Mandrel help for this setup and best starter pen kit + bushings

[Melchior]

For startup and test I have bought this "turning jigg" for a drill machine. I would like to buy a mandrel that can be fitted into the chuck of the drill, so I am asking you for advice, I do want to buy something useful but I cannot use a mandrel with a built in cone or threaded connector.



I am to use this initially for testing if this hobby is for me and also to keep initial cost at a minimum. I do understand that it is a bit low quality setup, but I am keen on trying until I can reward myself with a good lathe.

I do have a 6,1 mm stainless steel tube at home that I can thread and adapt. I have read that the mandrels for the 7 mm pens are 6.3 mm in diameter, so I am a bit off. What do you think? Can I do a bit of work in the garage and get going? I have read that tight fit and non vibrating, no oscillation etc is key to a successful pen.

I am looking at the slimline pens as a starting kit, do you think that is a good starter pen? Or do you have other suggestions?

Most of all I would love to get some help with a shopping list to get going, sort of the first fix is always free.. :) but I know that is really lazy so I am reading up as much as possible. It is difficult to search this forum due to the MASSIVE amount of information in it...

Regards,
Emil

 

[Buckeye]

You could buy just a replacement mandrel shaft or example Rotur Spare Mandrel Shaft - Pen Making Tools - Pen Making - Projects

Peter

 

[Penpal]

For real cheap take a brass tube from the Slimline kit (there i have suggested Slimline or rather Streamline as your first choice). Go to a metal shop that sells machined bolts select one that is a snug fit. Use it as a mandrel.Turn half a pen at a time. There are many skills to aquire..

So many thoughts , look at the overall plan, narrow it down to necessities.

Next look into a mandrel saver

Peter. Have fun.

 

[21William]

You could buy just a replacement mandrel shaft or example Rotur Spare Mandrel Shaft - Pen Making Tools - Pen Making - Projects

Peter

Yes, that would be the best solution and should work fine in a drill chuck although you may want to cut it down a bit.
Good luck with the project and let us know how you get on.

 

[Bill Mooney]

What Buckeye said. Best of luck & enjoy your self.

 

[Penpal]

You can make your own mandrel saver using a live centre that has a parrallel removeable centre inserting a brass sleeve with a snug fit 3/8 deep hole to house the end of the mandrel. Use the brass locknut to hold the brass and bushes.

Peter.

 

[Phil Dart]

As Buckeye said, get a mandrel shaft. You may find that your 6.1mm shaft is a tiny bit too thin, however, most mandrels are less that 6.3. They vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but between 6.15 and 6.25 is commonplace.

As PenPal said, practice using slimline tubes. You don't actually need the rest of the kit components in order to practice turning pen blank, just the tubes.

As you asked, and nobody has answered yet, yes slimlines are the cheapest kits out there, but they can also be the poorest quality, so although they provide a very inexpensive way of establishing some basic skills, and the bushes for them are cheap too, do take a realistic view when you come to assess if you like your new hobby or not. Depending on the make and the country or origin, almost every other kit out there will be better quality than a cheap slimline.

One further point. Runout on your mandrel will make the difference between success and failure. A good enough mandrel mat not have any runout in itself, but your drill is going to be the weak link. The shaft of an electric hand drill is not going to be built to the same tolerances as a reasonable lathe, and at the very least, you need to ensure that the drill you are using does not have a hammer action facility on it, even if you can switch off the hammer action and use it normally. A drill with a hammer action facility will have far too much play in the shaft, and you will never get your mandrel to run true.

There is nothing wrong with the principle of what you are trying to set up though. I hope you have fun, but just take a realistic view about the level of your set up when it comes to establishing if you are pleased with the results you achieve, and if you've enjoyed the process or not.

 

[Melchior]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It seems like my reply to this thread yesterday is lost, the site went down immediately after my post, so something went wrong I believe.

I will reply to each post individually.

Thanks again.

 

[Melchior]

You could buy just a replacement mandrel shaft or example Rotur Spare Mandrel Shaft - Pen Making Tools - Pen Making - Projects

Peter

Of course, that is so logical. I will buy one of those and change to the Rotur models instead of the slimline, they seems to be of better quality.

 

[Melchior]

You can make your own mandrel saver using a live centre that has a parrallel removeable centre inserting a brass sleeve with a snug fit 3/8 deep hole to house the end of the mandrel. Use the brass locknut to hold the brass and bushes.

Peter.

Would love to make one. But I am sorry to say that my novice knowledge about the different parts and words that you use make it difficult for me to understand how to make one.
What I have trouble with understanding:
- Live centre?
- Brass sleeve - is it a ring with a nut in it that can be locked at a certain point on the mandrel? Or should the mandrel go into the bottom of the brass sleeve and then the lathe press on the brass sleeve?

A drawing or picture would surly help.

Thank you for your help.

Regards,
Emil

 

[Melchior]

As Buckeye said, get a mandrel shaft. You may find that your 6.1mm shaft is a tiny bit too thin, however, most mandrels are less that 6.3. They vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but between 6.15 and 6.25 is commonplace.

As PenPal said, practice using slimline tubes. You don't actually need the rest of the kit components in order to practice turning pen blank, just the tubes.

As you asked, and nobody has answered yet, yes slimlines are the cheapest kits out there, but they can also be the poorest quality, so although they provide a very inexpensive way of establishing some basic skills, and the bushes for them are cheap too, do take a realistic view when you come to assess if you like your new hobby or not. Depending on the make and the country or origin, almost every other kit out there will be better quality than a cheap slimline.

One further point. Runout on your mandrel will make the difference between success and failure. A good enough mandrel mat not have any runout in itself, but your drill is going to be the weak link. The shaft of an electric hand drill is not going to be built to the same tolerances as a reasonable lathe, and at the very least, you need to ensure that the drill you are using does not have a hammer action facility on it, even if you can switch off the hammer action and use it normally. A drill with a hammer action facility will have far too much play in the shaft, and you will never get your mandrel to run true.

There is nothing wrong with the principle of what you are trying to set up though. I hope you have fun, but just take a realistic view about the level of your set up when it comes to establishing if you are pleased with the results you achieve, and if you've enjoyed the process or not.

Thank you for your input. I do believe using good pen kits even for the practising is a vise choice. The difference is not that big. I am looking at the Rotur Kits now, seems like they are a bit better quality. Do you agree? Or do I need to raise the bar a bit further?

When working with making knives I always try to choose better quality material so that I get more focused on being thorough and if I succeed the end result will be so much better. I will try to keep that in mind when making pens too.

Thank you for pointing out the dangers of the runout, I will test this setup out to learn, test and have a bit of fun. I am sure that I will upgrade lathe pretty quickly... :)

Regards,
Emil

 

[Penpal]

Would love to make one. But I am sorry to say that my novice knowledge about the different parts and words that you use make it difficult for me to understand how to make one.
What I have trouble with understanding:
- Live centre?
- Brass sleeve - is it a ring with a nut in it that can be locked at a certain point on the mandrel? Or should the mandrel go into the bottom of the brass sleeve and then the lathe press on the brass sleeve?

A drawing or picture would surly help.

Thank you for your help.

Regards,
Emil

Emil my words were a challenge to look up the names even is a fresh approach. The way you are starting demands care to acheive. I learned all by myself making my first lathe. When you buy your first real lathe you will KNOW enough to really appreciate it. Part of the fun for me.At the weekend visiting my Chinese friends over the road I spoke on Me Chat or some such name and gave the father a pen to take yesterday to the north of China for this twin daughter over there. That makes six for their family all Slimlines with Streamline centre bands. The girl Queena has been talking this way to me for a while she is really excited waiting for today to get her pen.

There are millions of people waiting to receive a woodpen on a Slimline or whatever. They do not care about the names of kits.

Peter.

 

[Melchior]

Emil my words were a challenge to look up the names even is a fresh approach. The way you are starting demands care to acheive. I learned all by myself making my first lathe. When you buy your first real lathe you will KNOW enough to really appreciate it. Part of the fun for me.At the weekend visiting my Chinese friends over the road I spoke on Me Chat or some such name and gave the father a pen to take yesterday to the north of China for this twin daughter over there. That makes six for their family all Slimlines with Streamline centre bands. The girl Queena has been talking this way to me for a while she is really excited waiting for today to get her pen.

There are millions of people waiting to receive a woodpen on a Slimline or whatever. They do not care about the names of kits.

Peter.

Thank you for your words. I will take up the challenge, and I do understand how the initial DIY will make me understand and value the quality of good machinery. So I will start with the details and work my self up.

Wonderful story about the neighbour family. I will take that with me.

Regards,
Emil

 

[wm460]

I started to turn my pens on my drill press, I will see if I can fine a pic and post it later.

 

[Melchior]

I started to turn my pens on my drill press, I will see if I can fine a pic and post it later.

Would love to see some pics of your setup.

 

[Melchior]

I have now ordered a mandrel. Need to order some pen kits now. So I am on my way.

Thank you all for you help.

 

[Melchior]

Mandrel has arrived. Now only waiting for the pen kits and polishing kit. I have also bought a lathe... could not resist, a friend of mine had an extra, so it will be shipped during next week. Looking forward to see how it works.

 

[iandel]

I think you'll find using the lathe a lot easier than your original idea. Good turning

 

[Penpal]

A Lathe is best enjoy the chase mate.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

I have also bought a lathe...

Now soon you will need another lathe.