# What is the best pen mandrel I am new at this.



## sumterdad

I have gotten the itch for turning wood thanks to a customer of mine. And I have made two bowls on his lathe, so I bought a uses sears lathe just to get started and it is a mt 1 which brand of mandrel should I get.  I really would like to start turning some pens.  Thanks for the help


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## PenMan1

IMHO, the "best" pen mandrels are the adjustable ones. You can make those exactly the length you need, thus minimizing "mandrel whip" which contributes to out of concentric pen barrels.

Additionally, when you "out grow"  the mandrel configuration, replacement "rods" are available cheap ( $6-$7) so that you can continue to do closed end pens without buying or making a load of other "crap".

Also, most rookies tend to overtighten fixed-length mandrels,
causing a bowed mandrel. It is very difficult to overtighten and bend an adjustable.

Lastly, the last time I checked the priTce difference between a fixed length and adjustable mandrel was less than the price of a replacement mandrel shaft.


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## randyrls

sumterdad said:


> I have gotten the itch for turning wood thanks to a customer of mine. And I have made two bowls on his lathe, so I bought a uses sears lathe just to get started and it is a mt 1 which brand of mandrel should I get.  I really would like to start turning some pens.  Thanks for the help



Chris;   Any of the pen mandrels will work well.  The most important part is the process.  Use the same set procedure every time and you will have fewer troubles.  

The comment to get an adjustable mandrel is a good one.

There are basically three options.

PSI and resellers
Woodcraft, Craft Supplies etc
"B" Size.  The "B" size mandrel has a larger diameter and is stiffer for larger pens.  "B" size bushings will not fit an "A" standard sized mandrel!

Although the PSI and Woodcraft mandrels are "nominally" the same size, the PSI mandrels tend to run slightly smaller and PSI bushings *may* be a bit tight on a Woodcraft mandrel.  Woodcraft bushings may be a bit loose on a PSI mandrel.


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## Brooks803

Hi Chris,
As far as mandrels go the adjustable ones are convienent. If you're free on Saturday the 10th there is a monthly pen turners meeting in Columbia from 1:00 - 2:30pm. I'll be there along with several other turners and we could help with the things that you'll really need and give some ideas of the things you may want once you've got your feet wet. Not to mention any turning advice as well as a live demo. This month the demo is showing how to make a pen from blue jeans and other materials. Here's the address: 
MANN TOOL AND SUPPLY 
802 CHRIS DRIVE - WEST COLUMBIA, SC 29169

If you have any other questions or want more info feel free to private message (PM) me


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## glycerine

And just so you know this, you don't HAVE to use a mandrel at all.  You can just mount the tube and bushings between a dead center and live center...


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## workinforwood

yea..best mandrel is no mandrel. Just spin one barrel at a time instead of two, that's all.


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## Justturnin

I have only used one Mandrel from WC but I picked up a mandrel saver from PSI. I works really well and it places the pressure on the blank not the Mandrel like the knurl nut.


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## BKelley

I use a piece of 36" cut to length 7mm precision ground O-1 tool steel stock bought from MSC, chuck it up in head stock chuck and use the PSI mandrel saver tailstock center.  This seems to work best for me.  The O-1 is maybe a little truer, less likely to deform and you can cut it to any length you perfer.

Ben


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