Mini Lathe Assistance

[Alan Turner]

At PFW we have several mini-lathes, including Jet and PSI. We teach basic spindle turning on these lathes, and several other lathes as well. Both brands of the mini lathes have MT#2 drive and tail stock centers. Students have been known to hit a drive center with a gouge, etc. We would like to replace the drive centers with ones which are easily sharpenable / repairable. Many of the project based turnings are on the smaller side, such as legs with 3/4" tenons, or Windsor chair spindles, which are small also.

We would also find useful ball bearing tailstock centers which have a point, but no cup.

I suspect that this issue has been addressed in this forum before, but I don't often wander over to the spinny side.

We would appreciate any recommendations of brands or sources for these basic accessories.

Thanks.

[Ben Gastfriend]

Really, any 4-prong spur/drive center would work fine. You can always use a file and regrind the prongs so they bite the wood better after time. I'd check CSUSA, they have a pretty big selection of centers, and I am very happy with their customer service.

[Chris Fierro]

Penn State sells a "Steb" style drive center that is 5/8" diameter--this is the type with a spring loaded point and lots of little drive teeth. Hard to catch any tool in there--the teeth are too small and close together. They also sell pretty cheap live centers of the style that you're seeking...

[Kevin McPeek]

Packard has has "mini 4 prong drives" (3/8, 1/2, 5/8) for about $25 and live centers for a little less. Little machine shop has live centers for as low as $13. I'm sure there are others too.

[Jim Becker]

Penn State sells a "Steb" style drive center that is 5/8" diameter--this is the type with a spring loaded point and lots of little drive teeth. Hard to catch any tool in there--the teeth are too small and close together. They also sell pretty cheap live centers of the style that you're seeking...

Alan, I'll also recommend this type, whether a "real" Steb or something similar. They are substantially safer in the teaching environment because when a catch occurs (not "if"... ;) ), the workpiece stops, rather than throwing the tool.

[terry richards]

I have the Steb clone from PSI in the 1" version. I have used it in some pretty heavy stuff and have had no problem. Great for clamping into soft end grain - doesn't "bore" into the end of the piece.

[Bill Noce]

We had Mark St. Leger at Northcoast Wodturners last year and he makes a wooden cup center with a 6 or 8 penny nail with the head cut off an sharpened to a point this is patterned after the Oneway Safe Center for his classes any catches or touch it with a gouge it will either slip or only hurt the wood. I used one in his hands on class works great. The cost is only a piece of wood(maple) and a nail.

[John Shuk]

I have the Steb clone from PSI in the 1" version. I have used it in some pretty heavy stuff and have had no problem. Great for clamping into soft end grain - doesn't "bore" into the end of the piece.

I have this center too and it works very well.

[Dean Thomas]

I've used the Steb center and don't like it much. Too many teeth!!! Looks and works like a rotary saw blade!

I do like the Oneway Safe Driver, however, and have used old dead centers that work a lot like the SD, too. These do not grind away at the endgrain like a Steb does when there's a catch. Less scary for newbie turners, IMO. I used 'em with my 10-year-old turners last year. Learned to use both gouge & skew without flinching!

You can sometimes get old Shopsmith dead centers on eBay for a song and shipping. Sometimes... The Sears dead center that's still available is about worthless as it has very little point in the middle, mostly cup. Bummer, since they're like $8 each delivered.

Penn State normally has a #2MT live center that is cone only for about $20, but they're out of stock for a couple of months, it looks like.