David and Terry this subject is very important to me has anyone on the forum bought one of Davids mandrel savers? anyone made one? Anyone bought one somewhere else?
A very famous lady wrote what is called the definitive book on Cooking to paraphrase her introduction First Slaughter your Ox.
So first of all how do you turn pens now?
How do you hold the mandrel in the headstock?
Do you use the point of your live centre fitted to the indent of 60% in the end of the mandrel?
Is your live centre also 60% point to fit correctly into the mandrel?
Do you intend or insist on turning two pen pieces at a time on your mandrel.?
If you fit two dead centres one in the head stock 2 morse taper and one in the tail stock morse taper when you bring them together do they meet point to point.?
Do you use the knurled nut to tighten the blank or blanks and spacers on the mandrel.?
How much tension do you apply on the mandrel to hold the blanks on the mandrel.?
Do you know that the threaded end of a mandrel measures smaller than the mandrel itself?
Do you use an adjustable collet to hold your mandrel in the head stock?
Do you have a tapered reamer that fits your morse tapers in your machine?
All of these basics are needed the answers ie before anyone could give you a recommendation re a mandrel saver.
Are you capable or equipped to make one for yourself if you are I can show you how I make my own have done since the eighties.
The first experience making pens firmed my determination to do away with the point to recess method it is a terrible way to hold blanks on a mandrel (my opinion).
By the way Mark in Tennant Creek wm460 has some experiences with his Mandrel Saver.
Every question needs an answer I have attempted to convey these things before little to no feedback the rest is up to you. Happy to explain.
Kind regards Peter.
