Jed Baxter
Registered
well i have just bought this so i will tell you how it goes
So are you able to turn both barrels together when using these?
well i have just bought this so i will tell you how it goes
Reviewed one a while ago. Worked quite well, I liked it. Here's a link to my review:
Penn State Industries Maxi Mandrel, Keyless Pen Mandrel System and Mandrel Saver - The Woodworkers Institute
Nice review Walter. I got a keyless mandrel identical to the one you show in the article from Tony at Penkits UK. Didn't cost more than about £14, if memory serves ...
I have looked at this thread with interest and much amusement, I have convinced myself that you boys must have more money than sense.
I know I am new and inexperienced but I must be missing the point here at what exactly you are trying to achieve.
I find it absolutely staggering that you have the time and patience to measure, cut even laminate, drill, square. glue insert and god only knows hat else you may do to this fiddly little piece of timber that took so long to grow for you.
It's to much effort to take two seconds to tighten a nut at the end of a bar.
Why oh why do you insist on buying what is essentially a live center with a hole drilled through the middle, You may as well shove a roller bearing in your tailstock and push it up your mandrel.
It's only any use on a Slimline pen anyway where the bushes wont go inside the brass tube, otherwise turning between centers is far more accurate, easier and neater.
For heavens sake wake up lads!!!
That is a good review Walter, did you find the same issue that Pete had? Does the image show you using both the Keyless Pen Mandrel System and the Mandrel saver in the tailstock?
Word of warning. I use the variable length mandrels, I've got about three or four and a couple are set up with the bushings for the most popular pens I turn. I couldn't work out why I was experiencing problems with Junior Gent pens (not exclusive to this pen, just the one I happened to be turning at the time). It was turning off centre, Couldn't work it out. That was until the bloody mandrel bent due to me overtightening it in my endeavours to find out what was causing the problem. Anyway, took the bushings off and hurled the mandrel across the workshop and put the bushings onto the next mandrel that came to hand which was a record. Hmm, bushings wouldn't fit. There was a very slight difference in the dimensions of the mandrel. Closer examination showed that the problem would probably not have occured or wouldn't have been significant enough to notice if I had wound the knurled nut on to the mandrel far enough so that the bushing was clear of the thread on the mandrel. The thread was again a tad thinner than the mandrel rod and the bushing was rattling even more.
Moral of this story, make sure the bushings are seated off the thread on the andrel. Second point, if the mandrel that you have is of the thinner variety, and the mandrel saver is slightly larger then the shaft can wobble and you may get an off centre turning. I've learnt that finger tight on the knurled nut is tight enough and I dont wind the tailstock in more than about an eighth of a turn max.
As with many woodturning devices, great idea to solve a problem that many people either didn't know they didn't have or solves a problem that they could resolve by being a little less hamfisted.
Word of warning. I use the variable length mandrels, I've got about three or four and a couple are set up with the bushings for the most popular pens I turn. I couldn't work out why I was experiencing problems with Junior Gent pens (not exclusive to this pen, just the one I happened to be turning at the time). It was turning off centre, Couldn't work it out. That was until the bloody mandrel bent due to me overtightening it in my endeavours to find out what was causing the problem. Anyway, took the bushings off and hurled the mandrel across the workshop and put the bushings onto the next mandrel that came to hand which was a record. Hmm, bushings wouldn't fit. There was a very slight difference in the dimensions of the mandrel. Closer examination showed that the problem would probably not have occured or wouldn't have been significant enough to notice if I had wound the knurled nut on to the mandrel far enough so that the bushing was clear of the thread on the mandrel. The thread was again a tad thinner than the mandrel rod and the bushing was rattling even more.
Moral of this story, make sure the bushings are seated off the thread on the andrel. Second point, if the mandrel that you have is of the thinner variety, and the mandrel saver is slightly larger then the shaft can wobble and you may get an off centre turning. I've learnt that finger tight on the knurled nut is tight enough and I dont wind the tailstock in more than about an eighth of a turn max.
As with many woodturning devices, great idea to solve a problem that many people either didn't know they didn't have or solves a problem that they could resolve by being a little less hamfisted.