If you’ve turned more than a couple pens, you’ve probably noticed that there’s just not much material left on top of the brass tube when you get finished. Any amount of misalignment can show up as brass showing through acrylic or even worse, a complete blow-out. None of the mandrels available on the market today seem to help matters much, until now. Introducing the Ultra-Shear Pen Mandrel System. Each component is designed and manufactured with one goal…keeping your pen perfectly centered on your lathe. Mandrel utilizes a #2 morse taper.
Let’s start at the headstock side. The mandrel shaft slides into a 12-segment collet. Expose just the amount you need and close the collet with the locking collar. The shaft is perfectly centered and locked securely.
The ground and polished mandrel shaft accommodates almost all bushings on the market, including our new precision bushings (more on them later).
On the tailstock side, the mandrel shaft goes into another 12-segment collet…don’t worry about putting in extra spacers to take up the unused shaft, just slide your tailstock right up tight to your work. As you tighten your tailstock, the cap compresses the collet, centering the mandrel shaft perfectly.
While we were designing the world’s best pen mandrel, we decided to make the world’s best bushings to go along with it. Ultra-Shear Precision Pen Bushings are more durable and fit the mandrel shaft and the tube diameter better than any others out there and match the pen kit specs for outside diameter to the strictest tolerance. Unlike ordinary bushings, Ultra-Shear Precision Pen Bushings are turned from 4140 ChroMoly steel, the same tough material used in engine crankshafts. Each bushing is engraved with its part number so you won’t have to guess about which bushing goes with what kit. The portion that fits inside the pen blank is longer, providing additional support, and the bushings for two-piece pens are clearly marked to mate up with your blanks correctly.
We also turned a wear groove in the bushing just back from where it enters the pen blank. As long as you can see that groove, your bushing isn’t worn out and will give you perfect alignment of the turned pen to the kit components. After a mountain of finished pens, when the wear groove is gone, you’ll know it’s time to get a new bushing set.
You won’t find another mandrel on the market that centers your work more precisely. Every piece of the system is manufactured to the strictest tolerances, from the finest materials available, on state-of-the-art CNC Swiss Lathes.
Additional Info
- Crafting custom, high-quality pens for personal use or as unique gifts.
- Producing small batches of handmade pens for sale at craft fairs, online shops, or specialty stores.
- Creating one-of-a-kind pens using a variety of materials, such as acrylics, exotic woods, or even recycled materials, for a special touch.
- Offering pen turning workshops or classes, providing students with the opportunity to use the Ultra-Shear Pen Mandrel System for optimal results.
- Personalizing pens by turning them to match specific themes, colors, or designs for events, corporate gifts, or promotional items.
- Experimenting with different pen designs and materials to develop a signature style or brand.
- Repairing or refurbishing old or antique pens by precisely aligning and turning new components.
- Utilizing the precision bushings for crafting other small, detailed items that require exact alignment and high-quality finishes.
Download Manual Instructions
Ultra-Shear Pen Mandrel System & Precision Pen Turning Bushings
Make Perfect Pens With The Pen Mandrel | Deep Dive
