Dead center?

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Rharrell made me a double 60 degree (60 degree tip on either end) dead center that fits into my Beall collet chuck.

It is among the most used tools in my shop. He made this for me about 4 years ago and it has held up much better than any other center I own.

My recollection is that this center was not very expensive (I'm thinking $20-$25) and I'M SURE it was tested before I got it, because it runs even MORE TRUE than the MT2 points.

If I needed a new one, I'd buy this one every time. Come to think of it, his tool rests out last the others, too.
 
If you don't own an accurate Collet chuck and are deadset on an MT2 taper fit. IMHO, Penturners Products (JohnnyCNC) make a FINE MT2 model for about $20.
 
I bought my carbide-tipped MT2 cone drive center from Grizzly. It's currently $11.95 and shipping is another $7.95. This is my tool of choice for turning pen blanks along with a cone live center on the tailstock. I bought mine over 2 years ago and it's still like new.
 
Dave Turner said:
I bought my carbide-tipped MT2 cone drive center from Grizzly. It's currently $11.95 and shipping is another $7.95. This is my tool of choice for turning pen blanks along with a cone live center on the tailstock. I bought mine over 2 years ago and it's still like new.
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Me, too. I ordered mine along with some other stuff. Works great!
 
I would love to find one for my Shopsmith.

I've seen threads suggesting a number of ways to make your own (if you have a metal lathe) to cobbling things together using something mounted the Jacobs chuck or a collet (which requires an adapter already). I'd really like to see something that mounts right on the 5/8 shaft so as to reduce as many joints and points of variance as possible. I'm probably asking too much for a bolt-on solution aren't I? :rolleyes:
 
Enco, Ebay, any local or online machine tool supply house.

MT2 is a very common taper for dead (or live) centers.

From cheapest to most expensive, they're all pretty much the same if you're going to use them as a driving center and not as a load bearing tailstock support while turning.
 
76winger said:
I would love to find one for my Shopsmith.

I've seen threads suggesting a number of ways to make your own (if you have a metal lathe) to cobbling things together using something mounted the Jacobs chuck or a collet (which requires an adapter already). I'd really like to see something that mounts right on the 5/8 shaft so as to reduce as many joints and points of variance as possible. I'm probably asking too much for a bolt-on solution aren't I? :rolleyes:
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I've never actually seen a Shopsmith (most of my experience is with metal lathes and metal in general, not much with wood lathes) so I'm wondering how the headstock spindle in a Shopsmith is made. Seems like it must be different from any wood or metal lathe I'm familiar with from the comments I see made about it.
 
76winger said:
I would love to find one for my Shopsmith.

I've seen threads suggesting a number of ways to make your own (if you have a metal lathe) to cobbling things together using something mounted the Jacobs chuck or a collet (which requires an adapter already). I'd really like to see something that mounts right on the 5/8 shaft so as to reduce as many joints and points of variance as possible. I'm probably asking too much for a bolt-on solution aren't I? :rolleyes:
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I use one like pictured from penturners products.
I too have a Shopsmith and put it in my jacobs chuck. Then the live center in the tailstock. Because of my SS toolrest I haven't figured out a way to turn between centers, but I sand and finish that way.
 
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navycop said:
76winger said:
I would love to find one for my Shopsmith.

I've seen threads suggesting a number of ways to make your own (if you have a metal lathe) to cobbling things together using something mounted the Jacobs chuck or a collet (which requires an adapter already). I'd really like to see something that mounts right on the 5/8 shaft so as to reduce as many joints and points of variance as possible. I'm probably asking too much for a bolt-on solution aren't I? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I use one like pictured from penturners products.
I too have a Shopsmith and put it in my jacobs chuck. Then the live center in the tailstock. Because of my SS toolrest I haven't figured out a way to turn between centers, but I sand and finish that way.
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By or find an extra and cut it down. The soft cast iron cuts easily. I have a friend with a metal cutting bandsaw, and he cut an extra down to a 4" rest. I need to find another to make a 2 " rest. I imagine I could probably cut it down with a hacksaw as well. You could also measure the the diameter of the post, and find a welder to make one up for you or contact rherrel on this site.

As for Shopsmith unique dead center. I made my own from some hard maple and use my collet chuck as a holder.

My next home made I plan on taking a 1/2 bolt, cutting the head off and filing to a point using the collet chuck to hold it.

For those don't know. The SS has a solid 5/8" quill at the head stock. There are adapters for threaded chucks like scroll chucks and collets. The solid shaft is a limitation of the SS as a lathe. But I can aslo use my SS as a table saw, drill press, horizontal boring machine, and disc sander. It also serves as a power station for a bandsaw and jointer as well. There are other Special Purpose tools that can be powered by the SS headstock as well.
 
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