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Longer Live center?

Bobby Smith

Bobby Smith

Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
252
Likes
159
Location
Omaha, TX
I'm looking for a longer live center for my tailstock so I can get closer to the end of my work. I'm doing some craft stuff like kitchen stuff for my family for Christmas. I have to TBC some of them but my live center is pretty large with no play in the head. I chuck up the wood so lately I've just been moving the tailstock back to do the end work. Can anyone suggest a decent live center. I was looking at something like these 2 on the bay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MT2-Live-C...062319&hash=item1cd088a532:g:584AAOSwx7hc~ppQ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MT2-Heavy-...286694?hash=item1f00e977a6:g:fDkAAOSw5DRdbeBJ
 
I got one from Craft Supplies USA. Check the catalog to see if it is what you want. By the way, they are having 15% off right now.
 
Bobby, I've used the live center that is shown in your second link. The bearings didn't last very long and the live center had some runout. I'm extremely happy with my Robust live center. It is more expensive but if you go with a cheaper live center you'll probably go through them and will cost you the same anyway. I hear the Oneway live centers are an excellent choice as well.
 
Bobby, the CSUSA one I have that extends out pretty nicely is the Multi-Tip Revolving Center, item # 105-507. If you would like, I can take some measurements for you.
 
Do a search for "CNC live center". Different styles but a lot of them come with a double taper nose which allows good access.

I stole the one I'm using from my metal lathe. I looked and its no longer in production.
 
I have the Nova and still get crowded. The bearing hub is about 1.5 inches in diameter and still gets in the way. I thought about making a bushing to fit over the pointed nose that would extend things a bit.

Another thing I think might come in handy is a live center with a drill chuck on the end. It might not be all that sturdy but I could change all kinds of points for lighter pieces. Would be easy to make some points too.
 
I have 3 of the Jet/ Powermatic and the club has a One Way. I would recommend either and the extensions Al showed will give you all the extension you will need. Plus all these center come with a set of cones which are handy. The Pm comes with a reversing cone (hole all the way through).
 
If you have a live center with a set screw and removeable point you can purchase a piece of round steel rod the same diameter and make a longer point that fits into your live center and grind a center point on the round rod. You can chuck the rod up onto your lathe and use a grinder to hone a center point on the rod.
 
Damon McLaughlin said:
Gary, at first glance I thought you had an interesting custom machined extension. On my second look, well, that's just ingenious. Now I have to go get my socket and socket extension and put it by the lathe. Thanks for sharing!!!
Click to expand...
Its an 18mm socket and the center is a oneway, the socket just fits over the threaded section. You might want to find a rubber plug or cane tip to fit the other end to minimize marking.
 
Dan Bevilacqua said:
Bobby, the CSUSA one I have that extends out pretty nicely is the Multi-Tip Revolving Center, item # 105-507. If you would like, I can take some measurements for you.
Click to expand...
That would be great Dan. The pointed one would be the one I might be able to use. My present live center is like the cone style.
 
Mike Johnson said:
If you have a live center with a set screw and removeable point you can purchase a piece of round steel rod the same diameter and make a longer point that fits into your live center and grind a center point on the round rod. You can chuck the rod up onto your lathe and use a grinder to hone a center point on the rod.
Click to expand...
I only have one live center at present and it is a cup live center. It doesn't come apart.
 
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Bobby Smith said:
That would be great Dan. The pointed one would be the one I might be able to use. My present live center is like the cone style.
Click to expand...

The overall length of the live center with the long point on is about 6.75" long. I also measured with the live center in the tailstock with the long point attached. It is about 4.25" from the end of the ram to the point. The diameter of the reduced part of the live center is 1.115", while the bigger diameter is 1.565".

With that long point, I get good clearance between the live center and the work piece. Works very well.
 
Bobby Smith said:
I'm looking for a longer live center for my tailstock so I can get closer to the end of my work. I'm doing some craft stuff like kitchen stuff for my family for Christmas. I have to TBC some of them but my live center is pretty large with no play in the head. I chuck up the wood so lately I've just been moving the tailstock back to do the end work. Can anyone suggest a decent live center. I was looking at something like these 2 on the bay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MT2-Live-C...062319&hash=item1cd088a532:g:584AAOSwx7hc~ppQ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MT2-Heavy-...286694?hash=item1f00e977a6:g:fDkAAOSw5DRdbeBJ
Click to expand...

Mike Hunter, from Hunter tools makes a nice live center extender. I use it often. Fits the one way and Robust type.
 
Dan Bevilacqua said:
The overall length of the live center with the long point on is about 6.75" long. I also measured with the live center in the tailstock with the long point attached. It is about 4.25" from the end of the ram to the point. The diameter of the reduced part of the live center is 1.115", while the bigger diameter is 1.565".

With that long point, I get good clearance between the live center and the work piece. Works very well.
Click to expand...
Thanks Dan! That sounds like good clearance. The pic doesn't make it look that long. So I'm also waiting for Grizzly to answer me a length question about a Long Point Center they carry also. Thanks everyone for the opinions and help!
 
“To get closer to your work”, I use a oneway live center(any threaded live center works) and an extended point by Cindy Drozda. http://www.cindydrozda.com/html/CenterPoints.html . Alternatively you can look into rubberchucky.com for getting closer for finial solutions. I personally never had an issue using cone centers in wood, but I favor using a ring with a point for better distribution of forces. The cones and points tend to dig deeper in the wood which results in turning away more waste.
 
Bobby Smith said:
I'm looking for a longer live center for my tailstock so I can get closer to the end of my work. I'm doing some craft stuff like kitchen stuff for my family for Christmas. I have to TBC some of them but my live center is pretty large with no play in the head. I chuck up the wood so lately I've just been moving the tailstock back to do the end work. Can anyone suggest a decent live center. I was looking at something like these 2 on the bay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MT2-Live-C...062319&hash=item1cd088a532:g:584AAOSwx7hc~ppQ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MT2-Heavy-...286694?hash=item1f00e977a6:g:fDkAAOSw5DRdbeBJ
Click to expand...

TBC? - John
 
Dennis Weiner said:
“To get closer to your work”, I use a oneway live center(any threaded live center works) and an extended point by Cindy Drozda. http://www.cindydrozda.com/html/CenterPoints.html . Alternatively you can look into rubberchucky.com for getting closer for finial solutions. I personally never had an issue using cone centers in wood, but I favor using a ring with a point for better distribution of forces. The cones and points tend to dig deeper in the wood which results in turning away more waste.
Click to expand...

So this is what I'm talking about. I'm doing some kitchen tool turnings for the mom and sis for Christmas. The pizza cutter is done between centers. It also has a 1/2" hole drilled thru it, so a longer center is needed to stay further away from the end. My cone center basically bumps right up to it flush. The other 3 have tubes so I was able to turn them on my mandrell. I have 2 different designs I'm doing for each one. My cone that came with my lathe has about a 1/2" cone that covers a lot of my end work besides the bearing base also being too close to the work. Luckily, the wood is short enough that I just moved the tailstock back so I could work the end easier. So I'm just wanting the longer live center to prevent having to stop and move the tailstock out of the way and just keep going. for any future projects. I attached a pic so you can see my end and why I need one that will let be get further back.
Set 2 copy.jpg
 
image.jpg image.jpg
Nice looking handles. There are many ways to skin a cat as the expression goes. If I get a project that is difficult to work at the tailstock, I may start with a longer blank and reduce the waste which may be more economical then investing in more equipment. You can also buy a pen tip from oneway that fits into their live center shown above. That extends the tip with a small cone that will fit in your half inch hole. The 2nd photo shows an extended point similar to what Cindy offers but that is about 3/8 inch. The pen cone is about 3/4”. If the tailstock is in the way, I use morsetaper extenders.
 
I was coring a black walnut root ball and decided to drill a hole for a worm screw before I cored, then looking at the hole inspiration struck. I have hex adaptors for my sockets and the hex end fits nicely in the 5/16” hole for the worm screw, just pop it into the extension and it keeps it centered easily while coring.2960495E-C945-43BD-B41C-A13F8ECFED0E.jpeg
 
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