Gidday

[Rough Country B]

Gidday

I have just found this place. I have a couple of old lathes in a container and been going to get at least one out and have a go as I haven't touch them for years.

Please tell me, does the quality of the lathe make much difference, as they all seem to turn wood around and as long as they line up what does it matter. I always thought it was the quality of the tools that was more important.

And if I can crank one of these old buggers into life, what do I nee to get to be able to turn pens and the like?

Cheers

Jack

[John Saxton]

G'day Jack, welcome to the BB ,there is a stack of info on making pens and general woodturning and anything I'd say here would probably have been mentioned many times previously.

A Small Skew,roughing gouge, detail gouge,parting tool(though not Necessary) dry stock in 1/2/x1/2" square will get you started.

Also get a mqandrel for holding the pen barrels when yhey're glued in place so you can finally round the stock down to your desired design.

Have a good decko at the forums ...there's a lot on the woodrurning/pen forum that'll put you right.

Cheers:)

[bdar]

G'day Jack welcome to the forum. What type of lathes are they that you have? If they are old lathes are they heavy duty like the old Wadkins. As long as the centers in the head and tail stock line up that's the first thing to look for. Loosen off the lock on your tail stock wind it out as far as you can to see if there is any sideways movement in the quill. If you have a morse taper in the head and tail stock all the better for you. If the lathes have been in storage for a while the morse tapers may need cleaning. If there is gunk in the taper on the head stock it may cause the pen mandrel to not run true. Good quailty chisels of high speed steel will do a excellent job as do carbon steel chisels, you just have to sharpen carbon steel more regularly than HSS. In saying that if a person has not done much turning CS chisels may be a cheaper option to go, in learning tool control, cutting and sharpening techniques before outlaying money for more expensive HSS chisels.
Cheers
Darren

[ss_11000]

G'day Jack, welcome to the BB ,there is a stack of info on making pens and general woodturning and anything I'd say here would probably have been mentioned many times previously.

A Small Skew,roughing gouge, detail gouge,parting tool(though not Necessary) dry stock in 1/2/x1/2" square will get you started.

Also get a mqandrel for holding the pen barrels when yhey're glued in place so you can finally round the stock down to your desired design.

Have a good decko at the forums ...there's a lot on the woodrurning/pen forum that'll put you right.

Cheers:)

does the size of the skew matter. :D

[John Saxton]

does the size of the skew matter. :D

Not really... it's what you become comfortable with,I use a 1/2" one,but I have seen others using 3/4" even 1" to finish off their pens if doing straight pens.

Cheers:)

[ss_11000]

Not really... it's what you become comfortable with,I use a 1/2" one,but I have seen others using 3/4" even 1" to finish off their pens if doing straight pens.

Cheers:)

i use a one inch. it feels more comfortable for me

[Rough Country B]

Gidday

I guess I am already lost.

I take it that you cut the wood into half in squares a few long, drill a hole down the centre, put it onto a mandrel to turn it down to the required shape and size. But what is the screw used for? And how do you drill the hole into such small timber?

[bdar]

G'day Jack all pen kits come with either 1 or 2 brass tubes depending on what type of kit that you use. You drill the pen blanks to fit the outside diameter of the tubes provided. I cut each blank just a bit longer than the tubes and i then hold the pen blank in a self centering chuck and with a jacobs chuck in the tailstock, I drill the blank on slow speed using the lathe. That is why a morse taper on a lathe is handy when you come to drilling. In saying that some people use a drill press to drill a pen blank out, it is a matter of preference. After drilling the blanks out I coat the inside of the pen blank with CA (super glue) spray it with accelerator and re drill the hole. I do this if there is any fine cracks from drilling they will fill with CA. Before gluing the tubes into my blanks, I slide the tubes onto a rod and scuff the surface on my belt sander. This cleans the tubes, removes any oil on the tube and gives the glue a better surface to adhear to. I use medium CA to glue the tubes with because it gives you a little more time to insert the tubes. Once the glue has dried trim the ends of the tubes square to the length using either a bandsaw, sanding disc or a pen mill trimmer. You then use the appropriate bushes for the pen kit you are making and tighten the mandrel just so the blanks spot spinning on the mandrel. If you over-tighten the mandrel you can bow it and some times create an oval pen. This method is not eveybodies method, it is what works for me and I hope you can get some information from it. PM or email anytime you like and if I can help I will.
Cheers
Darren