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Thread: How many centers do you use in your headstock?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
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    Oklahoma
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    How many centers do you use in your headstock?

    I'm completely new to turning, but hoping to start as soon as I get my lathe in my shop.

    The problem is that I've got a nonstandard taper (I think it's a Jarno #5). While I can fit MT2 stuff in there and it's snug, it sticks out a couple inches.

    Getting the headstock reamed to MT2 will be very expensive. Getting the tailstock done will only cost about $70.

    I can probably get some used Jarno taped stuff off the internet, or have tapers machined down to it (assuming they're not hardened, anyway...).

    I'm trying to figure out if it's worth my while. How many centers or drives do you use in your headstock?

  2. #2
    I use a 3 or 4 drive centers in the head stock, a live center and a drill chuck in the tail-stock. For 95% (or more) of my work, a 1" dia. four prong drive center would work fine. The inexpensive drive centers are not hardened.
    _______________________________________
    When failure is not an option
    Mediocre is assured.

  3. #3
    another option would be to thread a chuck onto the spindle, and use one of the spur centers designed to be held in a chuck.

  4. #4
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    I didn't realize they much such a thing. Thanks, I'll look into that.

    Of course, my threads are a weird size, but it's easier to get threads put in a blank insert than find someone that can ream a 22" spindle.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    if the difference isn't too great, you can buy a #2 morse taper reamer. Just be careful...McMaster Carr carries them.

  6. #6
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    I would love to. A local spindle repair place offered to order them for me at cost.

    The problem is that I can't find anyone that'll actually do the reaming. The spindle is 22" long and has a (I think) pressed-on handwheel that's probably 12-14" in diameter. No one will touch it.

    I did think about doing it on the lathe itself, using a reamer in the tailstock to ream out the headstock, but I can't go very fast (babbit bearings) and I've never turned wood, much less metal.

    I've got another thread on here with pictures named "Advice on an antique lathe" if you're interested.

    What I'm looking at now is finding out what centers people usually use in their headstocks to give me a better idea of what I actually need. If most people get by with just a couple, then I'll abandon any ideas of getting the headstock reamed and focus on finding centers that I can use with it as is (or, worst case, buying MT2 and having them milled down). I doubt I'll buy another lathe anytime in the next decade or so (my workshop is small, and my lathe is huge), so compatibility isn't that big an issue.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    I use only one center in the headstock. I use two in the tailstock, plus a drill chuck. For my needs, getting one center for the heastock and then getting the tailstock machined would do the trick.
    Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!

  8. #8
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    "Brownsville", North Queensland, Australia.
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    I would be thinking laterally and machining Morse Taper #2 drive & live centers to suit the Jarno #5 taper in the lathe.

    When you look at the taper specs (from http://littlemachineshop.com/reference/tapers.php ) they are close,

    Taper Large End Small End Length Taper/Foot Taper/Inch Angle From Center

    Jarno #5 0.6250 0.5000 2.50 .6000 .0500 1.4321
    Morse #2 0.7000 0.5720 2.56 .5994 .0500 1.4307

    (sorry looses formatting once posted.)

    The MT #2 matches the Jarno #5 taper/inch exactly so the only issue is how deep the MT #2 drive / live center seats into the taper in the head stock & tail stock. I would be looking for an assorted drive & live center or "multi live center" to have the centers MT 2 machined to suit Jarno #5. eg https://mcjing.com.au/categorybrowse...ookieSupport=1 (Australian site) or https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCENTSET.html and having a Jarno #5 made for it etc.

    As I'm predominately a spindle turner I would not recommend using a 4 prong accessory in a chuck but in saying that I recognize that it would be quite suitable for holding bowl blanks for initial roughing out.

  9. #9
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    I like that second multi center you linked. It screws on, rather than using the taper, so I could ignore the taper altogether.

    I'd have to figure out how to go from 1 1/8" 10TPI to 1" 8TPI, but that shouldn't be too hard. I'll dig around and see if anyone else makes something similar with a blank or a larger diameter thread.

    It's funny, this thread isn't going like I expected it to at all. I figured we'd get more people talking about the centers they use. Not that I'm complaining - you all have been very helpful so far.

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Fort Pierce, Florida
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    One problem with drive centers is that they can spin in the taper and gall the metal. I use only the multi-toothed safety centers these days. I have two sizes, and am looking at buying a drive center designed to fit the chuck. I make a number of fixtures that screw on to the spindle.

  11. #11
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    Near Springville, AL
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    You might try the Big Bite from Packard Woodworks
    Last edited by Jim Hipp; 08-01-2015 at 10:35 AM.

  12. #12
    I have one steb center that fits in my chuck, and use it some times. I also have a standard spur drive that I use as well. The only time I use them is when turning spindles, and use them for turning a tenon before I reverse and use the chuck.

    robo hippy

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Hipp View Post
    You might try the Big Bite from Packard Woodworks
    Aah, a scary knuckle-slicer!
    Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Ottawa, ON Canada
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    I use two centers in my headstock frequently, but both of them are held in my chuck. I don't use any on morse tapers on my Vega bowl lathe now. I did, but the ones that fit into my chuck don't have the spinning issue that Thom mentioned. I still use a small steb center for spingles on my Jet mini. It has a morse taper 2.
    Grant
    Ottawa ON

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Kent View Post
    Aah, a scary knuckle-slicer!
    I'm not sure how your knuckles would ever get close to a Big Bite. They are great for dealing with the beginning stages of large and irregular blanks.

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