Step Center question -- long
Jeremy Osner
>I bought a cheap step center from WoodturnersCatalog.com -- it is not behaving quite like I expect it to. When I first put the workpiece into the lathe, I have to crank the tail stock really hard to get the step center to bite into the head of the workpiece, so that it will drive it -- so hard indeed that the bolt holding the tail stock in place gives a bit, and the tail stock creeps away from the head stock. So in the end I have the step center biting into the workpiece just a tiny bit, like a 1/64th" deep or less. This serves to drive the workpiece; but if I ease up the tail stock in the course of turning, so that I can examine my progress, then when I retighten the tail stock, the teeth of the step center chew up the workpiece instead of biting into it, and will not drive it. What am I doing wrong? Should I be setting the center's teeth into the workpiece with a hammer, instead of by cranking the tail stock forward? Will this damage the bearings in the head stock or are they built to take this?
Thanks,
Jeremy