Which mandrel saver to buy?

[ScouseKev]

I'm new to turning and just looking to get a setup for turning pens.

I'd like to buy a mandrel saver and was wondering which one.

The Axminster evolution is £41.00.
Turners workshop is £29.99 for just the saver.
Penkits uk do one for £18.00 plus another £14.00 for the mandrel.
The planet support is £28.00.

Does anyone have any experience of the 4 above.?

Any advice welcome and thanks in advance. Kev

 

[Dalboy]

Some savers have different sized holes so you will need to match them. I won a Axminster saver as a prize but the hole was too small for my mandrel, so it will depend on who's mandrel you have. Unfortunately they is no standard between manufacturers and even the bushes/bushings can have different sized centre holes. Most times I turn pens I turn between centres rather than set up the mandrel.

 

[marcros]

I use a hollow live centre, and turned a delrin insert for the end. i have the planet mandrel, but I am not sure whether it is any different to any of the others. Seems good quality though.

The axi is cheaper than you state isnt it? http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ev ... e-ax938693

but dalboy gives a warning, so less risky to buy both parts together.

 

[woodpig]

I bought the one from Chronos.

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/SCT-Pen-Centre.html

I'm not interested in slimline pens so I use a piece of 7mm silver steel as a mandrel and reamed out the saver to suit.

 

[Samfire]

I have the planet mandrel and recently got the saver from the turnersworkshop. It's nice bit of kit.

 

[woodpig]

I won a Axminster saver as a prize but the hole was too small for my mandrel.

That's not a problem, just drill or ream out the saver to fit the mandrel. Being too big on the other hand is a problem!

I can understand why some manufacturers make large and small mandrels but you'd think it would be in everyone's interest for them to be of a common specification. :wink:

 

[CHJ]

......
I can understand why some manufacturers make large and small mandrels but you'd think it would be in everyone's interest for them to be of a common specification.

Think the initial problems arise from Imperial (older UK & USA market) and Metric, I would not dream of suggesting that a brand would attempt to keep users tied to their particular system. :roll:

I just turned up a brass bush to fit into my hollow interchangeable tip live centre, easily done on a wood lathe using a pen mandrel.

 

[Dalboy]

Think the initial problems arise from Imperial (older UK & USA market) and Metric

That is also another factor for the different sizes

I just turned up a brass bush to fit into my hollow interchangeable tip live centre, easily done on a wood lathe using a pen mandrel.

That is what I used until I won my saver

I won a Axminster saver as a prize but the hole was too small for my mandrel.

That's not a problem, just drill or ream out the saver to fit the mandrel. Being too big on the other hand is a problem!

I can understand why some manufacturers make large and small mandrels but you'd think it would be in everyone's interest for them to be of a common specification. :wink:

What do you think I did yes I drilled it out not that it needed much. But I would rather people know about the problems and better still buy a matching pair is better than having to modify something.

As for your second comment a common specification would be a great thing but manufacturers will not want to change all of their tooling so they were all the same

 

[woodpig]

As for your second comment a common specification would be a great thing but manufacturers will not want to change all of their tooling so they were all the same

There wouldn't be a need to change any tooling, mandrels are centreless ground. :wink: