Live Center Question

Re: Live Center Question

Lee Dale

>Bill... how do you sharpen your auger. All mine did was work me to death. I built,out of wood a stedy rest and after centering everthing up with the tailstok and steady rest, I remove the t/s and use a home built drill center with a doweling jig drill bushing for a guide..... Lee

Re: Live Center Question

RonZ

>Srby has an excellent hollow live center that you can also get as a kit to do various other functions.

Re: Live Center Question *LINK*

Loose Tenon

>Bill,

The best one I found came from Peter Child; I think it's Roy's design. It has a hole in it so you can eject the shavings without dragging them back into the tail center. He also sells a Counter Bore drive center that aligns the "flex" hole and counter bores into the end of the lamp. You can read about it on their web site.

HTH Loose Tenon


http://peterchild.co.uk

Re: Live Center Question

Arch

>Morning Bill,

Sorry to hear about your center's terminal illness. I may be missing something, but do you need a live hollow tail center? Soft #2MT (Sears 60deg. or ring) dead centers are cheap enough to drill thru 2 0r 3 to fit different size bits.

Also, a piece of round bar to fit into the banjo and cross drilled for the bits at center height should work and allow the option for using a hand drill. You could go 'first class', insert a sleeve bearing and make an extension spindle with a chuck on one end for the bits and held by a tailstock chuck or hand drill on the other end.

I haven't tried cross drilling the shaft for easy chip removal. Seems like it would be useful.

Arch

Re: Live Center Question

John Lucas

>Bill

I use the Nova live center with the lamp auger hollow center from Woodcraft. This dead center has a very short #2 morse taper that fits neatly in the end of the Nova live center. it has a set screw that holds a small point.

I put the point on the center of my workpiece and as I crank the tailstock I loosen the setscrew that holds the point. This lets the outer ring of the center contact the wood. Then I use a small magnet on a stick to pull the point out of the tailstock. This exactly centers my wood.

I drilled a hole on the opposite side of the setscrew hole. I remove the setscrew. These 2 holes eject the chips.

I found that to drill straight holes in hard wood such as oak and hickory I had to sharpen the auger better than it came from the factory. I used a diamond hone.

I tried to order the Peter Child center but had trouble getting my credit card through to them. That's why I came up with my jury rigged set up. I already had the Nova center.

Re: Live Center Question *LINK*

Fred Holder

>Woodcraft sells what they call the "Pro Live Center Set" for about $50.00. I purchased one about a year ago and use it a great deal. It is hollow and has 6 different inserts. After you drill, it has an insert that fits in the hollow cup to give better support of the wood. I don't know how well it would stand up with heavy daily use; however, since I don't do that much driving between centers.


Fred Holders Domain Site

No Export to U.S.A. or Canada?

Stuart Johnson

>Peter's web site says they no longer export to the U.S.A. or Canada because of product liability.

Re: Live Center Question

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Thanks everyone for your responses! I will probably check out the Woodcraft center. Arch, your idea sounds good, but a lot of work for someone like me who is basically lazy. ;-) Besides, I'm impatient too, so spinning sticks at the speed which I do with a dead center would start a fire for sure!

Lee, as for sharpening the augur, I just put a piece of fine sandpaper on the ways of the lathe and rub the top edge against it a few times. It seems to do the job. I have no idea how long it will last (the augur, not the edge), but I should get a few lamps out of it.

Bill

Re: No Export to U.S.A. or Canada?

Loose Tenon

>Stuart,

I would email Roy Child and ask; I have an order on the way. If I remember correctly only certain items are restricted.

Loose Tenon.

Re: Live Center Question

bill crommett in Seneca

>Bill: I guess you answered my question: "What's the matter with a hollow cup center ?" (anybody named Bill can't be all bad)