parrisw
Tree Freak
Sorry, I read every post and I still don't understand how your mandrel works. Let me try - the cylinder slides on but gets tighter when the squish band meets the mandrel? What does the tailstock do besides keeping it more rigid?
If your mandrel had a hole through it and 3 or 4 slits along the length, and a taper to match your live center, then tailstock pressure would expand the mandrel. Then if cylinders varied a few thousandths in diameter you could grip a wider range.
I am NOT criticizing your work! You did it and I didn't! And it looks good. I'm just trying to understand better.
The idea is to have it fit one bore size, just small enough that it slides on, and you face the end square! Then the tail stock adds pressure to hold it without slipping, the end of the mandrel butts up to the squish band holding it square.