Two questions

[Gary Simmons]

1. I buy pen blanks basically wherever I can find them. Some woods seem to turn like rock and chip out easily. Is this the norm or is it me?

2. I seem go to through the rods of the pen mandrel rather quickly, in that they get wobbly after time. I think I might be applying to much pressure, either with my turning tool or tailstock. Do these mandrel rods loose their true quickly or am I to rough on them.

thanks

[Larry Marley]

Hi Gary,
some woods are brittle. a sharp gouge, more speed and a light touch should help.
the rods are thin and they do bend. Tail stock pressure can do this. They also bend back.
remove the rod from the morris taper and roll it on a flat surface.
Identify the bend and make gentle bends to straiten it back.
When it rolls smoothly on the flat surface, you are good to go.

[Robert Parrish]

Gary, Larry is correct. You are putting too much pressure on the tail stock. Enough pressure to support the mandrel is all you need and don't tighten the knurled nut too much or your blanks won't be round. Also if you get a lot of chip out your tools maybe dull. Some woods do chip out more than others. I have problems with olive wood and purple heart.

[Bernie Weishapl]

You got some good advice and I agree. Sharp tools on hard brittle wood with good speed is a must. To much pressure from having dull tools can cause a mandrel to warp. When I first started turning I did the same thing and bent my first mandrel rod.

[Steve Mawson]

Agree with Larry. My mandrel is probably 6-7 years old and still works fine. Hardly any pressure from the tail stock will work fine. As has been said sharp tools and get the speed up. The blanks are so small you can run the speed high except for sanding.

[Dennis McGarry]

Easy way to get the right pressure on tailstock.

Use a 60 degree live center, set the mandral in place with blanks attached, only tighten the nut to where its just about finger tip tight to the bushings, then move tailstock in and make sure its lined up even.

Once the center is touching the mandral end, tightent tailstock down, and slowly advance the quill inward while turning the lathe by hand, once the center starts to turn with the mandral lock it down, then tighten the nut ont the mandral a little further and you should be good to go..