Shopsmith Forums

I'm looking for a tip for turning pen barrels on a Mark 5. All of the mandrels in the catalogs are a #2 MorseTaper. Any help here is appreciated on how to set up and hold for turning. Trying to get a small project off the ground with my son.

chambers84 wrote:I'm looking for a tip for turning pen barrels on a Mark 5. All of the mandrels in the catalogs are a #2 MorseTaper. Any help here is appreciated on how to set up and hold for turning. Trying to get a small project off the ground with my son.

Welcome to the forum. THISis what you'll need to turn pens on the ShopSmith.

betty44720 suggested this in another thread
it is woodcraft part #141502, $2.99,
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3759
I was also suggested to get the #141063 knurled brass nut and #141503 compression stop nut. This will be held in the drill chuck. This will get you started, until you get the other one. You need also a 60 degree live center: no matter which mandrel you go with.

I personally have had better luck with the PSI mandrel mentioned in a prior message. The live center you desire is;

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCENTLT2.html

Good luck pen turning is a real thrill and highly rewarding. Jim

Hi All. I have been watching this forum for sometime. I want to get into pen turning for the holidays. I don't have much $ and saw these on ebay. I know what you guys say about ebay before. It's just I don't have a lot of $ and really want to get some blanks and mandrel. Are these a decent set of chisels? Not a very good picture. I live in VA bch and will update my profile in a minute. Thanks. I know you guys will come through as you always have in the past. Happy Holidays. Don't try to carve any turkeys on your lathe (HAHAHA).
http://cgi.ebay.com/HAND-TOOL-SET-8-PIE ... 27ad3cb5c1

They wouldn't be my first choice but for light turning they will probably work. Remember a sharp tool is a happy tool:D

[ATTACH]6679[/ATTACH]Chambers84,

Took me a while to figure this out, but you will need to extend the quill in order to get enough clearance for the tool rest.

Have fun, I get a kick out of turning pens and my son loves to help.

cocacola1012

I looked at the set of chisels that you mentioned and from what I can see, as the pictures weren't that good and they had no information as far as what type of metal they were made of, I probably would stay away from them. Do you have the set of chisels that came with the shopsmith? If so, they will work fine for turning pins. I still use my original SS gouge to round my blanks then I have a skew from Sorby which I use to finish my pens. I have seen some folks just using a skew for the entire process. Hope this helps.

cocacola1012 wrote:Hi All. I have been watching this forum for sometime. I want to get into pen turning for the holidays. I don't have much $ and saw these on ebay. I know what you guys say about ebay before. It's just I don't have a lot of $ and really want to get some blanks and mandrel. Are these a decent set of chisels? Not a very good picture. I live in VA bch and will update my profile in a minute. Thanks. I know you guys will come through as you always have in the past. Happy Holidays. Don't try to carve any turkeys on your lathe (HAHAHA).
http://cgi.ebay.com/HAND-TOOL-SET-8-PIE ... 27ad3cb5c1

If I were you, I wouldn't even consider these things. To begin with you need a sharp tool to turn with and at this price the metal in these probably wouldn't hold an edge long enough to turn a toothpick, much less a pen. I know you said you are short on money and so am I, but buying cheap tools is not the answer. I have found, especially in tools, that cheap equals more expensive in the long run because you have to keep replacing them over and over. Where as buying a good tool in the first place it will last about 10 times longer. At least that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.