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Looking for threaded tail stock

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Hi all - pretty new to turning and am wanting to try duplicating a hollow vessel that is shown in the book “The Fundamentals of Wood Turning” by James Rodgers. I have a Nova 16-24 II lathe that uses a 1-1/4” thread on the headstock. The author shows making the vessel in two parts, with half on the headstock and one on the tailstock. That allows the latter to be easily placed on the headstock later on.

Well, my question is where to get a “live center with lathe threads” that will fit the 1-1/4” Nova headstock?
 

Bill Boehme

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I haven't looked at the article yet, but there are several live centers with ¾ X 16 threads (Oneway, Robust, Powermatic) and at least a couple sources for adapters (Oneway and Best Wood Tools). There are probably alternate ways of accomplishing this task, but these are tools that you will find useful for many other projects in the future.
 
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If you can't find a live center for the tail stock with matching threads you could find a threaded bushing adapter that has a female thread that screws onto the live center adapter and has the male thread that matches your head stock thread. These are usually readily available as lathe chuck bushings that are made to adapt to various threads used on wood lathe spindles to accept different makes of chucks.
 
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Here's how to get a live center with 1 1/4 x 8TPI threads that rotates, but it requires buying these two parts.

This PSI Live Tailstock Chuck Adapter for $34.95 which only comes in 1"x8TPI size. Oddly PSI doesn't sell a version with 1 1/4 x 8TPI threads, or provide an adapter for upsizing this to 1 1/4.
PSI_Live_Tailstock.jpg
Crafts Supplies sells the upsizing adapter Turners Select Spindle Adapter 1"-8 TPI to 1-1/4"-8 TPI for $21.95, but it's currently out of stock until Oct. 31. This upsizing adapter is hard to find and can go out of stock quickly. Get this ordered as soon as it's back in stock, or see if you can get one placed on back order.
ts_spi_ada_1_8_tpi_to_1_1-4_8_tpi.jpg
Note: Any chuck or adapter which can be spun off should be drilled and tapped for a set screw if you plan on running the lathe in reverse.

You might find other uses for these items like mounting a 1-1/4" chuck on a mini-lathe having 1" spindle threads. Also, several turners use the PSI Live Center for reverse mounting a bowl onto a vacuum chuck like this example:
ReverseChucking.jpg
 

RichColvin

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When they state, “perfect alignment”, all I can say is “bwa ha ha ha”. Moving threads to threads won’t give that. Moving a Morse taper to Morse taper gets much better, but not perfect.
 

Bill Boehme

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When they state, “perfect alignment”, all I can say is “bwa ha ha ha”. Moving threads to threads won’t give that. Moving a Morse taper to Morse taper gets much better, but not perfect.

That's right. Threads are for fastening, not alignment. Machine tapers are used when accurate alignment is needed.
 

john lucas

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I have the Oneway threaded adaptor and it works great for putting stuff on the vacuum chuck. I also have the Bestwoodtools adaptor that is not a live center, it has a #2 morse taper on one end and your thread size on the other. These adaptors align things well enough. What throws things off is the rubber vacuum seal on the vacuum chucks. I have tried at least 4 or 5 different materials and all will compress just a little and throw the bowl off. Not really much of a problem because I'm usually turning the foot and can blend in any offset in the first 1/2" or so outside the foot.
 
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Its nice to have a metal lathe in the shop. My adapter is machined so the threads stop an 1/8" short of the seat. That 1/8" is smooth and machined .001 under the chuck diameter. Than the chuck seats against the flat portion. I put three bearings in to insure it runs true. To my surprise there was a little run out but it doesn't hurt anything. Aim small and miss small, but I can always blame the tailstock.

DSCF9021.JPG
 
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That's right. Threads are for fastening, not alignment. Machine tapers are used when accurate alignment is needed.

Bill, Rich, The Turners Select Spindle Adapter was the only off the shelf solution that I could find for making a 'live center' with 1 1/4 x 8 threads as the original poster requested. A dead center must be removed before truing up the piece, but a live center can be left on for a period to help with safety (turning between centers). I really think the adapter route would work decently enough until Larry can get his live center into the market. :)
 
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Leo, I was surprised to see the adapter cost $45 which doesn't seem like much compared to their Live Center package ($110). Still it's nice to see this other option especially if you already have or need the Live Center. Thanks for sharing the pics.
 

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Has anyone used the Oneway live center adapter on a Powermatic lathe? It looks really great, & I’m interested in feedback.

Rich
 
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Rich, my adapter is from Bestwoodtools.com used on the O/W live center knockoff. Lathe is a 3520A. My method is to put the bowl or plater face down on the bench (chuck still attached) then screw the live center with adapter to the chuck, then put that into the tailstock and bring it up to the vacuum bell without the vacuum on. Power on to spin the bowl, then advance and retract the quill ever so slightly till the bowl finds its center and runs true, sometimes it takes a few tries, then turn on the vacuum. The vacuum might pull the live center out of the quill so you may have to take up the slack. Most of the time this works, if not, I just bump the bowl into position with the heel of my hand. I think Gary's right about the sag.
 
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RichColvin

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I just wondered if it generally works well or not.
 
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It works to get you really close, if really close is good, you're done. If you need really really close, or really really really close, it needs operator input...
 
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