Centers for Turning Between Center Hollow Spindles

[Mike Turner]

I make flutes which have a 3/4" or 7/8" bore and are between 25" and 30" long depending on which flute I am making. They start out at 1 1/2" square by 25" to 30" long blanks. After boring I have been using a mandrel which fits these sizes with a 1/2" rod and it works very well. Lately I have had a little trouble with one of the mandrels and know that I can turn these bored blanks between centers (if I know which center to use ) I started using the mandrel when all I had was an old Craftsman lathe but now have have a Jet 1442... Any suggestion on a headstock and tailstock center to fit inside the 3/4" and 7/8" bore of these blanks? mainly the headstock.....I have Nova G3 chuck and a a drill chuck also.

[John Keeton]

Mike, having never attempted this sort of thing, my ideas are limited. But, I would think that one could use the stock live center on the tailstock end, and simply turn a similar profile on a drive jam on the headstock end. You might want to use a little double stick tape for added friction on the drive center. Another option would be to get a small set of step jaws and use them in expansion mode to grasp the blank. I don't know how thin you turn these, but the expansion idea might necessitate leaving a thicker area around the headstock end and parting off the flute ahead of that.

[Eric Dritsas]

A 60 degree live center would work on the tailstock end. It is just a big metal cone on a bearing.

For pens I use a dead drive center on the headstock. The one I have is too small for a 3/4 in bore. If you compress thin wood too much, it will bow. It might work for your flutes, but I'm not sure.

You could drive the piece with your chuck. Leave a little extra length for your chuck jaws. The tailstock center would just keep everything centered and turning true. Minimal compression needed. Part off the extra when you have finished turning the piece.

[Michelle Rich]

I may or may not understand what you are trying to achieve, BUT..why not turn your own mandrel out of wood, then use any drive to send it spinny?