# Building a Rose Engine Pen Lathe



## corianpens (Jul 17, 2014)

Has anyone built their own Rose Engine Lathe for Pen making?
I have looked on the net at making the MDF R.E. and a few other R.E's.
I think our IAP members might be the best place to go for the best info...
Thanks,
Gerald


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## Rodnall (Jul 17, 2014)

Capt Eddie sells plans for one, but I don't know how it would work on pens. He asks for a $20 donation that goes to freedom pens.

Big Guy Productions - Check out cutters on the Cutters Only! page.


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## low_48 (Jul 17, 2014)

I converted a Jet 10-14 several years ago. Pictures are on page 4.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f45/turned-boxes-off-my-rose-engine-lathe-1431/index4.html


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## Rich L (Jul 18, 2014)

Go to the Ornamental Turners International website:

The MDF Rose Engine

That forum is dedicated to the MDF rose engine

Cheers,
Rich


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## dogcatcher (Jul 19, 2014)

Do some research on "Geoff O'loughlin rose engine" and "Jack Chick's rose engine" in my opinion these designs are easier to convert to pens and smaller turnings.  You will need a source for the rosettes if you don't make your own.  Making your own is a royal pain, and I mean a big royal pain.   

Don't skimp trying to use  a Dremel as your cutter, in my opinion it is a poor choice, there is too much give in the bearings.  Go with a trim router or Foredom with a hand piece, you will get better cuts.   You must not have any play/run out in the cutting system, every little bit gets multiplied.  I tried a Dremel with a shaft, same one that I use on the Pen Wizard, worked fen on the Wizard, a disaster on the O'laughlin version.  I thought I had other problems, I almost went crazy finding the problem, it was solved with a Bosch trim router.


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## dogcatcher (Jul 19, 2014)

Here is Jack Chick's site.  wood-art-by-jack


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## low_48 (Jul 19, 2014)

dogcatcher said:


> Do some research on "Geoff O'loughlin rose engine" and "Jack Chick's rose engine" in my opinion these designs are easier to convert to pens and smaller turnings.  You will need a source for the rosettes if you don't make your own.  Making your own is a royal pain, and I mean a big royal pain.
> 
> Don't skimp trying to use  a Dremel as your cutter, in my opinion it is a poor choice, there is too much give in the bearings.  Go with a trim router or Foredom with a hand piece, you will get better cuts.   You must not have any play/run out in the cutting system, every little bit gets multiplied.  I tried a Dremel with a shaft, same one that I use on the Pen Wizard, worked fen on the Wizard, a disaster on the O'laughlin version.  I thought I had other problems, I almost went crazy finding the problem, it was solved with a Bosch trim router.



Curious why you say his design is easy to convert for pens. There is no tail stock.


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## walshjp17 (Jul 19, 2014)

Have you looked into the Pen Wizard?  The Beall Tool Company  It's the closest thing to a Rose Engine for pen turners.  A bit pricey, but it does some amazing things to the pen barrels.


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## skiprat (Jul 19, 2014)

Here's a link to mine that I made a few years ago.

I'm afraid I only used it once or twice to prove the concept and it now sits collecting dust in my man-cave. :redface:

It has two motors. One very slow speed for the ornamental turning and another primarily for turning the original blank to true without having to swap from another machine.

I did also make a set of  6 rosettes that aren't shown on the machine.

I have recently got two more of George Watkins' uber cool box blanks so I really should put it to use.


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## dogcatcher (Jul 19, 2014)

low_48 said:


> dogcatcher said:
> 
> 
> > Do some research on "Geoff O'loughlin rose engine" and "Jack Chick's rose engine" in my opinion these designs are easier to convert to pens and smaller turnings.  You will need a source for the rosettes if you don't make your own.  Making your own is a royal pain, and I mean a big royal pain.
> ...



Adding the tailstock will be easy, all the tailstock does is support the end of the pen mandrel.  Most of the rose engines and ornamental lathes have no tailstock.  The exceptions are the homemade versions that are designed specifically for pen parts, such as Skiprat's version.   

Look at O'Laughlin and Chick's versions, by using a 1-8tpi shaft or a shaft like your current headstock threads so you can use your chucks.  A PSI collet chuck with an expanding arbor for your OT lathe headstock and you really don't need a tailstock if you take light cuts.  

Before you go very far on playing with this research and READ everything you can find about OT and RE lathes.  There is a plenty of info out there, you have to find it and absorb it.  To save yourself a lot of headaches, take notes and do your homework before you start building.  

If you have access to a machine shop, you can make it out of aluminum, if not make it out of a good hardwood or plywood, like Geoff and Jack did theirs.  Nothing is high speed except the cutting, everything rocks and turns slowly so you don't need to mess with bearings.  If you get concerned about the bearing issue, drill a hole and drip soak the wood with synthetic motor oil where the metal shafts rotate.


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## low_48 (Jul 19, 2014)

dogcatcher said:


> low_48 said:
> 
> 
> > dogcatcher said:
> ...



I already built one. I disagree that adding a tail stock to the one you mentioned would be easy. You read all the time that many companies can't even get a tail stock lined up when they do it in cast iron. That's why I rocked the entire mini lathe.


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## dogcatcher (Jul 19, 2014)

The tailstock doesn't have to slide is a set of ways like lathe.  The tailstock can be bolted in place with oversized holes and lined up as needed.  It doesn't even have to look like a tailstock, all it has to do is support a pen mandrel.    

When I started I thought the same, so I made one using a Sherline.  After reading more and looking at the O'Laughlin and Chick version, I took my Sherline lathe and put it back in operation as a lathe and went with their design.  The "tailstock" is a block of wood with a 1MT dead center in it set at the correct level to line up with the mandrel.  9/16" holes with 5/16" bolts lets me line it up as needed.   
.


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## dogcatcher (Jul 20, 2014)

Here is another start up, but the member went MIA.  http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/taig-rose-engine-42585/


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## KBs Pensnmore (Jul 20, 2014)

skiprat said:


> Here's a link to mine that I made a few years ago.
> 
> I'm afraid I only used it once or twice to prove the concept and it now sits collecting dust in my man-cave. :redface:
> 
> ...



Thanks Skiprat, very nicely done.
Kryn


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## nx95240 (Jul 27, 2014)

you could just send me this . 







skiprat said:


> Here's a link to mine that I made a few years ago.
> 
> I'm afraid I only used it once or twice to prove the concept and it now sits collecting dust in my man-cave. :redface:
> 
> ...


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## Dalecamino (Jul 27, 2014)

skiprat said:


> Here's a link to mine that I made a few years ago.
> 
> I'm afraid I only used it once or twice to prove the concept and it now sits collecting dust in my man-cave. :redface:
> 
> ...


I am so proud to be on the same forum with you :biggrin:


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