Be careful. Hex dies are normally intended for rethreading damaged threads and used with a spanner. Split dies can be opened up to make starting threads much easier then closed down as required to get the fit you want. If you do intend to buy hex dies make sure they have a proper "lead" on one side.
My information has it that hex cutting dies would be an ideal because they will be used for pen use,quality is the key.Definition important in every purchase. Today I spoke with makers in America and out of Melbourne Australia.
I like your thoughts however the trade users know this unlike us. What started all of this was a guy with a flimsy one morse taper wanting to satisfy a larger lathe and a smaller precision lathe with 1 mt tailstock. The real mismatch of 1.5 inch die in the trade to 1 mt means few are made. When buying lathes we tend to jump in and learn later.
Buying guides for wood lathes indicate a minimum of 2 mt should be the norm, then no probs in finding accessories.Another distinct advantage can be through holed tailstocks hardly useful with 1 mt.
In our wood guild we all bought cheap drills and welded them to steel rods for hole boring in timber through the tailstock,cheap as chips to make and replace. I only wish makers of wood lathes would develop consistent head stock threads etc.
In this instance a hex die would seem a quick and easy answer to the initial post using a 1mt shaft into a suitable chuck as in Les . or make your own or go to the nearest tafe college and get the guys to make something for you.One of the trade training class exercises over here was to make sliding die holder, had mine for twenty years from a garage sale from a retired fitter and turner, for the purpose of pens Aluminium can be used. A guy called Big Shed has been making these die holders on the library of the Aussie site showing how.
Peter.
