Pens on the Shopsmith

woodabe · Post by **woodabe** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:15 am

I am interested in turning pens on my Shopsmith. Is there a mandrel system designed specifically for the Shopsmith? Can standard (non-shopsmith) mandrels be retrofitted to work on the Shopsmith? Most mandrels have a morse taper on one end to drive the spindal -- doesn't work on the Shopsmith. I am open to suggestions.

drl · Post by **drl** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:44 am

Pen mandrel for Shop Smith specifically here at Penn State Industries. I have it and it works fine. Be prepared to get addicted to pen turning.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKM-CL.html

Regards,
Dwight

Bill F. · Post by **Bill F.** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:02 am

I got my mandrel at woodcraft, the woodriver brand, there are two differents sizes...I forget which size I got. I bought the basic model, about $15 and it seemed to work fine. But I've only turned two pens.
Here's a couple of mistakes I made, maybe it will help. 1. Tighten the drill collar down really tight, I spun the threads of the mandrel end. Still worked. 2. Don't place the taper end to far in, it should turn freely. I locked up the head unit.

3. Let the glued pen blank and brass tube cure overnight, like Nick in the sawdust session suggested.
Overall it was a pretty easy project and I was very happy.

Here's a picture of the mandrel installed on my SS.
[ATTACH]23603[/ATTACH]

texomawood · Post by **texomawood** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:02 am

I also use the Pen Indust. drive hub / mandrel system. It works very well. I highly suggest you get a mandrel saver too. It works better than the live center. Woodcraft has a mandrel that will work in the drill chuck also. You might look into a tailstock extender to put the live center or mandrel saver tailstock in. It will give you more flexibility in positioning your tool rest and let you keep your lift assist mounted if you have that feature. It is addictive! Be careful who knows you can turn pens, no I am swamped with requests from co-workers, relatives and my kids teachers. But it is a quick and easy stress reliever and gift.

texomawood · Post by **texomawood** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:08 am

I would not mount your mandrel the way you have it. Take the Morse taper off, put that end in the drill chuck. The hollow end that the brass knob is on should be supported by a live center put in the tailstock or use a mandrel saver mounted in the tailstock. The Morse taper end is not designed to spin in the tailstock and will ruin both of them. And I think Shopsmith uses a #2 Morse taper.

drashop · Post by **drashop** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:39 pm

I use a 1/4 router chuck from shopsmith to hold the mandrel replacement from Woodcraft. I don't like the idea of using a drill chuck. The 1/4 inch router chuck works great I have turned over a hundred pens with it. U can also remove the mandrel from the morse taper and put it in the router chuck.

joedw00 · Post by **joedw00** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:53 pm

drl wrote:Pen mandrel for Shop Smith specifically here at Penn State Industries. I have it and it works fine. Be prepared to get addicted to pen turning.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKM-CL.html

Regards,
Dwight

I use this one and it works great, and it is very addictive.

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:27 am

I hjave the PSI pen mandrel and I do use it. However I did have a problem with it in that the mandrel would unscrew itself from the quill adaptor. I thought it might be a result of the PP headstock's speed control system causing it, but my son who also has the PSI system and a standard SS 520 said it did the same thing on his machine. A drop of blue Loctite cured the problem but a drop of glue or RTV would probably be just as effective.
Bill V