My advice on adjustable pen mandrels: Don't buy one!

As a followup to my earlier post regarding 0.012" runout on, not one, but
two of these:

(Recall that this mandrel consists of the rod itself in a 1/4" collet on a
#2 MT.)

Before returning the second one to Craft Supplies, I took it to Woodcraft to
test it in their Jet mini. Same problem (i.e. the morse taper fit was poor,
and noticeable runout at the collet). Then, I tried a Woodcraft adjustable
mandrel (same design, different finish), and though the morse taper fit was
a little better, the runout was visible by eye.

So now it seems to me that the poor quality is in the collet itself, which
is not too surprising when you look at it. You can't expect those 4 short
tangs to compress equally. And, when you compare it to, say, Beall's 1/4"
collet (at $80) you can see where the improvement is!

Lee Valley sells an adjustable mandrel which, rather than a collet, clamps
the rod with a set screw in the MT. This has possibilities so long as the
hole for the rod is drilled slightly off-axis to allow for the set screw
pushing it to one side. If not, whatever tolerance there is in the hole
diameter will equate directly to runout.

For now, I use a replacement mandrel (rod only) in my Jacobs chuck. No
measureable runout.

Regards,
Tom

Just measured my LV adjustable pen mandrel and it has 0.0005" (half-thou)
runout max.

I wouldn't even get excited if it were 5-10 times worse since we are dealing
with wood, a relatively sloppy hole drilled down the "center" by my old
drill press and then stuck onto a brass tube with some kind of glue. I know
I have never checked to see if the tailstock which supports the other end of
the mandrel lines up within that degree of tolerance.
Billh

"T. J. Miller" wrote in message
...
My advice on adjustable pen mandrels: Don't buy one!

As a followup to my earlier post regarding 0.012" runout on, not one, but
two of these:

(Recall that this mandrel consists of the rod itself in a 1/4" collet on a
#2 MT.)

Before returning the second one to Craft Supplies, I took it to Woodcraft
to
test it in their Jet mini. Same problem (i.e. the morse taper fit was
poor,
and noticeable runout at the collet). Then, I tried a Woodcraft
adjustable
mandrel (same design, different finish), and though the morse taper fit
was
a little better, the runout was visible by eye.

So now it seems to me that the poor quality is in the collet itself, which
is not too surprising when you look at it. You can't expect those 4 short
tangs to compress equally. And, when you compare it to, say, Beall's 1/4"
collet (at $80) you can see where the improvement is!

Lee Valley sells an adjustable mandrel which, rather than a collet, clamps
the rod with a set screw in the MT. This has possibilities so long as the
hole for the rod is drilled slightly off-axis to allow for the set screw
pushing it to one side. If not, whatever tolerance there is in the hole
diameter will equate directly to runout.

For now, I use a replacement mandrel (rod only) in my Jacobs chuck. No
measureable runout.

Regards,
Tom

"billh" wrote in message
. ..
Just measured my LV adjustable pen mandrel and it has 0.0005" (half-thou)
runout max.

Excellent! I think I'll try that one after all.

I wouldn't even get excited if it were 5-10 times worse

Agreed. But when it approaches 25 to 30 times worse, it's a problem!

since we are dealing
with wood, a relatively sloppy hole drilled down the "center" by my old
drill press and then stuck onto a brass tube with some kind of glue. I
know
I have never checked to see if the tailstock which supports the other end
of
the mandrel lines up within that degree of tolerance.

Actually, a sloppily drilled hole and an off-axis tailstock (within reason)
won't show up in the final product the way runout will.

Billh

Thanks for the info!

Tom


"T. J. Miller" wrote in message
...
My advice on adjustable pen mandrels: Don't buy one!

As a followup to my earlier post regarding 0.012" runout on, not one,
but
two of these:

(Recall that this mandrel consists of the rod itself in a 1/4" collet on
a
#2 MT.)

Before returning the second one to Craft Supplies, I took it to
Woodcraft
to
test it in their Jet mini. Same problem (i.e. the morse taper fit was
poor,
and noticeable runout at the collet). Then, I tried a Woodcraft
adjustable
mandrel (same design, different finish), and though the morse taper fit
was
a little better, the runout was visible by eye.

So now it seems to me that the poor quality is in the collet itself,
which
is not too surprising when you look at it. You can't expect those 4
short
tangs to compress equally. And, when you compare it to, say, Beall's
1/4"
collet (at $80) you can see where the improvement is!

Lee Valley sells an adjustable mandrel which, rather than a collet,
clamps
the rod with a set screw in the MT. This has possibilities so long as
the
hole for the rod is drilled slightly off-axis to allow for the set screw
pushing it to one side. If not, whatever tolerance there is in the hole
diameter will equate directly to runout.

For now, I use a replacement mandrel (rod only) in my Jacobs chuck. No
measureable runout.

Regards,
Tom

Lee Valley sells an adjustable mandrel which, rather than a collet,
clamps
the rod with a set screw in the MT. This has possibilities so long as
the
hole for the rod is drilled slightly off-axis to allow for the set screw
pushing it to one side. If not, whatever tolerance there is in the hole
diameter will equate directly to runout.


I have the Lee Valley adjustable mandrel. It works fine although I
have never measured the runout. I have never noticed any out of round
whatsoever. It is made in the UK and is 5-6 dollars less expensive
than the fareast versions sold by everyone else.

Charlie Romano