no morse taper dead centre

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CrazyBear

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Hi Guys

Someone on another forum was looking at ways to use an old sears lathe, with no morse taper, for pen making.. His spindle size is 3/4 x 16tpi. Does anyone supply a screw on dead centre for this size of spindle.

I am particularly interested myself as I also have a brand new lathe(Cheap) sitting in a box. this lathe has no morse taper either.

Any ideas ????
 
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I've never seen anything like this; but that doesn't mean a whole lot as it is not the kind of thing I would ever look for. My guess is something like that is going to be hard to find.

However, it might not be too difficult make something yourself that would work? Here is what I am thinking.

Get yourself a 3/4" x 16tpi nut* and a 2 or 3" bolt with the same thread. You may have to visit a place like Tractor Supply because I'm not sure the home centers sell hardware that big. Using a grinder form a point on the threaded end of the bolt that is approximately a 60° angle. The point doesn't have to be real precise as you will true it up later. Next cut the pointed end of the bolt off and clean up the cut end with the grinder or a file. It wouldn't have to be more than about an inch long; but if it were say 2" long, it might be easier to handle. Now, thread the nut on the spindle to about half the depth of the nut and screw your point into the open end of the nut. Use a pair of pliers to snug up the point a bit so it is not real loose. Now turn on your lathe at its slowest speed...say 500 RPMs...and use a fine bastard file to tune up the point making it smooth and concentric to the axis of the lathe. Finally, unscrew the point, put a little CA or epoxy on the threads and screw it back in to the nut. There you are!!

* Note: Using this method, you wont have a lot of thread engaged on either the point or the spindle. I would judge that it should be OK; but more thread would be better. You might look for one of those couplings that is used to connect threaded rods; but I'm not sure such a 3/4" coupling would be easy to find. Another thing you could do is screw two(2) nuts onto the bolt and then visit your local muffler shop or welding shop and have them tack weld the two nuts together; but "NOT" to the bolt itself. If you have one of those little MAP gas torches, you could braze or silver solder the two nuts together. And as a final alternative, that would be a fairly simple project for your local machine shop or one of our IAP member with an engine lathe although the cost might be prohibitive.
 
Mandrel for a sears lathe here:
http://penmakingsupplies.com/Tools/Mandrels.php

Check out part A

Company is not the best to deal with, so I`ve heard!
 
Both Randy and Frank have good idea's although I think it might cost a bit more that $40.00 to have one made (at least in my area). Here is something from penn state that could be purchased and then brought to a machinist to have a 60 degree taper machined onto it. Perhaps one of the machinists that belong to the forum might be able to do it for a nominal fee.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/la3418.html
 
Some good ideas for making one here. Or you can get a screw-on mandrel from a couple different sources. Here's a link to the pennstate one http://www.pennstateind.com/store/pkm-al.html
 
FWIW, my opinion is to have a machine shop take some 1.25" stock, drill and tap one end for 3/4-16 and then turn the end to a 60 degree point. Add two flat spots for a wrench and it's done. Second best, more money and you are back to a mandrel is to buy a collet chuck and use that. If this is used, he could put a drill chuck on the tailstock and drill a 3/8" hole into the headstock for an inch or two and still be able to adjust the pen mandrel into the headstock.
 
Originally posted by Firefyter-emt
<br />FWIW, my opinion is to have a machine shop take some 1.25" stock, drill and tap one end for 3/4-16 and then turn the end to a 60 degree point. Add two flat spots for a wrench and it's done.
Click to expand...

It's a good idea if you can find a shop to do it for you at a reasonable price. More and more shops are charging a minimum. My thought is that if you already had something that only needed about 5 minutes work and no material outlay it would be much easier to get it done for the cost of a handmade pen. If you bring it to the place where I work it's a $50.00 minimum.
 
If you are looking for an inexpensive way to make a dead center,
you could try a 3/4"-16 coupling nut, and a 3/4"-16 bolt or stud.
Screw the coupling nut onto the lathe spindle and after removing the head of the bolt if you have to, a stud would work better, grind it on a bench grinder down close to a 60 degree point,then install it into the coupling nut and using a file, shape the point to 60 degrees with the lathe on.

I know you are in the UK but if you look at www.mcmaster.com you can find a coupling nut as a reference for what to look for.

Perhaps this isn't the "Best Way" but it would work.

Same as Randy's post above only I used a coupling nut.[:I]
 
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