Help in finding info or modifying this lathe

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Marnat3

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
394
Location
St Paul Minnesota
I inherited this lathe. It is a "Professional Woodworker" Brand lathe, variable speed and a foot pedal. What I would like to know is do I need a live center for the tail. This has a kind of stub and its stationary (aka not live). Can I machine the end down to a 60 degree taper or find a tail the has a live tip. I could get pics if needed. The head has a 4 hole plate with a hole in the center. The hole measures 4.5mm or.45". will the Mandrel shafts work in that. I have searched this and many other places with no results but this site seems like my best shot. Thanks ahead of time
 
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here are some. Hope they help. Thanks
20131229_170455.jpg

20131229_171955.jpg

20131229_170548.jpg
 
it looks like the part you are calling a "stub" has a morse taper (MT)

MT is generally a "2" for most lathes, or a "1" on some of the smaller ones

take another picture with the "stub" next to a ruler
 
I'd be inclined to say a MT1 and it looks like it may have at one time been a live center but is missing the bearing and pointed section. You can find the MT1 centers at GRIZZLY.COM. I just picked up a MT1 and MT2 deg Dead Center and a MT1 deg Live center for $26 plus freight
 
Ok so I am 99 percent sure its a MT1 tail and I am going to get the live center pictured above.
Now about the head assembly. right now it has a small turning type plate (2 inches across with 4 holes, and a center shaft hole which measures .45' inside. Is this right for a mandrel size?

The chart helped alot. Thanks, dogcatcher.
 
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Is the plate threaded on? It should thread off to reveal 3/4"x16tpi male threads with an MT1 center hole. There should be indentions to hold with either a flat wrench (some lathes have insertions to use the knockout for holding the spindle steady). Can you post a pic of the headstock?
 
It looks like it is threaded on. But it looks as tho it wont matter.
There are 2 indents 180 degrees apart on the shaft behind the plate but
I don't really see the plate being an obstruction maybe I'm wrong.
The hole is flush with the end of the plate. It measures .4565 inside diameter.
That would be he correct size for a MT1 mandrel right?.
I will get pictures tomorrow.
 
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It looks like it is threaded on. But it looks as tho it wont matter.
There are 2 indents 180 degrees apart on the shaft behind the plate but
I don't really see the plate being an obstruction maybe I'm wrong.
The hole is flush with the end of the plate. It measures .4565 inside diameter.
That would be he correct size for a MT1 mandrel right?.
I will get pictures tomorrow.

You have a #1MT, and that piece in the tailstock looks like someone broke off the actual center point on it. Just knock that broken piece out, and install a new live or dead center.

As for the face plate that is on the headstock, you can leave it on there, it won't hamper your pen turning at all. I have a little 2" face plate on my Central machinery mini-lathe and just leave it on there. The hole in the center that's about .45" is all you need to be concerned about to slide your pen mandrel into.
 
It looks like it is threaded on. But it looks as tho it wont matter.
There are 2 indents 180 degrees apart on the shaft behind the plate but
I don't really see the plate being an obstruction maybe I'm wrong.
The hole is flush with the end of the plate. It measures .4565 inside diameter.
That would be he correct size for a MT1 mandrel right?.
I will get pictures tomorrow.

You have a #1MT, and that piece in the tailstock looks like someone broke off the actual center point on it. Just knock that broken piece out, and install a new live or dead center.

As for the face plate that is on the headstock, you can leave it on there, it won't hamper your pen turning at all. I have a little 2" face plate on my Central machinery mini-lathe and just leave it on there. The hole in the center that's about .45" is all you need to be concerned about to slide your pen mandrel into.

Great!! Thats what I needed to know. Now off to Grizzly.com to order the center.
 
It looks like it is threaded on. But it looks as tho it wont matter.
There are 2 indents 180 degrees apart on the shaft behind the plate but
I don't really see the plate being an obstruction maybe I'm wrong.
The hole is flush with the end of the plate. It measures .4565 inside diameter.
That would be he correct size for a MT1 mandrel right?.
I will get pictures tomorrow.

You have a #1MT, and that piece in the tailstock looks like someone broke off the actual center point on it. Just knock that broken piece out, and install a new live or dead center.

As for the face plate that is on the headstock, you can leave it on there, it won't hamper your pen turning at all. I have a little 2" face plate on my Central machinery mini-lathe and just leave it on there. The hole in the center that's about .45" is all you need to be concerned about to slide your pen mandrel into.

Great!! Thats what I needed to know. Now off to Grizzly.com to order the center.

Wow that hole in the headstock looks larger than about a half inch. Maybe its the picture, but it looks pretty large. I really hope its a #1MT.
 
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