Now on to the Next Phase! HELP!!!

[Marilyn]

Ok, I have located through MSC a sleeve that will fit in my 1" diameter turret tailstock and take it down to a #2MT. Next question: what is the best #2MT live center for me to purchase? MSC has 2: a Precision live center which is accurate to .0003 for $55.90 and a super Precision which is accurate to .0001 for $68.63. Both have 3 bearings and are made in Poland. Woodturners catalog has an interchangable live center that comes with 3 tips: a 60 degree cone center, a cup center and a 3/8" diameter by 3/4" long point. It is $69.99.No accuracy or point of origin listed. Or is there a better one for somewhere in a price range of under $100?
John has taken off for Mexico so my in house resource is nada.

HELP ME!!! I AM SO CLOSE TO GETTING THIS TO WORK!!

(ok, so I sound a little desperate)

[Lou_williams]

If it were me I would go with three tip unit. I don't understand the accuracy specs on a wood live center. That Kind of spec has no real meaning.

Now for metal it does, but you don't use a live center for metal that I know of.

Go for the wood working one.

[Sonny Edmonds]

MSC has 2: a Precision live center which is
>accurate to .0003 for $55.90 and a super Precision which is
>accurate to .0001 for $68.63. Both have 3 bearings and are
>made in Poland.
<3 ten-thousandths of and inch. Pretty tight tolerance.
<1 ten-thousandth of an inch. really super tight tolerance. Less than 13 bucks more. That is the one I would go with by specs alone.

Woodturners catalog has an interchangable
>live center that comes with 3 tips: a 60 degree cone center,
>a cup center and a 3/8" diameter by 3/4" long point. It is
>$69.99.No accuracy or point of origin listed.
< Crap shoot (my brain tells me) could be some foul doo-doo from some really 3rd world backwater. I would shy away on the no spec issue alone. Once bitten, twice shy.

Or is there a
>better one for somewhere in a price range of under $100?
> John has taken off for Mexico so my in house resource is
>nada.
>
> HELP ME!!! I AM SO CLOSE TO GETTING THIS TO WORK!!
>
> (ok, so I sound a little desperate)
< No, I don't think so. I think you sound thrilled at your progress and ancshus (sp) to spin some wood.

I think Lou is a little confused on the live center vs: dead center thing. A dead center fits tight in a MT (morse taper) and a live center has precision thrust bearings.
The main body stays stationary in your tailstock of your lathe.
Just the tip turning against the bearings in the part that is being turned is what moves allowing your stock to be driven, yet stabile and supported.

The tolerances in the aforementioned live centers are both very good, especially for woodworking. But I would go with the tighter bearing tolerance.
I might be all bass-ackwards on the live/dead issue without a visual. But I don't think so. I think I have it correctly.

:D

Sonny Edmonds
"Precision Firewood Specialist"
http://home.earthlink.net/~sonnypie/
God Bless America !

[Marilyn]

Thanks Lou,

I can understand the rationale for a live center over a dead one but wasn't sure if 3 ball bearings made any difference vs. 2. I think the .0003 vs .0001 referred to drift(if I am using the correct term) from side to side during rotation. Evidently live centers are used in CNC operations quite a bit as that is the page these came from. Some of the ones listed were over $300! Are there any woodturning companies you use? I am interestd in getting Sorby's next. Thanks so much for all your help on this. You guys are great.

[Marilyn]

Sonny, thanks for your reply.
I guess one of my (unasked)questions was if a live center that was designed for metalworking could also be used for woodworking. To me a live center is a live center, but what do I know? John vetoed the dead center right away and everyone I have talked to said the same. The money issue is not a big thing, buying the RIGHT thing and the SAFEST thing is. The money I can earn, new body parts...well, I can get 'em but they won't match, and you know how picky I am :)

[dicklaxt1]

Me Too hhahahahahahaha

[DMSWood]

MArilyn: I would go with the less expensive one from MSC.Those type of tolerances deal more for metal turning. Any of the three you listed would do just fine and you will never wear one out in a lifetime. I would still like to see a picture of your lathe to get a better idea of what you have so we can give better informed advice.

[Sonny Edmonds]

>Sonny, thanks for your reply.
> I guess one of my (unasked)questions was if a live center
>that was designed for metalworking could also be used for
>woodworking. To me a live center is a live center, but what
>do I know?

< My concern would be about the taper of the point possibly causing the piece on the lathe to split out and fly loose. It's probably not all that likely, but metal does not do the things wood can do. Ya know?

John vetoed the dead center right away and
>everyone I have talked to said the same. The money issue is
>not a big thing, buying the RIGHT thing and the SAFEST thing
>is. The money I can earn, new body parts...well, I can get
>'em but they won't match, and you know how picky I am :)

< I wouldn't want you to change a thing, and I trust that John wouldn't either. How about you bounce it off of him when he calls before you order? It doesn't mean he can give you a better opinion on the right taper for wood vs: metal, but the man IS at gound zero, and his input counts.
As you well know, I'm green about this turning thing, but Limey is who we really need in here on this palavore.
There are places where a dead center is valueable in woodturning, but I am certianly not well enough versed in the subject. It's been many decades since I stood before a wood lathe, and that was in High School.
I, personally, always prefer to use the chuck with the live center in the tailstock on either type of lathe.
BUT for some work, a spured dead center might be a better choice over a chuck.
Another of those paradoxes in woodworking.

So would it be a 30 degree, a 45 degree, a 60 degree, or what? My gut feeling is a lower degree, less chance of splitting the stock.
Or a circular type. Or possibly a point and spur type of live center.

But metal is metal. And wood is a whole different animal. It's organic, and as such can have a mind of it's own. (Or stresses we don't know about.)

And like Dick, I wouldn't want to hear of you getting whacked in places you wouldn't want to get whacked.
So let's learn and grow together.

Hey Dick, what came with your set up?
And Lou, what about yours?
And the rest of you as well. What the heck is the taper on the live (wood) end of your tailstock live centers.
Come on, you tout about reading, bust out those manuals and throw some input into this.

We'll shake this chit down Marilyn. Hang in there. I'm goin hunting in spec's land.
I vill be bach.

:D

Sonny Edmonds
"Precision Firewood Specialist"
http://home.earthlink.net/~sonnypie/
God Bless America !

[Lou_williams]

I have used a metal lathe but that was 34 years ago. But, for wood you don't need the tight tolerance listed.

My lathe came with a standard dead center. It had a point that is used to place it in the marked center of the stock. Then as it penitrated a cup provides the major support. Most woodworking centers work this way. I bought a live center and it is just a simple one and it works just fine. There is very little stress on this little part.

Here is a pic of what I am talking about.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/images/014-3710.jpg

The one on the left is the one used most of the time.

the other end uses a drive center.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/images/014-3431.jpg

Here is another link to a different Live center [link:www.woodturnerscatalog.com/frames/frameset_centers.html|here]

Here are the places I check for tools.

[link:www.woodturnerscatalog.com/|TWC]
[link:www.cuttingedgetools.com/|CET]

[Dave Peebles]

Hello Marilyn,

I have had two of the OneWay live centers. One was a number two MT on my old lathe and a number three MT for the big OneWay lathe. Both have proven to be great centers. They come with some nice extras that let you to do many different things with them. I think that they are about a $100.00 these days. I am very happy with mine.

http://www.oneway.on.ca/Oneway/image...r_complete.jpg



Good luck,
Dave


www.bowlturner.com