I bought a harbor freight lathe with and extension to turn eva and cork but I don’t know what accessories I need. Mandrel, chuck etc. it’s probably something that gets asked a lot. So if it’s a sticky lmk please

I don’t do eva so I have experience with that. On, cork, I start with a wood rasp (the kind that you can see through) to get the glue rings and basic shape of the cork. The rest is just a progression of sandpaper from 80 to 220. I’m sure people do it many different ways, but I like the final feel of cork finished in 220.

I don’t have a problem shaping. I need a list of what mandrel and chuck to get.

I turn both cork and wood reel seat inserts for my rod building.

On the cork grips, I have 2 1/4" tool steel mandrels, one is about 10" long, the other is 18", for single hand fly rods and the other for spey grips.

Wood inserts, I took a 3/8' mandrel and cut it down to 8" long and threaded one end to lock the insert in place, the other end has the 60 degree inside bevel to mate up with a live center.

I believe Mudd Hole still sells Mandrels, as well as a couple of other sponsors.

The best thing to hold them into the stock end of the lathe, a collete system. I got mine from Penn State Industries. I suppose you could also use a drill chuck also, there are some that will come threaded for 8pt or 16pt depending on your lathe. In my opinion, the collete will give you the best lock down vs a drill chuck, for safety reasons. There are a couple of sizes that come in the kit that I'll probably never use, but was money well spent, the 1/4 and 3/8 ones get used a lot.

3 jaw self-centering chuck with spigot jaws is what I'd get, a live center, and a 1/2-inch drill chuck on a #2 Morse taper, if I remember right, to fit where the live center goes on the tail stock to bore grips and reel seats. You'll need mandrels in the OD that fits the size internal holes you want to turn at, I have 1/4" to 5/8" in 1/8-inch increments. A rough gouge, round nose scraper and a parting tool. A Stanley Sureform rasp is also handy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2023 11:44PM by Spencer Phipps.

Lawrence,
Is this the lathe that you purchased?

[www.harborfreight.com]

If so, it is a good one and will take care of your needs very well.

Additional supplies needed:
3 jaw chuck - at least 3 inch and a 4 inch is nice as well.
1/2 inch keyless chuck with an Mt2 taper.
A live tail stock: For example: -- [www.harborfreight.com]
A set of center drill countersink set: [www.harborfreight.com] --- This set of tools is really nice to use to drill a starting hole for any thing you want to drill or shape. If, for example you want a mandrel, you can use one or more of these center drill bits to drill a perfectly centered hole in the end of a piece of rod stock to form a mandrel. Then, use you live center to maintain that perfect centering when you do your cork shaping.

Another nice thing to have for some certain jobs is a 3-ball bearing rod rest. This will allow you to make very long grips and then be able to center drill and ream them at the same time.
For example:
[www.rodbuilding.org]

At the end of the day, purchase the accessories that will give you the greatest degree of functionality for using your lathe in the various aspects of the jobs that you do on a continuous basis.

p.s.
A picture of the lathe in action with chuck, steady rest, tail stock and 1/2 inch keyless chuck:
[www.rodbuilding.org]

These lathes, typically have a 1x8 threads per inch spindle thread. However, this specification is not stated in the catalog listing or the owners manual. So, be sure to verify that this is the thread size and pitch before purchasing a 3 jaw chuck for the lathe.

I have this 3 inch chuck with a 1x8 threaded back plate that works very well on the lathe:
[www.shars.com]

-------------------------------
Note: It is normal to spend as much for lathe accessories as was spent for the original price of the lathe before the setup is equipped to do all of the various jobs that folks like to do.

Best wishes

It depends what lathe you have for the Morse taper. It will either be the #1 or #2. If it is the #2 do what Spencer says. I have a 1/4" mandril and if I need it larger I just use masking tape to make an arbor. To rough shape I use a course bastard file that has a flat side and round side.. To cut I use a wood lathe turning chisel with the cutting tip. A gouge on cork will tear it up, that's why I use the file. Then use sand paper to to finish 100 to 350 grits. To get the correct finish of EVA use Scotch Brite Scuff pads in fine grit. Turn cork and EVA at the highest speed setting. It does not take much and always make it a little thicker and bring down to exact thickness with the finish sanding. You can always take more off, but you can never add.

I had a dad who worked in the machine shop at a sawmill, mandrels and a few other things were easy to get built back then. Your manual will tell you which taper to us.

I have the larger, variable speed version of the HF lathe. I know some have recommended a 3 jaw chuck, but I turn a lot of block EVA and use 4-jaw. The Nova 4-jaw is often recommended, though I have a knock-off from Wen. I did add Nova "long jaws" to it which helps in holding material more securely especially when boring out 6+ in EVA block material....

In addition I have a Jacobs chuck that threads onto the business end of the lathe, and then also one that goes onto a Morse taper for the other end. My lathe came with a live-center which has done the job thus far. You will want mandrels but don't go smaller than 3/8".

Lawrence,
I was given a benchtop Harbor Freight 7 X 10 metal lathe; it is absolutely the biggest piece of junk tool which I have ever owned = very IMprecise and NONrepeatable!!! It wouldn't be suitable as a boat anchor. But one gets what one pays for = I didn’t pay anything and didn’t get anything. I just feel sorry for those who actually pay (waste) good money for such pathetic machinery.
But wood lathes are less involved and hopefully yours will provide adequate service; GOOD LUCK.
While I agree with Bill that a collet system will be more precise and hold the part more securely, they can be pricey and you will need individual collets for every size you are trying to hold.
If all of your turning will be performed on mandrels, a decent drill chuck and live center will suffice. I also agree with Michael that .375in (possibly .3125in) mandrels are the smallest to be used for their rigidity and keeping your part concentric.
If you ever plan on turning square stock (wood), you will need a 4-jaw, self-centering chuck (I think they are called scroll chucks).

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

That is the one and I have an extension. It was a marketplace purchase

Mark Talmo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lawrence,
> I was given a benchtop Harbor Freight 7 X 10 metal
> lathe; it is absolutely the biggest piece of junk
> tool which I have ever owned = very IMprecise and
> NONrepeatable!!! It wouldn't be suitable as a boat
> anchor. But one gets what one pays for = I
> didn’t pay anything and didn’t get anything. I
> just feel sorry for those who actually pay (waste)
> good money for such pathetic machinery.
> But wood lathes are less involved and hopefully
> yours will provide adequate service; GOOD LUCK.
> While I agree with Bill that a collet system will
> be more precise and hold the part more securely,
> they can be pricey and you will need individual
> collets for every size you are trying to hold.
> If all of your turning will be performed on
> mandrels, a decent drill chuck and live center
> will suffice. I also agree with Michael that
> .375in (possibly .3125in) mandrels are the
> smallest to be used for their rigidity and keeping
> your part concentric.
> If you ever plan on turning square stock (wood),
> you will need a 4-jaw, self-centering chuck (I
> think they are called scroll chucks).

I have been turning wood blocks for over 10 years and seldom do I ever dig out the 4 jaw chuck. As a matter of fact I just purchased one around 6 months ago for use on a special project

Lawrence,
Please state exactly which lathe you own?

Thanks much
Roger

Lawrence west Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don’t have a problem shaping. I need a list of
> what mandrel and chuck to get.


Sorry, misread the post. I just use a 3/8” stainless rod I bought at Menards and cut them to different lengths. Glue cork rings on them and just put them on the lathe to shape. Never needed the lock rings for the mandrel. I did have to get a chuck for the lathe, if yours didn’t come with one. On shorter grips, I don’t even bother supporting the other one off the mandrel.