What is a Live center and dead center?

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Yip live one turns which means you use it on the tailstock and dead doesnt turn so would be driven by the headstock (motor). If you used a live center in the head stock, nothing would turn other than the live center. Same would apply for the tail stock.
 
Dead centers are also used in the tailstock. You must make sure you put a spot of lubrication into the center drilled hole though to prevent friction welding.

Generally any heavy work such as knurling for example where you are generating alot of pressure from the tool would benefit from a dead center to prevent the bearings getting excessive wear on the live.
 
A dead center can come in a few different versions, each with a different name as well. A spur Center is the first to come to my mind. This is still a dead center for going in the head stock but it has the small "Wings" to help give it a little more bite in the block of wood.

Be careful when selecting a Live Center for turning pens. You want one that is hardened for turning metal not just a standard wood turning one. If you use a mandrel you want it to be a 60 degree center as well.

For turning pens you would use both a live and a dead center if you are interested in making pens with no bushings or are going to use the mandrelless bushings. This is also known as "Turning between centers" becasue your work is held between the dead center at the head stock and the live center at the tail stock. You can use a dead center at the tail stock but I do not recommend it. It is possible just like it is possible to catch catfish with your bare hands. It may be fun to try for a while but soon you will realize it also becomes a big mess.
 
A dead center is a solid piece of metal that will transfer torque to the turning. Used in the headstock to drive the wood being turned.
A live center has bearings to allow its center tip to spin with minimal friction. Used in the tail stock to hold the piece of wood, but let it spin freely.

txbob
 
Thanks guys. I have a 60 degree live center now for PSI that I use with a mandrel. I will have to locate the spur center that came with my shopsmith for lathe turn. Then I can do between centers.
 
navycop said:
Thanks guys. I have a 60 degree live center now for PSI that I use with a mandrel. I will have to locate the spur center that came with my shopsmith for lathe turn. Then I can do between centers.
Click to expand...

Spur center and dead center aren't the same thing, at least if your talking about turning pens between centers. I bought a dead center from JohnnyCNC and another which I gave to my friend on Ebay. THe dead center is also 60 degree as well. That aren't expensive.
 
Mike -- Ummmm I don't think the spur center that came with the shopsmith is going to do you much good without replaceing the point with a 60 degree cone and I would be using a lot of tape to cover the sharp edges on the drive center to avoid blood sacrifices.

Most standard dead centers come with a MT on one end and a cone shape on the other. Some have a carbide tip --

The closest kludge for replacement might be the penturners point for a oneway live center - it is a MT1 taper but you might get it to snug up and hold with the set screw in the shopsmith drive center --

Or maybe I missed your point.....
 
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