Bits and Pieces......

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

OK, I see the post man came today with my box of goodies from Lee Valley, but I was not at home, so I got to go get the stuff tomorrow from the post office.

In this box of stuff, are the bits for doing pens on the C-man lathe, all MT#1 stuff, the manderal etc.

Now I will most likely sell the C-man lathe once the DVR gets here, but I want to use the pen stuff. The DVR is a MT#2.

I know I can buy the adapter sleeves, and I think I've found them here in Japan.

The question is, will the sleeve from a drill press work?

http://www.trusco.co.jp/protoolimg/images/product/product_pic/t010000235421.jpg
it is a MT#1 inside, and a MT#2 outside, but it is fro a drill press, think it will be OK?

Also, I bougth a new, on auction chuck for my drill press, as I busted the old one :o

I made a stu-pid mistake and read the thing wrong, the cheapo drill press I have has the JT on the spindle, so I needed a chuck with a JT33. I don't know how I did it, (OK, I'm Stu-pid) but I bought a JT6, yep no fit.

Now I've ordered the correct chuck, but I have this JT6 chuck here, I don't have a drill chuck for the lathe, thus I found this "Chuck Arbor"

http://www.trusco.co.jp/protoolimg/images/product/product_pic/t010000718838.jpg
it says it is JT6 and MT#2, so this should work for getting the drill chuck I have on the DVR when I get it, correct?

I cannot, or have not, been able to find lathe specific things like this here, yet, but a MT#2 is a MT#2, right?

Cheers!

[Brad Hart]

I had nothing but problems with using conversion sleeves I used a few brands and both mt1 to mt2 and mt2 to mt3 and I every time I had problems with getting them to run true, this was a really big problem when it came to pen turning.

[Raymond Overman]

Stu,

The only problem that I see with using an adaptor from MT1 to MT2 is that pens have fairly close tolerances or the fit and finish isn't exactly right. If the adaptor isn't machined perfectly it just adds one more component that can be off by a little bit. You may be better off with selling the MT1 pen making setup with the c-man to recoup your costs and buy another MT2 setup. I know that's a pain with the shipping but I think you'll have better results in the long run.

Good luck.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Well there you go, this is why I ask these questions here, I get such great answers!

Or, I could keep the C-man lathe, JUST for pens......

......and the kids of course..... ;)

[David Fried]

Well there you go, this is why I ask these questions here, I get such great answers!

Or, I could keep the C-man lathe, JUST for pens......

......and the kids of course..... ;)

Bingo! Sounds like a great solution!!

[Mac McAtee]

Morse Taper adapters can be off, but shouldn't be off. I would say the odds are that they will be dead on because that is what they are made for. The MT/JT arbor is made to mount a drill chuck, it should be machined perfectly.

Put the arbour in the headstock of your lathe, turn it by hand and put a dial indicator, or rig a tell tale on the JT end, and turn the headstock by hand. You will find real quick if it is turned properly. If it shows to be in some reasonable tolerance and you then mount the drill chuck on it, the drill chuck may be out of center. You have the options of the taper in your lathe headstock arbor being off center, the MT arbor being off center and the drill chuck being off center.

You may find if the MT/JT arbor is off when you put it in the headstock, that you can turn it a quarter or half turn and it will be true in that condtion. If that is the case, put an orientation mark on the MT arbor that you can relate to a mark on your headstock arbor. Then when you use the thing, match the marks up when installing.

With the 1/2 adapter sleeve, I'd do as discribed above and when I had an arrangement that suited me, I'd CA glue the adapter sleeve to the pen turning adapter and use it.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Thanks for the info Mac.

These are made in Japan, they are not made in Chiwain, so I do expect them to be dead on, they are all certifed JIS (Like CSA).

They are also not expensive, something like $14 to $18 each, and I'm odering some stuff from this company anyways. If I find them off, I'll return them and say they are off. :D

Cheers!

[Doug Thompson]

Mac said it all and follow his advice.

IMHO - morse taper sleeves should be purchased from a metal working catalog. In the USA a name brand, hardened, externally AND internally ground sleeve is only 12 bucks. That was the price for a #2 to #3 a few weeks ago, a #1 to #2 sleeve might be cheaper.

In the past I had trouble buying M/T drive centers from a woodworking catalog out west... they just didn't fit.

Have fun with your new lathe and keep your old one.

Doug

[John Hart]

Stu...I can't tell you how many times I wished that I had a pen lathe off to the side to kill a little time waiting for a finish to dry a bit on a bowl. Hey...if you have room....and the craftsman works....why not?:)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Stu...I can't tell you how many times I wished that I had a pen lathe off to the side to kill a little time waiting for a finish to dry a bit on a bowl. Hey...if you have room....and the craftsman works....why not?:)

Same old reason..........

$$$$$$$$$$$ :o