Mandrels

[M Perrault]

Ok here is another question.  Could I put the straight mandrel in a chuck to hold it or should I buy a collet?

[David @ Mad Duck Game Calls]

Yes you could, but it wouldn't be ideal..... 4 jaws aren't meant to be precision, Collet chucks are...

[VECtor Calls]

Ok here is another question.  Could I put the straight mandrel in a chuck to hold it or should I buy a collet?

CAN you use a 4 jaw chuck?  Yes.  It will be a little less accurate, and because once you remove the mandrel, you will never seat the mandrel the same again....you will have small issues in your turnings when they are reseated. 

For the amount of times you will bust your knuckles on the 4 jaw chuck though, the PSI collet chuck is a cheap 'health insurance' investment on your left hand. 

Put it this way.  If I have a friend getting into call making, they ARE buying a collet chuck to go with their mandrels.  It should be considered a set.  I would not let them get one without the other.  Never.

[James Strickland]

Collet chuck has made a world of difference in my turning.  Love it.  Wish I had bought one sooner.  I used a drill chuck to hold my mandrels initially until I had the money for the collet chuck.  So, it can be done, but the collet chuck is ideal.

[JCurren]

Flinthillsduckworks.com plus a Penn State Industries collet chuck.  You will spend a few bucks but you will be happy with the results.

[VECtor Calls]

Collet chuck has made a world of difference in my turning.  Love it.  Wish I had bought one sooner.  I used a drill chuck to hold my mandrels initially until I had the money for the collet chuck.  So, it can be done, but the collet chuck is ideal.

A drill chuck is working off of two taper fits. Even if you use a draw bar on the back side, you afe still playing with fire if you are not constantly backing up your work with the tailstock in place.

A drill chuck in the head stock is also putting pressure on it in the wrong direction from how it is made to take on pressure. (It is made for parallel pressure/downward pressure when drilling, not perpindicular pressure).

[Rick Howard]

Moral is.... Collet chuck.  It's an essential tool for me.  I use the PSI version.  It comes with 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" 5/8" and 3/4" collets.  A collet chuck is useful in more than just call making also.  I assume, because your tunring on the mustard color monster, you are a wood turner already.  If that is the case I don't think a collet check is a wasted investment even if your plan is to turn only a few calls.  It is nice for turning finials, bottle stoppers.... The list can get long. 

[Al_at_THO Game Calls]

If you want to do it on the cheep, and have the HUT set up, go here, and read this tutorial.  It will show you how to modify your current mandral so you can use it to make your grunt calls.

http://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php/topic,12210.0.html

AL @ THO

[dogcatcher]

Dog catcher
  I am using a powermatic lathe.  It takes a mt#2 and I know it has a collet chuck.  I was looking at the step mandrels from webfoot kill two birds with one stone.  Plus the price is right for me right now.  I just don't know if collet chuck will hold the small diameter of that particular mandrel.  I am looking at this one.

http://www.webfootcustomcalls.com/wfcccart/mandrels/stepped_exp/EA583412

The Powermatic has a spindle with 1 1/4-8 TPI, I am pretty sure that PSI collet will not fit those threads. 

Beall Tool has that size, and it will hold the small mandrels.

The Webfoot mandrel link is not what you are looking for.
 
Marvin

[Truefire]

There is that option of making your own expanding mandrel out of a piece of hardwood.  I used to use hardwood mandrels back in the days and they will fit the bill if that is what you have on hand for the moment.  You can make a fairly decent expanding mandrel of the sorts out of hardwood. Then there is that option of obtaining a short piece of softer metal stock such as a 5/8" stick of brass and making your own that could be held in a collet chuck.  Not that difficult to make....chuck up rod in collect chuck, Drill hole in end and tap for machine screw you have on hand, cut bisecting lines into end approximately 1.25" deep

If you do not have a knurling tool on hand to create that friction grip on the end of the mandrel, you could get by for now by just scoring that end of your new brass mandrel with a course grade sandpaper. 

[Tyson Rae]

Truefire, I really like the idea of a wooden expanding mandrel. I have actually been looking for a good alternative to my metal one for when I finish my duck call barrels. I usually put a single coat of CA inside my barrels and when I flip the barrel around on my mandrel, I get noticeable scratch marks in the CA from the tooling on the mandrel. It's inside of the barrel and not that big a deal, but I try to make them as flawless as possible. A wooden mandrel never occured to me. My only question would be, what would be the best method for cutting the end of the mandrel to make your four expanding pieces? I would think with a bandsaw, but how could you ensure you are cutting perfectly straight lines?

[VECtor Calls]

Tyson, for finishing purposes, you do not need much pressure to hold the barrel in place. You can make a wooden dowel mandrel and cut two or three o-ring grooves into it. Add the neoprene o-rings and you have a friction fit to turn your barrel and apply finish. Made carefully, you can make this kind of mandrel have enough holding strength to turn a barrel with light cuts.

[dogcatcher]

Truefire, I really like the idea of a wooden expanding mandrel. I have actually been looking for a good alternative to my metal one for when I finish my duck call barrels. I usually put a single coat of CA inside my barrels and when I flip the barrel around on my mandrel, I get noticeable scratch marks in the CA from the tooling on the mandrel. It's inside of the barrel and not that big a deal, but I try to make them as flawless as possible. A wooden mandrel never occured to me. My only question would be, what would be the best method for cutting the end of the mandrel to make your four expanding pieces? I would think with a bandsaw, but how could you ensure you are cutting perfectly straight lines?

I use a good hand miter saw to cut my expansion slots, they only have to be close, not perfect.  I also use Delrin for finishing mandrels, the CA doesn't stick as goo and will come loose off of Delrin easier than wood. 

Marvin

[Truefire]

Tyson, ditto what dogcatching is saying, the cross hatched cut lines do not have to be perfect.  The two lines can be cut with either a thin blade bandsaw, scroll saw, or chuck mandrel in a vise and cut with a fine tooth metal cutting hacksaw or even coping saw.  I use a hacksaw for a lot of things such as this.  Spine mass of hacksaws prevent vibration and cuts without snagging in hardwoods.

Run your cuts down about 1.5" so you have enough flex without the segments breaking off. 

BUT....all that said....I really, really like what dogcatcher is advising.  Delrin plastic might be the order of the day for you.  Its reasonable cheap, readily available on ebay, inert and as he said your finishes would not bond as readily to as they will to the wood.  GREAT idea. 
  to You Dogcatcher....hadn't really considered, although I use it in the shop in other capacities...lol.