I'm looking to step up from my drill press to a small hobby lathe, but I think I'll have the same problem. I've never used a lathe. What do you use for a mandrel and how do you attach it to the tail stock? I'm sure a picture is worth 1000 words here...Currently, I thread my cork on to a threaded rod and trap it with wing nuts and washers. I chuck one end into the drill press and have the other end in hole in a 2x4. Works OK at low speeds but for some reason I sometimes get asymmetrical results.

jontobey@yahoo.com
www.gointothelight.wordpress.com

The end of your threaded rod needs to be counterbored (60 degrees) to fit onto a common lathe tailstock.

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It's that simple? The side force on the handle doesn't just push that off the tailstock?

Nope. It can't push it off unless you retract the tailstock. The tailstock live center fits into the counterbore in the mandrel.

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I think a live chuck might work as well.
[www.pennstateind.com]

The asymmetry may be due to the mandrel flexing as you apply pressure. Threaded rod is relatively weak. You will be better off using drill rod or commercial mandrel. I will typically ream the grip to size and then using a larger mandrel with masking tape bushings.

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

jon tobey Wrote:
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> It's that simple? The side force on the handle
> doesn't just push that off the tailstock?


There are a few ways to mount a mandrel in a lathe. Longer mandrels like we use in rodbuilding to mount grips to for turning are generally mounted between your lathe's headstock (where the motor is) and the tailstock. When both the headstock and tailstock are snugged down to the lathe bed, neither can move so the mandrel is effectively trapped between them.

Tailstocks generally have "live" centers installed, but headstocks can be set up a couple different ways. Most commonly rodbuilders will use a chuck in the headstock to hold the mandrel by gripping it's exterior circumference; while this method can slip under a lot of pressure, this usually provides all the grip you will need to hold the mandrel in place for the light duty shaping most rodbuilders do on their lathes. A sturdier approach is to mount a "dead center" and "drive plate" to the headstock and use a "dog" to drive the mandrel. In this way your actually mounting your mandrel between centers and something would either have to bend or break for the mandrel to come loose. I mention this second way because sometimes people will buy a used metal lathe that has this setup and they don't realize you can use that equipment just as effectively as with a chuck.

There are lots of YouTube videos you can watch that showcase the various ways to turn materials on a mandrel, you might want to spend some time there. For the second method, try searching for "turning between centers"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2015 12:58PM by John E Powell.

Okay, thank all of you. Off to order my lathe!

Jon,
If you buy a hobby lathe, also purchase a set of centerpoint drill bits.
Also, buy a chuck that you can mount to your tail stock.

This will allow you to drill holes in objects by chucking a drill bit into a chuck and than spinning the object that is held in the chuck of the head stock.

An example of centerpoint drill bits.

[www.amazon.com]

Here is a picture of my lathe set up to drill finished wood grips for the center hole for the blank:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Notice that the keyless chuck is set up in the tail stock which now holds the drill bit.

The head stock chuck holds the handle for boring, or it would hold the mandrel for drilling.

When you hold the mandrel, run the mandrel all of the way through the head stock and secure the mandrel so only a very short length sticks out from the head stock chuck. This will insure that the very end of the mandrel is perfectly centered.

Then, adjust the speed of the lathe to a slower speed for drilling metal and use the tail stock to slowly advance the center point drill bit into the mandrel and form a 60 degree centering hole perfectly centered in the end of the mandrel.

Now, when you use the mandrel, you will want to put a pointed live point in the tail stock and tighten the live point against the 60 degree hole that you bored into the end of the mandrel.

Here is an example of an excellent pointed live center from Penn State Industries:

[www.pennstateind.com]

The definition of a "live center" indicates that the accessory contains a bearing that allows the point of the tail stock to rotate with the spinning object and not cause any friction.

With the mandrel held tightly into the head stock chuck and the tail stock live center tightened securely into the 60 degree center hole of the mandrel, the end of the mandrel can not move.

I typically use a threaded mandrel, and use a washer and a plain nut on each end of the grip when turning the grip. The two nuts and washers secure the grip and keep it from turning. Then, when the grip is finished, remove the nuts and if a tight fit, just chuck the mandrel into a variable speed drill and unscrew the grip from the threaded mandrel. If I am doing a lot of grips, I will commonly use two nuts and a washer at each end of the grip. I tighten down the first nut as necessary, and then using a thin wrench to hold the first nut, tighten the 2nd nut on that end of the grip to lock the position of both nuts. Effectively, you have formed a locking nut at each end of the grip which will not come loose during the turning and shaping process.

Good luck