Total novice

**clarky** · 26th June 2009, 06:35 PM

I want to have a go a pen making, I have an old lathe which I have very little experience with, it has a supernova2 chuck. I have bought a pen kit, with mandrel,drill bit etc. How do I install the mandrel, the original head bit seems to only unscrew and not pull out to reveal a taper (hope that makes sense). If I clamp it into the chuck directly it is off centre.
Any help appreciated, Thanks Clarky

**artme** · 26th June 2009, 07:13 PM

The taper on the mandre is a Morse Taper and is meant to fit directly into the head stock.

Remove the chuck and the taper sold fit into the hollow headstock because it has a corresponding female taper.

Before you do this, however, check for marks- particularly burrs on the taper of the mandrel. You may have some because you tried to grip it with the chuck.
Remove any burrs etc. as they will cause the mandrel to run off centre.

**clarky** · 26th June 2009, 07:22 PM

Thanks, do all lathes have a tapered head stock ?

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 26th June 2009, 07:29 PM

Sadly...

Especially the cheaper ones.

There are a couple of workarounds, but if you can unscrew the mandrel shaft from the morse taper your best bet is to find yourself a tame engineer who can make an adapter to screw onto the headstock that you can screw the taperless mandrel into.

**clarky** · 27th June 2009, 10:05 AM

thanks again, I will give that a go
regards andrew

**Ozkaban** · 29th June 2009, 10:21 AM

Hi Clarky,

Are you able to take a picture of the lathe spindle with the supernova removed? It will be easy enough to identify what you need to do from that point.

If you don't have a morse taper there is a website in the us that sells the adapters for pen mandrels, but you'll need to know what thread you have.

Cheers,
Dave

**clarky** · 29th June 2009, 08:23 PM

thanks Dave I go out and take a picture shortly, regards Andrew

**clarky** · 29th June 2009, 09:25 PM

Here is the pic, not real clear though,
regards andrewAttachment 109386

**gawdelpus** · 29th June 2009, 10:29 PM

Looks a bit like my Dynalink ,sheetmetal construction with hollow square bars for bed, if you overtighten the centre it bends hehe, Not to worry made a lot of pens on mine to get started, I did find that the one I had was 3/4 UNC dia . I made my own adapters for taking a morse taper for pen turning .If yu can get the thread size and pitch of yours I may be able to help you out ,pays to have a metal lathe some times

cheers John .

**Ozkaban** · 29th June 2009, 10:33 PM

If that's the same as the GMC lathe with the 3/4 x 16tpi thread, then this may fit:
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKM-AL.html

It probably comes out somewhere near $50 delivered to aus through, which is a lot for what it is. Still, it would get you going...

You'd want to be sure of the thread before ordering though.

Cheers,
Dave

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