I need wood lathe help

[duckman49]

I have a harbor freight wood lathe, that I rigged up a way to turn duck calls but I would like the correct set up. I know nothing about this subject and not sure what to order. I see everyone on youtube using a chuck and mandrel.

The picture I posted is of my lathe, any help is welcomed.

[duckman49]

The pic is a little blurry but this guy have my lathe and looks like its set up right. I have looked and looked but its hard when your not sure what your looking for thanks again.

[Kevin Warren]

It looks like you just have the "starter kit". I dont turn calls but I do turn almost everything else. you will need buy a chuck. Woodcraft or Rickler will have everything you need to order on line. You will need to know what thread is on your drive side and what taper is on your support side. Woodcraft has the Nova on sale right now. If calls are anything like pens there may be a mandrel that you use.

[Kevin Warren]

Go to Woodcraft's web site and search duck call and find everything you need.

[Kevin Warren]

I have one of these on each of my lathes now.

[duckman49]

I need the part that goes inside the call not clamp to the outside. or does the jaw chuck clamp down enough I could clamp down a 5/8 mandrel?

[Kevin Warren]

Your drive spindle should have a morse taper on the inside that a mandrel will fit into as well as being threaded on the outside.

[Kevin Warren]

Google duck call mandrel

[bmc09]

you're looking for an expanding mandrel. I ordered mine from pintail

[duckman49]

^^^^^ Kevin that's what I want but I need to be able to attach that to my lathe.

Sorry I am not more help it sucks no 0 about the wood working tools/ect....

[duckman49]

yes I want a expanding mandrel but how do yall attach it to the lathe?

[Kevin Warren]

^^^^^ Kevin that's what I want but I need to be able to attach that to my lathe.

Sorry I am not more help it sucks no 0 about the wood working tools/ect....

The flat plate on your lathe should come off. It should be threaded on. Back that off and the drive spindle that the plate threads onto should be hollow. It will either be a #1 or a #2 morse taper. You can find that in the owners manual.

[Kevin Warren]

From the picture you posted and looking that the harbor freight website, your lathe has a #1 morse taper on both ends. So like I said earlier the plate should thread off and leave a drive spindle that is hollow. This will allow the mandrel to be placed in and set into the morse taper.

[Kevin Warren]

you're looking for an expanding mandrel. I ordered mine from pintail

bmc09 are you talking about pintailwaterfowl.com

[Kevin Warren]

You should have a rod that came with the lathe. Place the round rod in the hole circled and the tap the flat plate CCW. This should loosen the plate and allow it to thread off.