Drive Center

[Drcal]

I want to turn a small 5" X 7/8" spindle with a 1/4" hole on one end and a 1/16" or a 1/8" hole on the other.

I a want to use a 60 degree live center in the tailstock but I don't do much stuff like this and I am not sure what to use in the headstock.

I don't want to use spurs because I don't want the marring on the end and I do not want to part any off. Can I use something like the Oneway Safe Driver or the Safety Drive Center from PSI? Will that hold it without spinning???

Any help is always appreciated.

Carmen

 

[alphageek]

The simple answer is a dead center... Heres what one looks like:

http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H7967-Carbide-Tipped-Lathe-Center/dp/B000M64S2I

Just like a live center, but without the bearings.

 

[Drcal]

Thanks, Alphageek---

"The simple answer is a dead center... Heres what one looks like:

http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H7967-.../dp/B000M64S2I"

Without the spurs, will the blank tend to spin freely like a pen blank when the mandrel nut is not tight enough??

Carmen

 

[dogcatcher]

This is sort of how the duck callmakers use a blind mandrel to turn their inserts. I would use a 1/4" steel rod with a drill stop on it for the drive end. The other end, the 1/8" hole will be enlarged by the point on the live center. On that end I would find a nail that has a shank of 1/8" and cut the shank down to about 3/4" long, and then put it in a drill chuck in the headstock and dimple the head of the nail with a center bit. This will keep the point of the live center in the correct location and will not expand the 1/8" hole.

Using the 1/4" rod as a blind mandrel and the nail head as your center guide on the tailstock end you wil not mar either end. You will have to keep some pressure on the blank and take very light cuts with very sharp chisels.