question about drilling and chucking

[JAZNCARR]

I've been playing with closed ended stuff for a while and I'm ready to step up and try a kitless.. my question is. Do you turn the square blank held in a chuck and part off when ur done? And do you drill ur holes for threading the feeds in while still on the lathe?

 

[workinforwood]

I spin the blank round simply between centers first. Then you can part the blanks extra long, leaving the little round hole that the centers where in on the excess end of the blank. Then I chuck round blank piece into a collet and drill to length. Any threading can be done now too. Then I grab the blank from the inside and pull the tail stock up for support and spin the blanks to size. Finally, I part off the dimpled end.

 

[JAZNCARR]

thanks

i was just trying to figure out the steps and I'm having issues getting my centers to line up. I've loosened and tightened the tail stock a dozen times and its still off... a 1/8inch low and about a 1/8 inch towards the working side of the banjo.. I can slowly figure out the left and the right... i'm working now on what I can use for a shim to get it up the 1/8ish inch

 

[workinforwood]

Its not impossible but it is odd for there to be a height issue. I would start by cleaning taper and install brand new dead center..just in case its not seating straight making it appear to be low. After that if no success I'd be all over the manufacturer. Shimming is a pia you'd have to deal with forever, doable but unacceptable that it is required.