mandrel

I've been having an issue lately with nonstick bushings being so tight on my mandrel that I can only get them off with pliers and some help from the lathe itself (essentially spinning them off). When I first used them, they slid on relatively well and I could remove them with my hands pretty...

Hello everyone, I'm new to pen turning and turning in general. I actually made a pen for the first time two days ago, but I had a question about using a mandrel. I successfully held the two pieces of wood and turned them down, but not before I had to crank on the tightening knob to get the...

Recently I've been noticing an odd warping in both wood and acrylic blanks. I will turn one side of the blank down, then go work on the other side, and when I go back to the first side, it's warped and makes my tools bump. I have a suspicion it may be my mandrel. It's had 3+ years of pretty...

I am using an mt2 mandrel saver style pen mandrel. Anyone have any helpful tips to keep the blanks from stopping from a minor catch? I can't seem to tighten the tailstock enough and have to make very light cuts to keep it from stopping. Thanks.

Hi all. This is a great site for a newbie like me, a big thank you to all the members. I'm running into an issue joining a kitless pen cap and a pen body. I made my own mandrel, as shown below. I plan to use it to hold the pen body and pen cap when I shape them on the lathe. I used a...

I have one of the reeeaaaal long ones that I got from Woodcraft several years ago to turn cork fishing rod grips. Didn't know the difference in mandrels. Now I'm turning pens. FWIW, SWMBO keeps asking when I'm going to get a cheap hobby. Is there such a critter? Back on topic. I notice that...

Out of everything I have learned and heard from the MPGS to the Hartville meetings and on the forum people have a slow speed drying rack for finishing Mark James was a excellent piece cheap and affordable. This hit me last night or the day before. As a child i played with KNEX that my...

I’m fairly new to pen turning. I have a PSI Pen Saver Mandrel and the spacers that come with it are flaring out and getting stuck on the mandrel. The reason for this is I am constantly having to tighten my tail stock in order to keep the wood from slipping or stopping as I begin to turn. My...

Hello all! My 1956 Duro lathe finally gave up and I purchased a Turncrafter Commander. On the old lathe I used a bottle stopper mandrel that screwed onto the threaded spindle, what do I need to purchase for the Commander to turn stoppers as there is no threaded spindle? A 2mt chuck and a stopper...

I am upgrading my lathe. My current one is mt1drive center. Is it possible to get a mt2 drive center and change the mandrel to a mt2 drive center so I don't have to replace the whole mandrel? To just move the bushing holder to the mt2 drive center. Thanks Terry

Hello Everyone, I would like to start by thanking you all for your collective knowledge. I am a new wood turner and I am having a little difficulty. I got a turncrafter commander lathe. Out of the box the head stock and tail stock did not align center to center. After searching here I was able...

What is a great B mandrel for 2 MT?

When I started turning pens (earlier this year), I bought a starter kit from CSUSA. While I still buy most of my supplies from them, I do find I like some of the blanks and Berea kits I see on Arizona Silhouette. Is there any easy means of figuring out if my starter kit contains an "A" or...

Looking for feedback on the different type of mandrels people use to make pens, duck calls, bottle stoppers and other small items.