Live Center Issue

[Thom Sturgill]

I had been wanting a non marring attachment for the live center so I bought a 3/4" tap and a piece of UHMW plastice bar that is 1 1/4" diameter. I cut off about 2" , mounted it in a chuck and drill and tapped it. I then mounted it on the center, pinned the center, put some tape over the wire I pinned it with and shaped the end. After removing the tape and pin I decided to try using it.

And here's where the problem occured - apparently when using the live center in the headstock the brass plate on the end (Jet 1642 center) decided to unscrew partially and jammed the center so that it did not turn. Next thing I know I'm smelling burning plastic.

No real damage, I cleaned out the inside where some dust had worked it way in and reassembled the unit. Just a cautionary tale, hopefully there will be no future issues....

[Jim Seyfried]

I guess I'm missing something here Thom. If you are using a live center in the headstock how is the part spinning?

[Thom Sturgill]

I guess I'm missing something here Thom. If you are using a live center in the headstock how is the part spinning?

You pin the center with a wire through the hole on the side. The center for the large Jet and Powermatics has a 3/4"-9tpi threaded ed and removable tip. the smaller Jet also has a removeable tip, but does not have the threaded end.

It also comes with a screw-on 60 cone that can be installed or removed by locking the center with something (usually the small knockout rod) through the holes. The OneWay live center is the same, in fact the Jet/Powermatic is considered a knockoff of the OneWay. The OneWay has a large aluminum cone in addition that I bought, works great for stabilizing goblets when turning the stem and foot.

[Tim Rinehart]

I had been wanting a non marring attachment for the live center so I bought a 3/4" tap and a piece of UHMW plastice bar that is 1 1/4" diameter. I cut off about 2" , mounted it in a chuck and drill and tapped it. I then mounted it on the center, pinned the center, put some tape over the wire I pinned it with and shaped the end. After removing the tape and pin I decided to try using it.

And here's where the problem occured - apparently when using the live center in the headstock the brass plate on the end (Jet 1642 center) decided to unscrew partially and jammed the center so that it did not turn. Next thing I know I'm smelling burning plastic.

No real damage, I cleaned out the inside where some dust had worked it way in and reassembled the unit. Just a cautionary tale, hopefully there will be no future issues....

I've had same thing happen using the tailstock pinned solid in the headstock. End up having to use a punch to try and reseat the brass retention ring. I've thought a couple times about seeing if the brass ring has enough meat on it to drill and tap a very small set screw on the body of the center to prevent this. I do it so infrequently, just get used to keeping an eye on it and re-tightening. A little Loc-tite (removable formula!) may work also.

[Peter Fabricius]

Thom,
If you buy a 3/4" x 10tpi bolt about three inches long and cut the head off then you have the perfect mandrel for shaping all kinds of soft noses to fit your live centre. The cut off bolt fits very nicely in the Beall collet chuck or in the Spigot Jaws of a Chuck.
Note the thread size is 10tpi, a regular machine tap can be had for $20.00 or less.
Note the picture and the arrangement if tools I use for this.
Peter F.

[Thom Sturgill]

The bolt-mandrel idea is a good one. I paid a little less than $20 for the tap from MSCdirect and have the apprentice collet chuck with a 3/4" collet, so that works.

I would like to avoid putting the live center back in the headstock just to prevent repetition of the issue. I may not remember what happens and have a repeat if I do use it in the headstock again. Sometimes it just takes a repeat to learn the lesson, LOL.

[gary jarvis]

I had the same problem with the brass part unscrewing also. After cleaning I reassembled it with loc tite. I have made several more different shaped nose pieces with the live center pinned in the headstock without any more unscrewing.

[Thomas Canfield]

Thom,
If you buy a 3/4" x 10tpi bolt about three inches long and cut the head off then you have the perfect mandrel for shaping all kinds of soft noses to fit your live centre. The cut off bolt fits very nicely in the Beall collet chuck or in the Spigot Jaws of a Chuck.
Note the thread size is 10tpi, a regular machine tap can be had for $20.00 or less.
Note the picture and the arrangement if tools I use for this.
Peter F.

I picked up a 3/4x3" bolt and 2 nuts (along with a small handful of 1/4" flat washers) at Tractor Supply for $2.01 ($2.19/# +tax) today based on your post. I already had the tap and had tapped several disks, but this makes sense to be able to shape the disks or make smaller pieces. I bought a "bottom tap" which works well on wood, but I have not tried to do a bottom tap yet, but will need to make sure and drill deeper than needed thread but then there is the point on the live center past the threads to clear. Thanks for the idea.

[Paul Williams]

Why not skip the live center. Buy a pen mandrel with a shaft that unscrews. Remove the shaft and enlarge and retap the hole to 1/2 inch. I don't think there is enough material in the taper to go to 3/4 inch, but your accessories could be tapped for 1/2 inch when you make them. You also might be able to find a MT2 arbor that has a threaded stud.

[Thom Sturgill]

Why not skip the live center. Buy a pen mandrel with a shaft that unscrews. Remove the shaft and enlarge and retap the hole to 1/2 inch. I don't think there is enough material in the taper to go to 3/4 inch, but your accessories could be tapped for 1/2 inch when you make them. You also might be able to find a MT2 arbor that has a threaded stud.

Paul, the idea is for when you need tailstock support, such as re-turning a finished bowl, and need a non-marring center or a special shape in the tailstock . My current need is for an extended cup center for holding miniature ( 1/8" diameter ) spindles, but i was first making a bull-nosed end out of UHMW plastic which is very slick and non-marring. I shaped it on the live center because I did not have anything else to mount it with and had just checked fit of the threading, so it was already mounted....

[Peter Fabricius]

Thomas,
Well done, I just drill a face grain 1" piece, about 1.5" x 1.5" sq, with a 5/8" Forstner bit all the way through. In fact I do a number of them so I have lots for gluing on whatever I need for a Soft Nose...
You do not need a bottom tap, so I am saving you the price of that tap. Just a regular 3/4 x 10tpi tap does the job.
good luck.
Peter F.