Thread: Is there need for more than 1 lathe?????

Are you saying you're leaving them on the Mandrel, on the Lathe. until they're dry?

Excuse my ignorance, since I don't have a lathe or turned any pens, but why can't you just take the finished blanks off the lathe and hang them somewhere to dry? I must be missing something?

Russell.

My drying rack is just a 10x5 matrix of nails partially driven into a pine plank.

I think a spare mandrel cheaper than a second lathe ! I guess you are worried about disturbing the finish while wet or sticky,You could just slid them off the mandrel onto a suitable piece of wire while waiting drying .

In a perfect world you can't have enough lathes, for what you have described I may have a more cost effective solution.

If your goal is to improve the ease of which you apply a finish to your pens then I would consider buying some additional mandrels instead.

Say 5x $18 complete mandrels for $90 (or cheaper would be to have some lengths of rod that could be held in a jacobs chuck, but if you insist on spending money...)
Make up tapered holders for each mandrel (think a rounded diamond shape) out of hardwood with a 7mm or 8mm hole drilled in the middle to match the mandrel size.

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You could then turn the pens on the good bushings you buy with the kits, transfer the pen to the other mandrel with the wooden tapers, you now have a setup where you just have to mount the mandrel in the lathe, apply finish, knock it out and put it in a simple jig with holes drilled to take the end of the mandrel, and you're done. Fast, easy, remountable application for multiple coats of finish that have to dry for a while.

Don't know if I am explaining myself well, was thinking out loud more than anything.

Toasty, you always come up with good replies - not that I understand it, but it sounds spiffy

Russell.

I do the same as Skew and use a pair of circlip pliers to transer from the mandrel to the rack... but just to be on the safe side you better get another lathe

Originally Posted by corbs

... but just to be on the safe side you better get another lathe

I do something similar, have a place to hang the parts to dry so I can move on to
another pen. But I understand not wanting to disturb them on the mandrel just in
case you ruin a wet finish.

I also use the Behlens from time to time. I like it, just not the one hour wait. I'm not
patient. But I've got a few mandrels, so I put the finish on, stand the mandrel and wet parts up in a vice and I cover it with a plastic tube to keep the dust away.

Of course you need another lathe. Don't you know? He who dies with the most lathes wins. I think and Cliffie are neck and neck......

Originally Posted by tea lady

Of course you need another lathe. Don't you know? He who dies with the most lathes wins. I think and Cliffie are neck and neck......

Where is skew when you need him..........

If you can still breathe in your shed then there is air in it.

If there's room for air, there's always room for one more tool!

Can you ever have enough toys?

Go for it!

Ross

Originally Posted by tea lady

Of course you need another lathe. Don't you know? He who dies with the most lathes wins. I think and Cliffie are neck and neck......

I thought it was "tools" wins - now you tell me all that money i spend in Bunnies on tools doesnt count

Now i really must get a VL300 or i'm not even in the race.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Gra

Where is skew when you need him..........

Nar, I'm back down to a mere 5 lathes. And will stay that way until I build a shed.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Nar, I'm back down to a mere 5 lathes. And will stay that way until I build a shed.

Yeah.. it takes FOREVER to build a shed with a lathe..