Interesting drive center

Re: Interesting drive center

john lucas

Get a #2 Morse taper extension and just put one of the safety drive centers in it. I think Craft Supplies sells those centers and you can buy Morse taper extensions from any metal supply house such as Enco or Grizzly.

Safety drive center all right

Dick Coers

I watched Derek at SOFA one year. I'd wager he tightened the tailstock and tailstock lock 2,000 times during the one hour demo. Well maybe not that many times, but it sure seemed like it!

My favorite part of that video, holding the wood with a bare hand while burning highlights with a propane torch! HOT, HOT, HOT!

Re: Interesting drive center *LINK*

Clifton C

I do what John said, it's a little less expensive then the Vermec.

A safety drive can be made with a #2 MT to #2 JT drill chuck arbor.

If you anneal the #2JT you can cut it with a HSS scraper and shape it to the dimensions of your live center. That way, if you flip a piece end for end, it lines up fairly close.

For the pin, I cut off some of the shank of the drill bit I used to drill the hole in the drive.

Sharpen to a point and ca glue in place.

cc


Vermec

Re: Interesting drive center

rch

Robust sells these as a "cup style drive center", for far less than the Vermec. I've used the Robust one in a weeklong class with Derek at Arrowmont. This type of drive center is essential for safety in his approach to multiaxis turning.

Re: Interesting drive center

Lyle Jamieson

The Robust is all I use, see the details on my web site store or the YouTube video I did on a Robust review.

Re: Safety drive center all right

Lyle Jamieson

Not a problem with slipping with the larger cup that I use with the Robust drive

That's the old dead center from the

JamieDonaldson

...tailstock end that was all we had before modern live centers appeared. We older turners knew to lube it with oil to prevent "fire by friction" and I have modified one for a safe drive by grinding a few notches in the outer ring.

Re: That's the old dead center from the

Ralph Lindberg

I actually drive with a dead center any time the spindle has a hollow center (like tool handles)

It does force a light touch.

Re: That's the old dead center from the

Brad Vietje

I've used one for years, though mine is a lot shorter -- it barely sticks out of the spindle nose. A safe way to drive spindle stock, especially for beginners. Get a catch, and almost nothing happens -- wood stops, no broken face shields, no ballistics.

I lost my original (which i got for $9.95 from Sears about 15 years ago), and now use one with a spring-loaded center point for alignment.

I would not let a beginner use anything else.

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje

Newbury, VT