Does anybody know where I can get a 1/2" x 30" steel mandrel? All I am seeing is 18". Thanks for any assistance.

Your local machine shop can help, I think things could get a bit whippy at a certain length to diameter.

Bill,
I agree with spencer on this one. It is going to be pretty tough to do any machining on a mandrel that is 30 inches long and only 1/2 inch in diameter.

However, I will say, that I basically made up a pretty similar mandrel because I needed to make a long spay grip for a build.

I did do two things when doing the machining of the grip.

1. I kept the speed of the lathe down. If the speed was much above the bare minimum, the work piece would began to whip.

2. When I got close to the end of the machining, I put a rod rest around the grip to minimize the whip and or wobble. I started with the rest in the middle and wrapped several layers of masking tape around the grip that was going to be held by the ball bearing rest. Then, when the rest of the grip was cleaned up, I moved the rest several inches down the grip and covered that area with several layers of tape before putting the grip in the rest. Then, I finished up machining the rest of the grip.
if you do, do this, be sure NOT to make the rest too tight, or you can end up crushing some of the cork.

Good luck

I just have to cut 24" round eva. I have one home in New York(in Florida now), I think I got it from Andy Dear many years ago. I thought someone might know where I could order it. Thanks for the help.

Bill shot me an email, I have some.

Bill,
If that is what you are doing, I would just go to the hardware store and pick up a 36 inch piece of 1/2 inch threaded rod. Chop the rod to the length that you want and then, put the rod in your chuck and drill a centering hole in each end of the rod, using a center bore bit.

An example of a 60 degree bit:

[www.amazon.com]

put the bit in the chuck that you have in your lathe tail stock. Then, chuck the rod in the headstock chuck leaving the end of the rod flush with the end of your chuck. Pull the bit up to the headstock chuck and with the lathe spinning, just advance the taile stock and drill the centering hole in each end of the rod. Stop when the depth of the 60 degree hole is sufficient for your pointed live tail stock to hold the end of the spinning rod with the grip material locked onto the rod.

Put a washer and double nut on each end to hold the material and cut away.


Be safe