JET Pen Lathe Question..I Need Help!!!!!

[Randy Meijer]

The JPL comes with a 7 mm(A) mandrel and a #0 Morse taper. I just saw some Berea "El Grande" pens and would love to make a few. Problem is they are supposed to be turned on a "B" mandrel. :mad: I've sent a bunch of emails and made some phonecalls to manufacturers and vendors and have yet to come up with a really good solution...... i.e. reasonably convenient and economical.(If only Momma would let me buy a new lathe.....:rolleyes: )

Does anyone have any ideas about a resolution to this problem??

Thanks.

[Rick Prevett]

Randy, I'm afraid that pen lathe is not going to adapt for your larger kits. The unique #0 taper rules out most pen mandrel/taper combos.

I've seen one of these lathes but have not turned on one. What's your overall impression of it?

rick

[Richard Allen]

Hi Randy

Turn your own bushing for the "ElGrande" pens out of wood.

The bushings should work fine if you make them while mounted on the "A" mandril.

Good Luck

[Randy Meijer]

Does anyone know if the mandrel is threaded into the taper or are they pressed or are they one piece?? If they are threaded, maybe I could buy another mandrel/taper from JET and change out the mandrel for a larger one??

Rick: I've never turned before and this is my first lathe so my opinion may not amount to much; but here goes:
1. Good little machine if money and space are extremely tight.
2. Wonderful if portability is an issue.
3. Limited capacity....plan on making pens, keyschains, fan pulls, Christmas ornaments, perfume atomizers, yo-yos and not much else.
4. The captured wrenches are a pain and have already been removed in favor of a 7/16" open end wrench.
5. You have to be patient.....no aggressive cutting.....as the motor is only 60 some watts(1/12 HP).
6. JET online customer service sucks. It's like talking to a brick wall, if they will respond at all.

Bottom line, I only paid $25 for mine at a yard sale.....that is a heck of a deal; but if I were paying full retail price, I would find a few extra dollars and wait for a mini to go on sale or look for a used one......the Pen lathe just has too many limitations!!

[Randy Meijer]

Richard, thanks. Don't know why I didn't see that?? I just finished a couple of Penlight kits from PSI and didn't have a pilot for the pen mill so I made a wooden bushing. Now I will just do the same thing for "large" pen kits!!

[Jake Byrd]

I also have the pen lathe, and you do have to go VERY easy on it. I have run into trouble while taking the edges off of the blanks. Overall it is a nice lathe.


See ya,
Jake

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Woodcraft let me borrow one of the pen lathes to carry with me to turning demonstrations for Freedom Pens. I used it one Saturday and found every complaint here to be true. I will admit that I have a "Heavy Hand" when turning, so I need a lathe with power.

As far as the mandrel is concerned, some of them are threaded. but the wooden bushing will work, too, and at a lesser cost.

I now use a Jet Mini with extention as my main lathe and bought a Wilton mini as my carry long. It weighs about 20# less than the Jet and has variable speed at a very low cost.

Bruce




Bruce

[Christopher Pine]

I looked at that lathe today at the woodworkers show here in Denver. My impression? "How Cute!" Looked like somthing you could take on an airplane and have somthing to do on your way somwhere. I suppose it will work.. The price they had on it was $150... a little more money and get a mini!
Chris