Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Spur Center's
MarkP4583
>Often when I am roughing out between centers to set up to mount in my Chuck the Center will lose grip and spin. Not wanting to crank down to hard worried if I may bend a shaft I take it off and mount on a faceplate.
The Spur I have is a 4 spur about 3/4 in.
Can I eliminate most of this prob by going to a larger spur? If so how big would you recomend?
Or is there other ways of doing this?
Thanks
Re: Spur Center's
MP Wall
>I got rid of my small spurs. I bought one from Best Wood Tools, this one screws onto the threads on the outside of the spindle. The spurs are large and SHARP. I think its a great center, espcially if you are roughing larger pieces.
MP Wall
Re: Spur Center's
John Lucas
>I would try a bigger spur like the ones from Best wood tools. You may have a soft spot in the wood. If I'm turning a bowl with the bark side toward the headstock I chisel away all the bark and cambium layer. These are too soft and will clog your drive center.
I might add that my centers do occasionally clog but in all these years I still own the 2 original centers which are both about 1". If the wood is really soft I usually try to dig down to the point that I hit solid wood. This works most of the time.
2in from Onway?
MarkP4583
>Was looking at the ones from Oneway that will fit in my Stronghold Jaws that are 2in in either 2 or 4 spur, looks like they would work great.
Any thought on these?
What would be better to rough bowl blanks 2 or 4 spur?
Thanks
Re: Spur Center's
Greg W. in NC
>Mark,
You might try drilling a flat spot on the bark side with a forstner, as it makes the drive center grip much better. Also, if you have punky wood, you can put some THIN CA on it, as it does a pretty good job of making the wood grip better.
Re: Spur Center's
Don Henthorn
>I probably am the only one dumb enough to do this but I still try to drill a hole and cut a 90 degree X where I will have the spur center just like on a spindle. Never had one tear out but I have forgotten and turned too close to the end and had one or two split. Ouch.
Re: Spur Center's
Loose Tenon
>Mark,
You've received good advice. I only use a two point drive center which I purchased from Craft Supplies with the replacable tip. I drive it into the wood with a brass faced mallet I bought at Harbor Freight for $5.99. If its green wood I drive it across the grain to prevent splitting.
HTH Loose Tenon
Re: Spur Center's
Fog Tanner
>I bought the two spur center from Best Woods that fits in a Stronghold chuck. You clamp the jaws down on it, not the center like the Oneway. I've never had it slip. I can go from roughing to the chuck without having to take the chuck on and off. It has pretty much solved the problem of the spur spinning in the wood. But I still use spurs down to 3/8" for some projects - I just don't take a real heavy cut..