Getting Started Turning Pens??

[Travis Lanman]

After seeing all of the people here that turn such great pens I was wondering if you guys could help me get started. I've already got a lathe but it's really old. I believe it was made in the 1940's. It still runs great but I can't find anyone that makes a live center for it and I think that turning pens requires one? Also Looking at pen mandrels it appears that you take your drive center out and it fits in there. That is another problem on this lathe, I can take the drive center out but all that is left is a rod coming off of the pulley shaft. I hope this all makes sense. If anyone could help me with this I would greatly appreciate it. If you have any questions about the lathe feel free to ask.
Travis

[Scott Greaves]

Hi Travis,

Most modern lathes have drive centers and live centers that are fitted to the lathe by means of a morse taper. It sounds like you do not have this on your lathe. What kind of lathe is it? You may want to call either Berea or Craft Supplies and describe the lathe you have to them and see if they have any ideas for attaching a mandrel to your lathe. Before we can get into any of the other things you need to know about pens, you have to know if you will be able to do it at all on your lathe. Let us know what you find out!

Scott.

[Travis Lanman]

Hi Travis,

Most modern lathes have drive centers and live centers that are fitted to the lathe by means of a morse taper. It sounds like you do not have this on your lathe. What kind of lathe is it? You may want to call either Berea or Craft Supplies and describe the lathe you have to them and see if they have any ideas for attaching a mandrel to your lathe. Before we can get into any of the other things you need to know about pens, you have to know if you will be able to do it at all on your lathe. Let us know what you find out!

Scott.

Thank you Scott. I will contact them. The lathe is a craftsman and was my great uncle's. I really want to use it because it is built like a tank and runs as smooth as could be. I'll try to attach a picture of it.
Travis

[Scott Greaves]

Hi Travis,

You know, that really is a nice looking old lathe. I admire you for wanting to put it into service!

If you know a good machinist, this next suggestion will be much easier. I would dismantle both the headstock and the tailstock, and take the shaft from both to a good machinist and have them make you new ones that have #2 Morse tapers in them. Also have them thread the headstock spindle, 1" x 8tpi is a pretty easy standard size. It may seem extreme to sink this kind of money into an old lathe, but there is really nothing wrong with old lathes!

Another neat improvement to an old lathe like this would be to watch out for a 1hp or 2hp three phase motor for it, and a VFD to go with it. This will give you a lathe that is not only variable speed, but also reversing.

Good Luck!

Scott.

[Wes Bischel]

Travis,

I like it!
It looks like you may have original tooling which use two set screws to secure the spur etc. - if your lathe is indeed similar to the one as the catalog picture I attached. Sometimes the renderings don't quite match the actual product. I found the catalog over at OWWM.com (Old Wood Working Machines). They have a discussion group on Yahoo and they may be able to give you a few more ideas for adapting new tooling to this lathe.

I would think if the shaft is 1/2" or 5/8" you could make (or have made) an adaptor. Make a 1-1/4" x8 threaded outside with a 1/2" (or 5/8") bore with the set screws to secure it. That would work for the headstock, the tailstock would still need a MT, so maybe modifing a MT sleeve by cutting off the tang and boring it out to fit the shaft.

Just a few thoughts.

Wes