# Proper Pen Mandrel for Harbor Freight Lathe



## WyomingWill

Hello, I'm real new to wood working. Picked up an inexpensive lathe at Harbor Freight, which seems to work just fine. But I'd like to turn some pens and am unclear as to the best mandrel to buy for this. Apparently this lathe is unusual in that it does not have a Morse Taper at the head, but does at the tail (MT2). The head specs aren't given but the spindle appears to be a 3/4 x 10 tpi (this is consistent with what other people say about this unit on the web).

It looks like I can get a 3/4 x 10 tpi to 1 x 8 tpi converter and then perhaps get a mandrel for that. But I could use some advice on the best way to go. I enclose 3 pictures that should help. 

Obviously the way I'd like to go is a mandrel that will thread on to the 3/4 x 10 tpi head spindle and then have a MT2 to go into the tail stock, but I haven't found that.

I'd very much appreciate any tips that anyone has on this. Thanks!


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## davidpensfan87

For the tailstock, it looks like you already have a live center. On the end of the mandrel, there is an indention that tip of the live center sits in. They do make mandrels that will fit over the threads, if they match the threads on your lathe, that's a different story. 
Hope this helps,
David.


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## WyomingWill

Thanks, David. Yes, I have a live center in the tailstock. Great - now I understand about the indentation sitting on the tip. I've been unable to locate a mandrel for this particular spindle, however, I have found http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LA341018.html which converts to 1" 8 tpi. I think this latter size is more standard?? Bill


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## davidpensfan87

WyomingWill said:


> Thanks, David. Yes, I have a live center in the tailstock. Great - now I understand about the indentation sitting on the tip. I've been unable to locate a mandrel for this particular spindle, however, I have found http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LA341018.html which converts to 1" 8 tpi. I think this latter size is more standard?? Bill


And to only pay for shipping once: http://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/mer...roduct_Code=PKM-BL&Category_Code=pen-mandrels


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## WyomingWill

davidpensfan87 said:


> And to only pay for shipping once: http://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PS&Product_Code=PKM-BL&Category_Code=pen-mandrels


Thanks very much for indicating that one because that was indeed the mandrel I was considering! I feel that my reasoning must be OK.


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## davidpensfan87

WyomingWill said:


> Thanks very much for indicating that one because that was indeed the mandrel I was considering! I feel that my reasoning must be OK.


Your welcome. Have fun turning pens, and post some pictures when you get some done.


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## thefisherkingco

Unfortunately your only solution in this case (that is not having a morse taper on the head stock) is to purchase a Collet Chuck (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/5/-/23/101/-/4400/Apprentice-Collet-Chuck/collet), I would suggest this one from Craft Supplies. Then you can remove the morse taper from you pen mandrel and secure the mandrel shaft directly in the Collet Chuck and turn your pen between centers, the plus side to this is that you pen mandrel will run truer.


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## WyomingWill

thefisherkingco said:


> Unfortunately your only solution in this case (that is not having a morse taper on the head stock) is to purchase a Collet Chuck (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/5/-/23/101/-/4400/Apprentice-Collet-Chuck/collet), I would suggest this one from Craft Supplies. Then you can remove the morse taper from you pen mandrel and secure the mandrel shaft directly in the Collet Chuck and turn your pen between centers, the plus side to this is that you pen mandrel will run truer.


Unfortunately this doesn't seem to fit my spindle and is almost the cost of my lathe. I did consider this possibility. If I did go this way I'd still need the adaptor I refer to above which will work with the mandrel mentioned above also. Is there some reason you think the above solution won't work?


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## duncsuss

WyomingWill said:


> Hello, I'm real new to wood working. Picked up an inexpensive lathe at Harbor Freight, which seems to work just fine. But ...


Will,

Is there a compelling reason you must keep this lathe?

Quite simply, you will run into a similar problem with any accessory you want to use -- not having a MT in the headstock is a fatal flaw IMO.

Using a 3/4"x10tpi to 1"x8tpi converter still doesn't get you a morse taper -- and it effectively magnifies any asymmetry and run-out that may exist, so accuracy will suffer.

Unless you really need the 40" length, you'd be better off with one of the other wood lathes that HF offers -- either the #34706 (which I've been using for nearly 2 years) or the #65345 (which is the one I intended to buy on that trip to HF, but they were out of stock.)

Yes, they are both more expensive than the one you got -- but you won't have to buy spindle adapters for mandrels, and will have:

(a) 1" x 8tpi threads
(b) MT2
(c) an altogether more solid lathe -- compare the tailstocks on these other units to yours, they are much beefier

Welcome to the vortex -- hope you manage to get things working soon :thumbsup:


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## nblasa

Rockler has a very nice beginning pen turning kit. It includes the mandrel, 3 kits and pen blanks, pen mill, bushings, and CA glue for around 70 bucks. I used it for my first three pens and they turned (no pun intended) out very nicely. check if it would work for your new lathe...assuming you keep it after reading duncsuss's advice. Regardless, I think it makes a good starting point


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## rayking49

Hey Will, if that works do a post on it. I have the same type lathe, and would like to try my hand at pen turning. Unfortunately I don't have the budget for a better lathe right now.


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## BassBlaster

Did you buy this lathe new and recently? The reasn I ask is HF has a lathe that is much better than the one you have and has a standard spindle size and MT's. Its the 5 speed mini. If you can I highly reccomend taking that one back and trading it for the mini.


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## duncsuss

BassBlaster said:


> Did you buy this lathe new and recently? The reasn I ask is HF has a lathe that is much better than the one you have and has a standard spindle size and MT's. Its the 5 speed mini. If you can I highly reccomend taking that one back and trading it for the mini.


Dude, that's what I said :laughing:


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## BassBlaster

Yes you did.:yes: Sorry. I will admit that I only read the beginning of your post. It was long though and I only had a few minutes online at the time.:thumbsup:


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## WyomingWill

*Thanks Everyone!*

I appreciate all of you taking the time to answer my newbie questions. Lots of good advice here that I intend to save. Thanks especially for the specific model numbers at HF to look for.

I will admit it was enthusiastic ignorance that prompted me to buy the lathe at HF. I didn't know much. I've spent a week watching youtube videos now and reading, so I know a lot more, and realize my error. On the other hand I live in the middle of nowhere, HF is far away in another state (!) so I'm going to try to make do with this lathe for now.

If the PSI adapter works well I'll let you know. If the solution is to get another lathe, I will! Bill


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## duncsuss

I reckon "enthusiastic ignorance" is where about half my toys allowance goes -- and Harbor Freight have mastered the science of making things that look like they might work at a price too attractive to trigger my "is that going to work?" sensors.

Having one of their stores within easy driving distance is a very mixed blessing :laughing:

Hope you manage to get plenty of useful mileage out of it, and remember that if you don't show us pix, it didn't happen :no:


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## WyomingWill

*PSI adapter for Harbor Freight Lathe*



rayking49 said:


> Hey Will, if that works do a post on it. I have the same type lathe, and would like to try my hand at pen turning. Unfortunately I don't have the budget for a better lathe right now.


Ray, I just got the adapter and mandrel in from PSI. I enclose 2 pics - one with the setup not moving, and the other with it spinning. Although not a rigorous test, the amount of runout doesn't seem horrible to me (I'm sure others here can tell us more). Everything threads together very smoothly.

Of course, I'll know more when I actually try it with a pen kit.


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## BassBlaster

You say runout isnt "horribly bad". Have you turned a pen on it yet. Pens are quite small so any runout at all will be noticed when you press your pen together. Just curious how it works out for ya.


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## WyomingWill

BassBlaster said:


> You say runout isnt "horribly bad". Have you turned a pen on it yet. Pens are quite small so any runout at all will be noticed when you press your pen together. Just curious how it works out for ya.


Not yet. Installing lighting, learning to sharpen tools, gonna make some blanks, then I'll give it a whirl. Thanks for letting me know that pen turning makes for a good test. Makes sense but I hadn't thought of that. I'm sure it'll be a lot more than the .001 inches I think I read about for the good machines.


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## rayking49

Hey Will, did it fit onto the headstock or did you have to buy an adaptor to change the thread size? Thanks bud!


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## WyomingWill

rayking49 said:


> Hey Will, did it fit onto the headstock or did you have to buy an adaptor to change the thread size? Thanks bud!


Ray,

I needed the following adapter, which worked with this mandrel:

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LA341018.html

http://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/mer...roduct_Code=PKM-BL&Category_Code=pen-mandrels

From what I can see, just the adapter alone opens up the world to more possibilities for this lathe! Screwed on very smoothly and appears to be very well made. Bill


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## rayking49

Thanks so much. Looks like I've got a couple things to order. Lol thanks man!


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## WyomingWill

rayking49 said:


> Thanks so much. Looks like I've got a couple things to order. Lol thanks man!


Sure, no problem! I also ordered a pen kit they had for sale... 

PKSP105A 7mm Pen Kit Bundle: 8 Pen Kits and 3 sets of FREE Bushings & 1pk of Cocobolo Blanks 1 $35.70

All for the same shipping charge. Oh, and type "DVD10" for a coupon code and you might get $10 off.


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## WyomingWill

*First pen completed*

OK, because some of you asked, here is my first ever completed lathe project. A nice pen. Using the PSI adapter and mandrel on my cheapie HF lathe! I think it came out well. Thanks for all the advice from you guys!


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## rayking49

Cool looking pen man. Good job.


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## duncsuss

Nice pen -- keep this one as a reminder of "where it all started" :yes:


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## Oi Vey

I do have a question , in the first pic you have ( cause I am new to the dark arts of wood turning) what is that piece that goes into the lathe for everything else to work


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## WyomingWill

I believe it is called the "spindle". Although I'm not terribly
great with terminology.


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## Oi Vey2

what type of spindle like dimensions # x # dimensions is that part specific to that lathe?


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## WyomingWill

Maybe others know how to change them, but for me they are specific to the lathe. I enclose some pictures. I have two Harbor Freight lathes. In the first picture you can see the spindle, which is threaded. In the 2nd picture I screwed on one of the attachments that came with that lathe.

But, this spindle is highly non-standard, and limits you on buying other attachments. Hence my first posting, where I bought an adapter from PSI that makes it more likely to be useful. That's the 3rd picture. For example, a separate chuck I bought screws on nicely to the adapter.

In the last picture, I show my second lathe from HB. Not only is the spindle the standard size, but it is hollow, and hence certain attachments can be pushed into them. Look up Morse Taper Mandrels, for example.

I hope this helps. Bill

PS. To be specific I needed the "Adapter From 3/4" x 10 tpi headstock to 1" x 8 tpi male thread."


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## Oi Vey2

I do have the one in the second picture , but the one in the first is the one I need to know , 
I am having the same issue as you are (Sorta) I have the attachments that they (the replies) do but I do not have the attachment in the image to the lathe....

PS it was my grandfathers lathe and I have no idea what is what , this is my first time.


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## WyomingWill

The people here are very knowledgeable (unlike me). Why not post images of your grandfather's lathe and see what people know about it? It would be interesting to see. They can probably tell you how to care for it also.

Cheers, Bill


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## Oi Vey2

same lathe as yours


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## WyomingWill

Same as this? I would definitely buy the adapter I mentioned above if this is the one you have.

Here is the link to the manual if you don't have it:

http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/67000-67999/67690.pdf


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## Oi Vey2

just need this


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## Oi Vey2

*piece*

just need that piece


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## WyomingWill

Yes, that is the spindle. It is all one big piece that goes into the lathe housing. It is #2 on the attached parts diagram. I have no idea how you would get that one piece. You can do some Googling. I found this for example:

http://www.diyforums.net/harbor-fre...ntral-machine-drill-master-etc.....-1463.html


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## susmiester

Will and everyone else thanks for the tips on this subject I to also have the harbor freight 14 x 40 wood lathe model 45276 / . Thanks for all the info . Just ordered all on the pen sight you recommended. Made 3 pens for our troops at the woodcrafter store today and now have the pen making bug will be good x mas presents .


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## WyomingWill

susmiester said:


> Will and everyone else thanks for the tips on this subject I to also have the harbor freight 14 x 40 wood lathe model 45276 / . Thanks for all the info . Just ordered all on the pen sight you recommended. Made 3 pens for our troops at the woodcrafter store today and now have the pen making bug will be good x mas presents .


Awesome! I'm glad this helped out. I was just on this lathe making more pens and styluses. I know a 40" lathe seems like overkill for pens, but it works for me. Cheers, Bill


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