MedWoodWorx
Member
when turning blanks between centers, a drive center is used; is that handmade? is there a drive center sold under a certain brand that is worth the cost or its irrelevant? thank you for any advice, cheers
tbc advice needed please
- Thread starter MedWoodWorx
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Dalecamino
Local Chapter Leader
You can use these centers. https://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SEARCH&q=turn+between+centers
I've used this dead center. https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1890&category= with the live center on the other end obviously.
I've used this dead center. https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1890&category= with the live center on the other end obviously.
Curly
Member
You want to look for a Dead Centre. There should be a company in Greece that sells them. Trick is finding them.
England might be a better source for you than North America. One place is Chronos Engineering Supplies.
www.chronos.ltd.uk
Arc Euro Trade is another. https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Centres/Morse-Taper-Dead-Centres
Both sell the live centres.
With England leaving the EU it might be better to search other EU countries if the shipping is too high or they won't sell outside England because of the hassle of new rules, whatever they may be now.
England might be a better source for you than North America. One place is Chronos Engineering Supplies.
2 MT DEAD CENTRE - Chronos Engineering Supplies
2 MT DEAD CENTRE from Chronos Engineering Supplies. Free UK delivery and great worldwide rates.
www.chronos.ltd.uk
Arc Euro Trade is another. https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Centres/Morse-Taper-Dead-Centres
Both sell the live centres.
With England leaving the EU it might be better to search other EU countries if the shipping is too high or they won't sell outside England because of the hassle of new rules, whatever they may be now.
rholiday
Member
You can also check Woodturningz.com, and woodturnerscatalog.com (Craft Supplies USA), for dead centers.
MedWoodWorx
Member
thank you all for your advice, i can find mt2 drive centers in greece (i didn't know that tbc mandrels existed however); so it's the same part that is used as a tailstock center.
DrD
Member
The tail stock center is usually a "live" center in that, when mounted in the tail stock, it can be freely rotated by hand. Conversely, the center that goes into/mounts in the head stock is referred to as a "dead" center in that it rotates only as the head stock rotates - if you turn it, the head stock turns. CAUTION - don't try to turn the dead center by hand with the lathe running! The dead center is what makes you pen blank turn when the lathe is turned on. For tbc both the dead and live centers usually are 45 degree cones.
DrD
MedWoodWorx
Member
really? i thought 60 degrees.
yes i see what you mean i am just clarifying what i read in this site : https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Centres/Morse-Taper-Dead-Centres
Morse Taper dead centres - hardened and ground.
Generally used in the tailstock for extra support when turning longer work or in the headstock and tailstock when turning between centres.
Dalecamino
Local Chapter Leader
Mike! They ARE 60 degrees. And sorry, I forgot you are in Greece. Where I had many good times when I was in the Navy.
Curly
Member
Live and dead centres in the metal working world (where the woodworking ones are derived from) are 60º to match the centering bit used to drill a matching hole in the end of something being turned. You can often see these holes in the end of shafts etc from when they were made.
Pete
Pete
leehljp
Member Liaison
Unless you have special bushings made for a dead Center, the degree of the drive center does not have to be specifically 60°. When I started with TBC, I only had commercial bushings that were meant to be mounted on a mandrel. So I made a drive center of aluminum that was somewhat elongated. I was living overseas and did not have access to all the tools I needed so I turned my own drive center on my wood lathe.
You can see where the bushings (made for mandrels) mounted on the drive center. OF course, I used a keyed chuck to hold the aluminum dead drive. The elongated setup had very minimal runout and worked well.
If you don't have the tools needed, there are ways to make them and make them work.
Imported Photo from leehljp
Imported Photo from leehljp. Please edit title and description.
www.penturners.org
You can see where the bushings (made for mandrels) mounted on the drive center. OF course, I used a keyed chuck to hold the aluminum dead drive. The elongated setup had very minimal runout and worked well.
If you don't have the tools needed, there are ways to make them and make them work.