Jet 1014 not running true/ need help

[David Gunn]

I have a Jet 1014 mini lathe. I mostly just use it to turn pens and tool handle occasionally. About a year after I had it, I found that it wasn't running true. When I would turn a pen, I noticed that it wouldn't turn it perfectly round. My pens would end up slightly out of round. So I ordered a new pen mandrel think I had damaged the old one. Same problem, so I knew it had to be the lathe. So I called Jet and had it fixed under warranty. I had to drive an hour to the nearest place that could fix it, dropped it off, then had to drive back 5 days later to pick it up. Got it back and everything worked fine. Nice perfectly round pens.

Now, about a year later I have the same problem. My lathe is turning my pens out of round. Anybody know what could cause this problem to reappear? It is still under warranty, but I don't want to have to drive another hour, 2 times, to get it repaired again. Anybody else had similar problems with this lathe? I am kind of fishing for ideas here, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

[Michelle Rich]

I don't know for sure, but pen mandrels are ususally the culprit..try turning pens without the mandrel and see if it appears..or turn a handle & if it does not go oval, it is the gosh darn mandrel. they are really a poor design to make pens.

[James Combs]

Ditto Michelle's suggestion. Doesn't have to be a pen just turn a small spindle of some sort between centers and see if it comes out round. I would think that if it is being caused by the lathe there would be some substantial vibration and/or possibly loud bearing noises visible and coming from the headstock spindle or tail stock live center. Check your spindle by grabbing it (power off) and see if it has any side to side play. Can't be much wrong with it outside of bad bearings.

[Jim Burr]

David, try to stay away from Mandrels for pens, they will always over time, go out of round. Stick to between the center pens. Some out of round however small is exected no matter what method you use since nothing we are going to use will be perfectly round and no matter how dry, wood will move depending on conditions it is subjected to. When I switched a few years ago...night and day difference in pen quality.
Go see http://www.penturnersproducts.com/ for between the center stuff. I don't work for Johnny...just a very happy cutomer!