Source for 1"x6 live center with drawbar

[iclark]

I would like to try turning some spindles between 2 collet chucks. It seems like I could get better results if I have the spindle in tension when turning. I have the Woodriver collet set for the headstock and the LV collet set that I would like to use at the tailstock.

I have one of the Penn State 2MT live centers with a 1"x8 end but it is not tapped for a drawbar. Whatever that insert is at the end of the MT, it does not seem to want to be removed.

I am looking for a similar live center that is tapped for a drawbar. My google-fu is failing me

Does anyone know of a source? or of a 2MT live center collet chuck that is tapped for a drawbar?

[SceneryMaker]

You will also have to figure out how to attach that live center to your piece so that it will carry loads in tension. Every center that I know of works in compression.

You say that you have better luck with your part in tension. How did you do that? I would like to try it but don't know how.

[n7bsn]

What I do is.... I have a jacob's-chuck on a live center, the inside of the MT#2 is tapped for 1/4-20 for the draw-bar.
I turn under compression until the work (usually a finial) is getting thin and wobbly, then back the tail-stock off slightly.

I've seen these at PennState, Enco, Sherline, etc. But you might have to tap the MT

[Arlin Eastman]

I have drilled and tapped them myself and pretty easy to do.

[iclark]

You will also have to figure out how to attach that live center to your piece so that it will carry loads in tension.  Every center that I know of works in compression.

You say that you have better luck with your part in tension.  How did you do that?  I would like to try it but don't know how.

 I was trying to say that  think that I will have better luck with the spindles in tension. I know that I have trouble with them in compression. Finding the sweet spot where there is enough pressure to hold without so much that the spindle bows is hard for me. The spring-loaded points in the stebcenter-type centers always seems to be too much compression if I use the spurs at all.

Some of the newer live centers use thrust bearings that are set up for compression. The the less advanced ones (as I understand it) use ball bearings that are equally strong in compression and in tension.

I have used the PSI live center that I linked to with a small chuck for doing the initial turn for inside-out ornaments. Putting a light tension on the tailstock did seem to hold the four pieces together better than when I put them in compression.

edited to add: The reason that I am looking for the 1"x8 is because that is what the LV collet chuck takes to mount and hold.

[Isaw]

Something like this?  Made it a while back for a different purpose.  I threaded the mt 3/8"-16 to hold a socket head cap screw to make sure it self ejects from a couple of different lathes but it could be used with a drawbar.  The other end is threaded 1-1/4"-8.

I'm thinking you will have to go to somebody to have one custom made.  I only have old manual metal working lathes and it would be cost prohibitive for me to make one.

[Arlin Eastman]

Larry

I love that one and agree that I also have never seen one.

Iven

I seen Ruth Niles sell a 1/4" drawbar for holding things in the head stock

http://nilesbottlestoppers.com/Woodturning.html

Go down the page and see if the MT will fit what you are discribing

[iclark]

Larry,
That is the idea that I am looking for. I definitely understand about the cost-prohibitive thought.


Arlin,
I am not set up to drill the small end of an MT2 right now and setting up the tools to do it is way down on my HoneyDo list.

Thanks for the pointer to Ruth's site. I had not looked at it in a long time. I was really happy to find the HowTo for the stocking cap stopper. She had told me the Forstner bit size when I talked to her in Atlanta, but there was so much incoming info that weekend that it did not stick.
I can pick up some 1/4-20 threaded rod for making a drawbar for her standard mandrel. I think that I may already have one from her for the minilathe. If you have not seen them yet, her new 9000-series stoppers are really nice in both metals. She said that she did them for people looking for stoppers for whisky/whiskey bottles but that they also work well for most wine bottles.

I do already have 3/8" drawbars from Best Wood Tools for my Jet 1014 and for my Jet 1642. I suspect that between those 2 lengths that I also have my other lathes covered.


At this point, I think that I am going to pick up some mineral spirits and some acetone and do a really thorough cleaning job on the MT2 on the PSI live center that I have and on the tailstock socket. Then see how much tension I can put on the live center with the taper fit. I also will see if that tip on the PSI live center will stick to a magnet. If so, I may try rigging a magnetic tip drawbar.