Hi folks im in search of a 7/16 18 inch mandrel with 60 degree tapers. Where can I find one in ontario?

Thanks folks

try a machine shop tools suppler , or have one made at a machine shop would be my source

William Sidney
AK

So - you're going to buy a dedicated tapered mandrel for each grip you turn???
That's why we turn grips right on the blank.
Herb

go to a local machine shop and ask for 7/16 drill rod. Have them put a 60 degree tapered indent in one or both ends. I picked up a number of different sizes. I ream the grip to fit, them use tape bushings to build up the mandrel. Then I turn the shape.

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

I cant turn it on my blank unless i make a support jig for the tailstock. Im turning float rods primarily and a 7/16 would be good with some reaming to fit. If you can get me a blue print for the rod support id look into that for sure. Thanks for the response

I cant turn it on my blank unless i make a support jig for the tailstock. Im turning float rods primarily and a 7/16 would be good with some reaming to fit. If you can get me a blue print for the rod support id look into that for sure. Thanks for the response

I cant turn it on my blank unless i make a support jig for the tailstock. Im turning float rods primarily and a 7/16 would be good with some reaming to fit. If you can get me a blue print for the rod support id look into that for sure. Thanks for the response

Glen I might have an extra one kicking around the shop, are you anywhere near Niagara Falls, NY?

You might consider looking this over, it could easily be adapted to use rodbuilding friendly components like ball bearing rollers with protective soft tires like used on power wrapper rod supports.

[www.woodworkersguide.com]


Edit: When I linked this I had not noticed in your other thread that you bought some other tooling and have committed to turning on a mandrel. I was under the impression that you were still considering turning on a blank and might want plans for a lathe steady rest.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2015 02:13PM by John E Powell.

Glen,
It is pretty simple to make a rod rest if you have a drill press and a drill and tap set.

I use Skate board ball bearings for the rod rest for the lathe. These are high quality inexpensive bearings. I normally buy them by the dozen.

Here is the steady rest that I use on my lathe:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Basically, the steady rest is made from two pieces of aluminum stock for the bearing supports. One piece of aluminum for the base. Two pieces of 1/4 inch standard rod.

The ball bearings are arranged in a triangle. Two on the bottom and one on the top - centered between the two bottom bearings.
When you drill and tap the holes in the lower aluminum bar, you insure that they will nearly touch when they are secured. Then, use a mill or grinder to grind a depression in center top of the lower aluminum bar to allow any small sized material to fit nicely on the ball bearings without touching any part of the lower stock. The top bar is drilled and tapped, so that the bearing is exactly centered between the two lower rollers.

Each end of the aluminum bar will have a 1/4 inch hole drilled vertically through it for passage of the 1/4 inch support rods. Each horizontal end of the aluminum bar will have a hole drilled and tapped into it to accommodate the thumb screws that are used to adjust the height of each side of the steady rest.

The base will have three holes drilled on the center line of the base. One at each end to mount the 1/4 inch support rods. Each of these holes will be drilled and tapped for 1/4 x28 threads. The end of each support rod will be threaded with 1/4 x28 threads.

Then, there will be a hole drilled in the center of the base to accommodate a mounting bolt for the steady rest. To secure the steady rest to the base, simply take another short aluminum bar that will span the underside of the lathe base and to serve as the bottom of the clamp to clamp the steady rest to the lathe bed.

The steady rest will cost about $10 depending on your source for aluminum and ball bearings.

Be safe

Glen

Since you have a lathe, and I assume with decent chucks, you can obtain a piece of rod, and then drill your own centering hole into the end of the rod.

[www.amazon.com]

Chuck the rod into your head stock chuck letting the rod extend through the back side of the chuck. Adjust it so that the face of the end of the rod is just flush with the face of the chuck.

Then, with a jacobs chuck in your tail stock insert a counter sink bit and start the lathe on a slow speed for drilling.

Advance the center point drill into the spinning rod and complete your 60 degree hole for later use for grip turning.

Reverse the rod and drill a 60 degree center point hole in the other end. When drilling metal, it is always a good idea to use cutting oil as you drill for better results.

Be safe

Why not just order one or a set from Mudhole? I'm still using my set from Andy Dear (Lamar).
[www.mudhole.com]

Herb, I believe you misunderstood! He is NOT talking about a "tapered mandrel", but a mandrel with 60degree recesses in each end for the tailstock live center. And the statement that "we" turn on the blank, should be, "some" turn on the blank.

Turning on the blank works well if care is taken to avoid the whip that can occur when spinning the blank in a lathe, and it works fine with cork and composite cork, but is problematical when one wants to build other grips, such as Carbon Fiber, exotic woods on a foam cores, grips with laminated layers of different materials, as well as providing the grip recess for reel seats.

It only takes one ruined blank to pay for a few mandrels!

Phil,
You are correct - I did misunderstand "tapered". And I guess I should have used "some". Sorry.
But all my grips (see pictures) are turned on the blank without a single failure - nor close calls.
I use stabilized wood from "WSSI" who produces a very dense product.
[hnlcustomflyrods.com]

I would say the butt section of a 2pc fly rod would be comparable to the butt section of a 3pc float blank regarding degree of difficulty.
Herb

John im 1 hr north of toronto unfortunately