Mandrels

[woodb woody]

I am looking at trying my hand with pens. Carbatec have two types of mandrels in their catalogue.Which mandrel should I get.

[bdar]

Hey Woodb,

I'm from Bundy and every trip to Brisbane I somehow end up at Carb-a-tec. I run a Vicmarc VL850 and one of the first Carb-a-tec mini lathes. I have the fixed mandrel for both, but when I saw the adjustable mandrels they were the way to go, saves packing the mandrel out with extra bushes. The new mandrel being an adjusting collet I can remove the shaft and use it for turning my minatures as well. I suppose it comes down to personal preferences.

Cheers
Darren

[smidsy]

I would recommend the non adjustable mandrel - Cat# MAND 91/92.

Packing it out with spacers is no problem and I've heard of more than one person having trouble with the adjustable mandrel.

Cheers
Paul

[Jim Carroll]

I agree with the fixed mandrel (http://au.store.yahoo.com/cws-store/mandrelsbushes.html)
as I have heard of people with the adjustable one moving if not tightened properly and also scoring of the rod which affects the tubes trying to get the on and of. It is easier just to put a couple of extra bushes on the mandrel.

[woodb woody]

Thanks everyone for your advice.It looks like pens are the go when I finish my new work bench.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I agree with the fixed mandrel (http://au.store.yahoo.com/cws-store/mandrelsbushes.html)
as I have heard of people with the adjustable one moving if not tightened properly and also scoring of the rod which affects the tubes trying to get the on and of. It is easier just to put a couple of extra bushes on the mandrel.

A couple of extra bushes are always handy anyway, especially if you're fumble-fingered like me and keep dropping 'em, only to watch 'em bounce/roll/generally migrate into the deepest, most inaccessible places of the workshop.

I've extra bushes, which I keep carefully stored away; instead I use a washer, sized to fit the mandrel, up against the last bush and pack it out with nuts from the odds'n'sods bucket. There's less hair-pulling that way, the bit-bucket never runs out... :rolleyes: