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Live centers

Posts

Live centers

#1

Live centers

mike foster

OK, I have been noticing some vibration when turning little spindles for a few years and could never really figure out what the issue was. The vibration was always at the live center end. Well, I have a Oneway live center and just never thought that it would be the problem as they are so beefy. I was turning an acrylic spindle last night and just kept fighting the vibration at the tailstock end. I actually turned a taper to fit into the oneway hollow (without the point) and tried it that way with no improvement. So I pulled out an old live center that's ok and WhaLa! Who would have thought that the oneway would have any play in the bearings?

So now I want to buy a new live center and want the opinions of those here on the best one that they have. I'm not going with Oneway again. If it is a center that has some options like being able to add a turned fitting to match the piece being turned, and maybe multiple knockout point options, that's even better. My real goal is to get a well made center that I can trust not to vibrate.

Re: Live centers

#2

Ken Vaughan

Re: Live centers

Ken Vaughan

Look at the Nova live center system.

Nova sells replacement inserts though I did not find them in any catalog. About $10 each delivered when I get 5 or 10 at a time.

Three bearings and have now worn one out yet.

Robust live center has promise with a replaceable 3/8 insert.

Re: Live centers

#3

Re: Live centers

john lucas

I have heard stories of the Oneway and Jet copies of the Oneway all having problems. I have had a Nova live center for 15 years or more with no problems. I love it because the center points are all short #2 morse tapers so it's very easy to make all of your own custom live center points.

That being said I would have to look more closely at the new Robust live center. It is really sweet and built very solidly.

Re: Live centers

#4

Re: Live centers

Philip Duffy

I use a router bearing embedded in a MT 2 wood piece to hold small point objects. Totally vibration free. Philip

Re: Live centers

#5

Re: Live centers

Jeff Smith

I replaced the Oneway live center I'd been using with the new one from Robust. It is a very robustly built center, takes all the cones, cups and pieces I'd made to fit the Oneway and has been absolutely bullet-proof so far.

Re: Live centers

#6

Thanks guys

mike foster

I have one of Brent's Beauties and didn't know that he came out with his own live center. I thought I had remembered that you like the Nova John, and that was high on my list but now that Jeff chimed in, I think I'll give the Robust a go. Like him, I have multiple shop made additions for the Oneway, and it is really sweet that they will also work on the Robust.

Re: Live centers

#7

Re: Live centers *LINK*

Dave Paine

I have the OneWay and would purchase this again.

I note that Robust mentions about the bearing being designed for thrust loads (right angle to direction of rotation). This is important. A single bearing designed for the thrust load will be better than 2 or 3 bearings not designed for thrust.

I also have a cheapie PSI fixed cone live centre. The back unscrewed so I looked at the code on the bearing. It is a 6201. This is designed for radial loads but not thrust loads.

I would take a look at the Robust live centre.


http://www.turnrobust.com/product/live-center/

Re: Live centers

#8

Re: Live centers

John K Jordan

I use several of the Jet copies with no issues.

Bought this Nova a couple of years ago and use it often:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064JIZGC

It gives a lot of flexibility, built like a tank. The knockout rod that came with mine was a bit too big to work but I fixed that easily enough.

But my ALL-TIME FAVORITE for spindle turning is the 1/2" Sorby steb revolving center, available here and elsewhere:

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=packard&Product_Code=118744&Category_Code=lathes-acc-cent-revtail-revsteb

JKJ

Re: Live centers

#9

Ken Vaughan

Re: Thanks guys

Ken Vaughan

Get a 3 foot piece of brass and steel rod to go with it. Easy to make fixtures that replace the point.

Re: Live centers

#10

Why not just replace the bearings?

Dick Coers

I've been running my original Oneway since 1998. Had a Jet knockoff actually come apart when the threaded bearing retainer came loose. Can't imagine replacing the bearings could be that tough in the Oneway.

Re: Live centers

#11

I like my Robust

Joe Meirhaeghe

Mike I picked up a Robust this summer at the AAW symposium. I haven't logged many hours on it yet but so far I really like it.

Re: Live centers

#12

Small is good!

Geoff Whaling

Mike, I use a custom made MT2 live center which has a small interchangeable point of about 6mm dia.

My theory with small or fine spindle work is aim for less "driven mass" in a live center. With my custom LC the only mass being driven by the spindle is the point and inner race of the bearing.

On many LC's the "driven mass" includes the cone point, body and the mass of the bearings as the whole assembly runs on the shaft of the MT2.

I think your vibration may not be the LC at all but is most likely coming from the deflection of the work piece (spindle) under tail stock pressure.

Less "driven mass" means less tail stock pressure required to maintain the "drive" to rotate the mass of the LC. Less pressure means less deflection.

Re: Live centers

#13

Re: Why not just replace the bearings?

Joe Dickason

Done it. Pretty inexpensive & easy

Re: Live centers

#15

Re: Why not just replace the bearings?

Dave Paine

Which way does the cover turn to remove, i.e. is it LH thread or normal RH thread?

Once the cover is removed, do the bearings just pop out?

Do you recall the code number of the bearings?

Re: Live centers

#16

Re: Why not just replace the bearings?

Dwight Rutherford

My cover is RH thread.

Bearings slid out of the housing and then off the shaft. Close fit, otherwise one would get vibration from the get go.

The old bearings had the code on them.

If in doubt about the bearings, you can call VXB. They are very helpful.

Re: Live centers

#17

Do you lock the quill?

Dick Coers

I can get vibration on my Delta midi if I don't lock the quill on the tailstock. Just wondering.

Re: Live centers

#18

yep

Mike Foster

I tried just about everything that I could think of (short of replacing the bearings) and didn't help. Like I said in the original post, once I replaced the oneway LC with an old no-name I had kicking around the vibration magically disappeared. I would have expected the reverse. I do sometimes support a thin spindle in the center as the material will almost always have a little flex which will cause vibration there, but not at the headstock and tailstock ends. I may go ahead and replace the bearings on the oneway as well, but I've already placed an order with Brent.

Re: Live centers

#20

Re: Live center set at Shars *LINK*

Dave Paine

I was looking at Shars for some things for the metal lathe and saw this live centre set. Likely designed for metal lathes so although it states "medium duty" from the specs it looks like heavy duty for a wood lathe.

A good set of different tips.

Three bearings, one of which is a thrust bearing.

After replacing the bearings in my OneWay live centre, I think the Shars live centre design is better than the OneWay.


http://www.shars.com/2mt-medium-duty-live-center-set

Re: Live centers

#21

Dennis in Southern Oregon

Re: Live center set at Shars

Dennis in Southern Oregon

The price looks good and the spec's look good except for one thing: It does not a half inch threaded nipple for attaching other components. I find this feature invaluable in my Oneway and would not consider buying a live center that does not have it at any price.