# increasing production



## jrc (Dec 9, 2010)

I have just finished a sierra pen order for 600 pens,  I turned half and my sister turned the other half.  The whole time working on that order I kept thinking how to increase production.  The only thing I came up with is a longer mandrel rod. Now I can do 10 turnings and get 15 pens of the 7mm kits.
At the moment someone is making a mandrel rod for 3 sierra banks.  So in one day I can turn 30 to 40 sierra blanks and with the 7mm mandrel I can turn 15 to 20 7mm pens.

The new 7mm setup is not that much longer than the old setup for the 2 sierra blanks. The sierra mandrel rod will be the size of the sierra tube and there will not be step bushings, just thinner half inch long bushings. I will know in a week or so how the sierra setup will work but I'm sure it will work great.


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## mywoodshopca (Dec 10, 2010)

Maybe I am missing something, but wouldnt a much longer mandrel rod cause a lot of whip and OOR blanks?


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## aggromere (Dec 10, 2010)

I think what he is saying is that the new rod with be the thickness of the sierra tube so it will be stiffer than the normal 7mm rod in mandrels.


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## jrc (Dec 10, 2010)

I thought so too but I had to give it a try.  I did 10 turnings yesterday and it worked great.  I'll have to be easy with it and even if I had to replace it every week being able to turn a third more pens it is still well worth it.


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## jrc (Dec 10, 2010)

The rod for the sierra tube will be thicker and should be no problem.  I do not have that one yet.  It was the 7mm I tried out yesterday.


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## Rchan63 (Dec 22, 2010)

Can we get a picture of the super duper mandrel?


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## jrc (Dec 22, 2010)

I'll post photos of the two this evening.


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## jrc (Dec 22, 2010)

*New 3 blank 7mm and sierra mandrels*

I got these from JohnnyCNC before his accident and he will not be back in his shop until he is fully recovered.  I am trying to speed up production with more pens with less turning and keeping the quality the same or better.  With these two new setups they run so smooth and true and with the new universal mandrel from Lee Valley it could not be better.  The bushings for the sierra mandrel are a little under sized to allow for the CA finish and they are GREAT.  Made of tool steel they will out last the mild steel ones many times over.


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## PenMan1 (Dec 22, 2010)

Two words: Beall Collet.

Then, you can make your own mandrel that goes the length of your lathe bed and make five or six at the time.  On a jet 1014VSI it cuts the turning time to almost 1/6th the time of turning one Sierra barrel. DAMHIKT.


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## PenMan1 (Dec 22, 2010)

mywoodshopca said:


> Maybe I am missing something, but wouldnt a much longer mandrel rod cause a lot of whip and OOR blanks?


 

Not with a collet chuck. As long as you begin with a straight mandrel, the collet makes it difficult to bend the mandrel and put the whip in the blanks.

Additionallly, when I turn "6s", I push the lathe to top speed, further reducing turning time.


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## johnnycnc (Dec 22, 2010)

Nice photos Jim, 
I wanted to see those loaded, looks really good!
Thanks.


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## jrc (Dec 22, 2010)

*Mandrel*

This is the one I just got that works better the the collet chuck.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=46448&cat=1,250,43243,43245


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