New Pen Turner Needs Help

[Joe Tedesco]

I've done some searching here for information about pen mandrels. Seems there are mixed opinions. At first, I would think an adjustable mandrel would be nice, not having to worry about making up the correct length with bushings. But after watching several youtube videos, it looks like it might be nice to have a little extra room on each side of the blank to give your hands more room during the sanding and finishing process. Then there are the folks that swear by not using a mandrel at all. The more research I do, and various options I see, the more confused I am getting.

If anybody could could steer me in the right direction as to how I should start out that would be great. And if a particular brand of mandrel is better then another.

Thanks
-Joe

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Joe,

Most folks turn pens using a mandrel.

A common problem is people over tension the mandrel when bringing their tailstock into play and putting too much pressure on the mandrel. Once you overtension or put too much pressure on the mandrel, it is usually bent and then you will turn oval pens and not circular ones.

Turning pens without mandrels is done but that requires special tools and skills.

My advice....go to Amazon...buy a book on pen making and try it for a while. Then after you have some experience, decide if you want to go mandrel-less.

[Alan Trout]

If you are going to use a mandrel I personally like the adjustable units because you can shorten them and get less flex. Like ken said don't over tension or put to much pressure from the live center.

However, with all of this being said If I had to do it all over I would not have even purchased a mandrel. I would have just started turning between centers. Better bushings and a more accurate means of turning a pen for a better product. It is a bit more expensive however you will soon learn everything about turning is a bit more expensive. :D

I get my stuff from Johnny CNC at penturner's products. Great products and service. http://www.penturnersproducts.com/

Good Luck

Alan

[Tim Self]

And if it is all so overwhelming as some believe it is, try taking a class or see if there is someone local you may glean from. And I second the TBC method. More accurate and quicker. Almost any of the adjustable mandrels work well. My first was PSI and have replaced the shaft many times. Good luck.

[Chris Stolicky]

I started with the typical mandrels and got frustrated with the excess space having to be taken up by random bushings and spacers. After bending a few I finally got an adjustable mandrel. I have used it ever since. I just use the old bent mandrels for finishing now.

I have not yet ventured into the between centers turning with bushing from Johnny. I have ordered other stuff from him and had good experiences.

Lately, however, I have been putting the mandrel shaft in my collet chuck. I think it works just as well, but you do lost some working space on the headstock side.

[Montgomery Scott]

I use an adjustable mandrel along with the Beall collet. This method allows flexibility in turning any length barrel section, one or both at a time.

[Allen Neighbors]

I use the adjustable mandrel from PSI. I've got two of them and when I turn pens, I turn on two lathes. I tried turning between centers, but it's to slow for me. As long as you just bring the tailstock up, and don't apply too much pressure, you won't bend the mandrel.

[Bob Vavricka]

I use the adjustable mandrel and get good results. I like being able to turn both parts of a two section pen or pencil at the same time. I haven't tried turning them between centers yet, but plan on trying it--If I were starting again, I would still start with a mandrel.
Bob V.

[James Carmichael]

Well, I'm a relative noob, too, and one with zero training as well:D

I bring live center up until it just barely touches the mandrel.

I haven't had a problem with the mandrel, except getting the screw tight enough so the blanks stay put. I wish they'd make one with with flats right where it exits the head stock so I could hold it with a wrench while tightening down the screw. Come to think, I'll just mill my own on there.

[Rob Young]

I don't do much pen turning but I did get the PSI adjustable mandrel. Pretty good.

When you bring up the tail stock, you want just enough pressure to spin the cone center. No more. With sharp tools and small bites at the start you won't have any problems. Or you can knock off the corners of your blanks before hand with a belt sander or handplane.

It is possible to slightly bow the mandrel with the pressure of the brass nut. What I've gotten into the habit of doing is to go ahead and cinch down at the start when I'm knocking off corners. Then once the blank is round and maybe 75% to the right size I release the brass nut, spin the blanks on the mandrel then just make the nut snug. Finish turning the blank. I do this a couple times during sanding just to re-orient the blanks on the mandrel as a just-in-case precaution against slightly out of round pens. So far, so good. It may not have been necessary to do during sanding but takes so little time to adjust the blanks, why not?

[John Terefenko]

Turning between centers is fine but not at all necessary. Get yourself an adjustable mandrel and as others have mentioned do not over tighten and treat it with care and it will help produce many great looking pens. I never had a problem and I turn using both methods. One little trick because some people talk about oblong blanks, when you get close to the finish size, stop the lathe and rotate the blanks on the mandrel 90 degrees and then finish turning or sanding and this will help hide any out of roundness. Good luck and welcome to the world of pen turning.

[Robert Snowden]

Turning between center's is not nesasary.This is true but if you are going for a great fit it is indeed the best way.On the other hand if you just wnt to do pen's the manderl is ok.All the statement's above are true.The bushing's that are made by penturner product's are by far better than bushing's from kit suppler's.Robert

[Joe Tedesco]

Thanks for all the info, I think I will go with the adjustable mandrel from PSI for now.

-Joe