters too.

What do you think?

Kind regards Peter.

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That would be great Peter ... :wink:

Lofty,

That mandrel saver? you sent in this pic of is a huge step in the right direction it defeats enemy no 1 that is the tiny entry in the mandrel end mating with the live centre because it has a huge contact area by comparison.

Mandrel Savers these days do away with the point contact altogether and allow the mandrel to slide through, pressure is applied via the tailstock to hold the blank firmly and if used with a collett in the headstock gives another quick dimension to the equation of bending the mandrel that occurs so easily using the point to point system.

I will search for a pic now to show what I mean. Really like your device from so long ago the first time I have seen one like it.

Kind regards Peter. PS.

Found the pic of Craft Supplies US current mandrel Saver it is fitted to a no2 morse taper shaft that sits in the tail stock is hollow and a sleeve fit in the bell shape for about 25mm. The bearing in the bell shape parrallel part acts as a live centre the thrust is transferred to the mandrel this way.

I made one using the bearing and M2 from a live centre I turned the end for over the mandrel out of very hard wood glued a washer on the end to stop damage from the bushings and drilled it to the right size. It works fine and didn't cost the 27 pound which would be about $90 here.

Have I got it right or have I missed something? I have an Evolution 9 mandrel system from T/Retreat, and after turning an acrylic blank yesterday I found that it had turned elliptical by at least 1mm. I placed the shaft of the mandrel onto a flat surface and when I shined a light from behind I could see light under the middle but not at the ends so therefore I take it that it must be slightly bent. I have ordered a new shaft from T/Retreat but I was thinking about the new idea of mandrel savers.
I have the headstock end of another old 1 MT mandrel which is hollow right through because the shaft was adjustable. I tried placing this into the tailstock and adjusting the Evolution9 mandrels length so that this old mandrel pushed up against the knurled nut used to tighten the bushes. It appeared to hold everything secure with nothing pushing onto the end of the mandrel shaft. Have I created a mandrel saver or am I missing some fundamental problem. As I have no engineering bent I would like to seek the advice from those who have.

Maurice said:

Have I got it right or have I missed something? I have an Evolution 9 mandrel system from T/Retreat, and after turning an acrylic blank yesterday I found that it had turned elliptical by at least 1mm. I placed the shaft of the mandrel onto a flat surface and when I shined a light from behind I could see light under the middle but not at the ends so therefore I take it that it must be slightly bent. I have ordered a new shaft from T/Retreat but I was thinking about the new idea of mandrel savers.
I have the headstock end of another old 1 MT mandrel which is hollow right through because the shaft was adjustable. I tried placing this into the tailstock and adjusting the Evolution9 mandrels length so that this old mandrel pushed up against the knurled nut used to tighten the bushes. It appeared to hold everything secure with nothing pushing onto the end of the mandrel shaft. Have I created a mandrel saver or am I missing some fundamental problem. As I have no engineering bent I would like to seek the advice from those who have.

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It needs to have bearings in it

Maurice said:

Have I got it right or have I missed something? I have an Evolution 9 mandrel system from T/Retreat, and after turning an acrylic blank yesterday I found that it had turned elliptical by at least 1mm. I placed the shaft of the mandrel onto a flat surface and when I shined a light from behind I could see light under the middle but not at the ends so therefore I take it that it must be slightly bent. I have ordered a new shaft from T/Retreat but I was thinking about the new idea of mandrel savers.
I have the headstock end of another old 1 MT mandrel which is hollow right through because the shaft was adjustable. I tried placing this into the tailstock and adjusting the Evolution9 mandrels length so that this old mandrel pushed up against the knurled nut used to tighten the bushes. It appeared to hold everything secure with nothing pushing onto the end of the mandrel shaft. Have I created a mandrel saver or am I missing some fundamental problem. As I have no engineering bent I would like to seek the advice from those who have.

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Maurice, the rods do bend, but i doubt that it was caused because of you turning an Acrylic blank .. It is most likely that it bent over time due to over tighten the nut on the mandrel ..

I used to turn one barrel at a time when i first started with pens when i had a bent rod ...