Thread: No Mandrel Set Up

I like the set up but what magic holds the bushes in place,do you fit a mandrel short piece in the brass long enough to hold the bushes,cant spread the brass if the pressure is on the bushes.Please explain the detail.

I have used a turned brass stem in a small chuck in the head stock and another short stem in a live centre in the other end made with a built in spacer to size.

In fact I have tried and made lots of things,so here I am mystified.

Goodday Peter

Peter the bushes go in to the tube as normal and then it is just the pressure of the tail stock that holds everything in place. The two 60 degree cones go into the holes of the bushes of the mandrel and that is it, no short rod, nothing, because the bushes slide into the tube and the end pressure be supplied they don't slip the metal on metal binds a little creatin some friction and resistance.
Darren

Darren,thanks for your photos. much appreciated.

terry

Darren that would take out all wobbles? Quite cool ,but if at a later date I decided to get this what would you call those to order them? MIne do not look like that at all
bye Toni

Toni the tailstock end is your standard 60 degree live centre.
On the headstock end he has used an old style dead centre, these were used a lot prior to live centres in the tailstock.
As darren has indicated he has reshaped the dead centre to a cone shape. They are available in the cone shape for about $20.00

Well done Darren

Looks like that is the goods for the high end ones

Greenie sent

I tried something like that in the beginning on a classic fountain pen. Unfortunately it seems to have spread the tubes just enough (cap tube anyway) that it is very sloppy and loose when you put the cap over the nib .

Probably less critical on something like a slimline though.

But, if it works for you, then it is good .

thanx for the pics darren

Vicki by the sounds that you were using a similar method without bushes in place so the tubes will naturally flare due to the pressure. If bushes are being used in conjunction with the dead and live centres, it is the same pressure applied to your blank as if you used a mandrel and a locking nut. The two 60 degree cones replace the mandrel and the tail stock replaces the locking nut.

Darrin l agree with you mate! its a much better way too do the bigger kits and its is quick too put one and off the lathe

Originally Posted by bdar

Vicki by the sounds that you were using a similar method without bushes in place so the tubes will naturally flare due to the pressure. If bushes are being used in conjunction with the dead and live centres, it is the same pressure applied to your blank as if you used a mandrel and a locking nut. The two 60 degree cones replace the mandrel and the tail stock replaces the locking nut.

Ah, OK, NOW this makes more sense even if it seems like it would be a balancing act to keep everything together - with no internal support and just the blanks/tubes and bushings all jammed together, I can't imagine that it wouldn't go flying apart the first time one put a tool to it.

Obviously it works, so there is something I am missing here?!?

This method is only suitable for those kits that haved stepped bushes, bushes that have a smaller tenon that can slip inside the tube, which is most off the kits that have a tube bigger than 7mm that go on the A mandrel and the same for the B mandrel, tubes that are bigger than the mandrel.

So basically anything that is just a straight bush will not work

The bushings have two diameters - one that matches the inside diameter of the tube.

So, the bushing you see is only about half the length of the bushing's total length - the rest is nestled snugly inside the tube.

Ah-Ha ! Yes? No?

Cheers,
Andrew

spot on, Andrew