Lost in the shavings

[Brian Kent]

My spur drive that is. I'll probably find it during spring cleaning, but if not, what is the best deal on a spur drive? Are the wood River spur drives OK? I'll go for the best some other time. Now I am just trying to be functional until the original shows up.

(Delta 46-460, #2 Taper)

[jared herbert]

I came up missing a tool rest one time, it was one I made and it worked well. I had previously cleaned up all the shavings etc from the floor. I am a farmer so was using the tractor and loader to put the shavings in and then I drove out into a bean field [it was in the winter] to dump and scatter the shavings. About a year later I was out for a walk and came across the rest. It was ok except a little rust which I cleaned up. So you still may find it. good luck. Jared

[Roger Chandler]

The wood river spur drive is fine.....they are the same unit that CSUSA sells as their apprentice line, and PSI sells.......I would go through the pile of shavings before I would order one.......of course that is just me! :rolleyes::D

[Reed Gray]

The magnetic base on my Moffatt lamps are great for fishing out metal pieces in the shavings. Of course, you have to know you dropped them first.

robo hippy

[Brian Kent]

Yes, I am still looking. And it could be in the scoops of shavings that are on the lawn or have been discarded.

[Dan Forman]

I love my Apprentice spur drive, much better holding than the one that came with my lathe, might be worth buying even if you do find the other one. Looks just like the WR.

Dan

[Jamie Donaldson]

If its on the lawn your mower will find it!

[Lee Koepke]

I turned an ice cream scoop last night for the first time, dropped the bushing and took 40 minutes to find it. One positive, at least half of my turning area is now clean!

[Fred Belknap]

Lost a screw to the jaws on my scroll chuck in the shavings. I had a metal detector but the rebar in my concrete floor kept giving me false readings. I had to carry a shovel full at a time outside and spread it out and check. Over an hour later I found it. I now have spare screws and change the jaws on the work bench.

[Wally Dickerman]

Every shop should have a strong magnet. I've rustled one around in the shavings and found things that I didn't even know I'd lost

Do yourself a faver and get a steb center. I have a couple of sizes and think they're great.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Wally, I have one of the round ones on a wood handle and use it all the time.

I recently hauled off some curlies for a woodturner friend (I compost or burn them) and found one of his sanding pads when I dumped the bag.

[Brian Kent]

The only problem I had with my spur drive is that it would act as a drill if I tried to use it on a bowl blank. I could see a two prong being helpful in that situation. How does a steb center improve on performance over a spur drive?

[tom martin]

Brian, If you have a scroll chuck, you should consider the center that fits into you chuck. I got one several years ago and haven't used a spur center since
They are larger in diameter so no "drill" and you don't need to to keep swapping spur drive/chuck.
Tom

[Jim Burr]

I have a cow magnet on a 24" flex rod just for digging into these situations! I store my "always used" stuff, centers, drill chucks, tail stocks, pencils and so on in the cage included on most bigger lathes. Fold it back and the slots are great for keeping stuff in.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Brian, I'm a little biased on this, but here goes. Forget about your spur. If you have a chuck, build yourself a Chuck Plate. You will find the article on the articles page, click on "Tools", and scroll down until you find my article, "Building a Chuck Plate". Unless you're doing small spindles, you won't miss your spur. Over the last 2+ years, I used my spur only because I was turning a small od handle, and my Chuck Plates' screw spacing was too much for the 3/4" od I was trying to turn.... My condolences to your spur......... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Nathan Clark]

I turned an ice cream scoop last night for the first time, dropped the bushing and took 40 minutes to find it. One positive, at least half of my turning area is now clean!

I jsut turned an Ice Cream scoop for the first time, I just posted it under the tittle "fourth project". I'd like to see yours, you can post it on my topic if you like.

[Harry Robinette]

Harbor freight sells a magnet on an adjustable handle that I put two 1" rare earth magnets onto the magnet that came with it. I can find anything in the shavings with it. I just swish it around in the shavings and see what I find. You never know!!!!!

[Thomas Canfield]

The magnet trick often works. PSI has the 2 prong drive center for under $25 and it works well to give some flexibility in aligning the work piece. The 5/8" and 1" PSI Super Drive Centers (step center look alike) also work well for spindles, but for me don't have the drive for a larger bowl section. I have used the 1" super drive to remove bark and round up about 8"D x 14"L sections to make for easier storage on my move. I give recommendations for all 3.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I have a cow magnet on a 24" flex rod just for digging into these situations! I store my "always used" stuff, centers, drill chucks, tail stocks, pencils and so on in the cage included on most bigger lathes. Fold it back and the slots are great for keeping stuff in.

I know I might regret asking this question, but what the heck is a "cow magnet?"
:confused:

[Hayes Rutherford]

Jamie, ranchers often make calves swallow them and they remain in I think the first stomach for life to prevent hardware disease which is when cows swallow odd bits of wire or nails. If metal passes on to the other parts of the digestion system males don't put on weight, and milk cows don't produce as much milk.

[Jim Burr]

I know I might regret asking this question, but what the heck is a "cow magnet?"
:confused:

They are really hard to find anymore. They are just over 2" long, about 1/2" in diameter and crazy strong!! Since not all bailing wire gets cut off the bale of hay, cows do ingest wire parts causing internal damage. These magnets are "fed" to the cows to attract the wire and pass through the moo moo. Snap-on made one years...really...years ago with a handle and so on that works great!! Still have my Cow Mag on the wood cabinet though!!

[robert baccus]

Roger that. HF has several that will pick up my lathe for 4-5 bucks. I still think wrenches and screwdrivers are good for the garden soil. The chuck drives do work well and are fairly cheap.

[Ryan Baker]

Yeah, a good strong magnet is your best friend for that job. I dropped a center in the shavings -- saw right where it dropped -- and it still took me 45 minutes of digging to find it.

If you don't already have a two-spur center, I would consider that an absolute necessity. (Pick a version that goes in your chuck if you prefer.) For spindle work, I prefer a Stebcenter type center. The four-spur isn't really good for much of anything, and I almost never use it. Any cheap center, WoodRiver, PSI, etc., will do just fine.