Well I'm almost ready to turn my very first pen and I'm not sure if my mandrel is fitting correctly. I have a General International Maxi-Lathe 25-100 and a PSI PKM-FLC #2 MT Mandrel. According to the lathe manual my lathe is also a MT #2. I knocked out the headstock center and slid the mandrel in to replace it however it doesn't seem to fit snug like my headstock center does. Side by side the mandrel is shorter than the center but they appear to be the same taper as stated earlier. My question is...how tight should the mandrel fit in the headstock? Does the live center apply the pressure to keep the mandrel snug in the headstock or should it be quite tight on its own? Help! My first turning is almost within my grasp!