Pen Mandrel's and a light bulb!

[Tom Conger]

Purchased a new lathe the other day, and trying to get prepared for it's arrival.

Been surfing at Arizona Siloutes, Craft USA, Berea, Rockler, High Land Hardware, etc....

Also been doing a lot of reading on this site and penturners.org.

What I am failing to find, which must be very obvious because no one is saying it loud, is why are there 8 different drill bits for the different pens, but only two different mandrels? (Arizona sells "A" and "B")

I have been using a Jet Pen Lathe, it is 7mm. I want to turn bigger pens, and for that it requires a bigger drill bit, which must mean it's a bigger mandrel, yet I don't see all of those different mandrels listed.

So, my light bulb moment.

Do the 7mm bushings fit in the brass tubes? For example, after drilling whatever size hole, you put the 7mm bushings on the 7mm mandrel, and part of the bushing fits into the brass blank, thus supporting the work.

Or am I still off base?

[Gary Max]

It gets worse---some pens take two different size drills.
Starting out and wanting bigger pen----buy Cigar kits
Both AS and CSUSA are good places to buy.
Just tell them you are new when you order and need both bushings and drill for the Cigar kit.

[Keith Burns]

Different pens require different brass tubes which require different bushings (which fit a 7mm mandrel) which require different drill bits. Does this make sense ? Bottom line is each style of pen has it' special set of bushings. All bushings fit the 7mm mandrel (I'm almost 100% sure).

[John Hart]

Yep the bushings are "stepped" to accomodate the different tubes and Drilled to accomodate the mandrel size.

Another twist is like with Rockler who sells a certain Berea Kit. They accompany that kit with a Bushing Set that fits on an "A" Mandrel. But if you buy that same kit directly from Berea, they'll accompany that kit with a Bushing Set that fits on a "B" Mandrel.

You should see my toolbox...a pile of bushings that I don't have a clue what they go to...but I kinda sort it out each time I need one.:)

[Bob Noles]

Tom,

Welcome to the Abyss :cool:

To hopefully give you a short and sweet answer to the mandrel question. One size fits all. The inside diameter is the same for all bushings no matter what the outside diameter is.

Now watch someone come up with an exception and put egg all over my face.... hey, won't be the first time :D

[Kurt Forbes]

Yes a 10MM tube/blank will be supported on the bushing usually.
every different kit has different bushings. Get a good tackle box and set aside a compartment for each kit/ bushing combo and make sure you put instructions for each kit in there too, or just stick to a few kits you really like.

[Jim Becker]

And....not every manufacturer's kits/bushings will work with every other manufacturer's mandrel sets, even when they are the "same size".

[Rob Bourgeois]

I am going through the same thing... arghhh. I think I will go with the best deal and be done with it.

[Tom Conger]

Thank you very much for the responses. The light bulb is finaly on.

Wow. I feel like a dope. But I got a new tool out of it. :)

I did not know that the standard was 7mm. I bought some bushings at Highland a few weeks which were to big, thus I thought I needed a new lathe, since the Jet Pen Lathe only excepts MT 0 and they stopped making it.

So I bought the new lathe, PSI Turncrafter Pro, w/ extension bed, in order to turn bigger pens, (yea, I know I don't need the extension bed for pens, but don't tell LOML) which I thought required bigger mandrels. Looks like from the info above, that my tiny Jet Pen Lathe would have worked just fine, I just needed the next size down in bushings. Well, lesson learned.

I am sure I won't be sorry with the new lathe though. :rolleyes: Now I can turn two pens at once.

[Bob Noles]

Tom,

Let us know how you like the new lathe. It is the same one I have and I really like mine so far.

[Corey Hallagan]

It is confusing, but I have been told, if you want to make a particular company's pens, buy that company 's mandrel and bushings. There are slight enough differences to make a difference or at least for a beginner.

Corey

[Corey Hallagan]

Tom, I saw a sale that was posted on the little mini Jet pen lathe for like 60.00 some dollars. That is what got me thinking about lathes, then Bernie got one, then Bob got one, started to feel left out so I had to get one. It is fun. I am liking my PSI lathe just fine. Didn't get the extension bed though. When I really need one, that will be my excuse to get a bigger lathe!! Ssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... she doesn't need to know that an extension will fit on the PSI!

Corey

[John Hart]

Oh Mrs Hallagan!!

Guess What Corey Told Us!!:eek: :D

[Jim Dunn]

John, he said SsssHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. And my head hurts like crazy and your yelling, in red yet.

[Corey Hallagan]

John, let's not be subtle or anything about it!! LOL.

Corey

[Joe Melton]

The "A" mandrels (from AS) are about .241" in diameter, and the "B" mandrels are on the order of .290. You might notice that the bushings are labeled something like "19A" and "19B". This tells you which mandrel they fit. In this example, you would buy the set that fits your particular mandrel. Since they are both 19s, they would be used for the same pen kits. The B mandrel is a bit more rigid.
HTH,
Joe

[Tom Conger]

Corey - That is when and why I bought the lathe....

Just think, two short months ago, I was perfectly happy doing "flat" work. Now I have made over twenty pens and have another lathe on the way and cannot wait to see what magic lies within the next 6" by 1/2" blank....

Now, if I could just figure out to put a great finish on them....

[Corey Hallagan]

Tom, at least you have turned a pen. I am still waiting to receive my 60 degree live center, ordered one but it was bad and had to return for replacement. What are you doing on finishes, are you going with the friction and this point and looking for something nicer?

Corey

[Randy Meijer]

The "A" mandrels (from AS) are about .241" in diameter, and the "B" mandrels are on the order of .290. You might notice that the bushings are labeled something like "19A" and "19B". This tells you which mandrel they fit. In this example, you would buy the set that fits your particular mandrel. Since they are both 19s, they would be used for the same pen kits. The B mandrel is a bit more rigid.

Actually the "A" mandrel is 0.247"± and the "B" mandrel is 0.291"±.

[Tom Conger]

Picture probably didn't come out very well, but this is a few that I have turned recently.

I have been experimenting with the finishes.

I have tried CA Thin and Thick a few times and made quite the mess. There are obviously some skills involved in applying it which I have yet to master.

I have read a lot about the finishes, and almost every post has a different opinion. So I just started experimenting. I have heard poly is bad, and that was proved the other day when the coating cracked. So that is out. I am not a fan of the spray laquer as it looks too plastic and it is easy to see bubbles and runs if oversprayed.

Current favorite is that Hut PPP. Fifteen minutes to shape, ten minutues to sand, five minutes to add the finish. My next finish experiment is going to be BLO and Hut PPP, then Tung Oil and Hut PPP.

Below are:
Walnut - General Finishes Poly
Burled Maple - Sam Maloof Oil and Poly
Don't remember - Spray Laquer
Cocaboa - Hut PPP
Tulip Wood - Shallac
Redheart - Hut PPP
Lacewood - Shallac
Cocoaboa - General Finishes Poly
Cocoaboa - Spray Laquer
Zebrawood - BLO

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