Sorby vs China steb center

[Raif Harik]

Hi, a recent thread got me interested in steb centers. It seems that there are two brands out there sorby steb centers which are around $80 and Chinese steb centers which are around $20.
Now I'm no fan of exporting us jobs to a autocratic 1st world power to be performed by children. But that ship has sailed. I'm willing to spend more on better tools or better quality. But is there really $60 worth of better quality in a steb center?

 

[Michael Brown]

Much of the problem is not the steb, rather the mt2 is a distant resemblance to an accurate taper. Taiwan machined mt2 seems to be more hit than miss, but mainland production might as well be a snowcone. Penn state is about as imported as I have been successful.

 

[hockenbery]

Hi, a recent thread got me interested in steb centers. It seems that there are two brands out there sorby steb centers which are around $80 and Chinese steb centers which are around $20.

Unless you are convinced you like steb centers more. I’d suggest the ONEWAY safe center. I use it all the time for spindle and multi center turning. I like it a lot more than a steb.
Has advanages over a steb:
matches my tailstock center I can flip a piece end to end
If I’m doing an index layout. I can loosen the tailstock a bit a spin the piece to line up a grain pattern with the zero index.
Recenters pieces you take off the lathe perfectly. theoretically a steb recenters - in practice they rarely do. The little dents in the wood either deform or only line up in one spot on the steb.

ONEWAY center

https://oneway.ca/index.php?route=product/category&path=59_75_107_121

A useful alternative is the robust with added features

Cup Center w/Bowl Drive Set – Robust Tools

 

[john lucas]

I bought the 1" one from pennstateind. works great. I was also given a sorby 1/2". I use it for spindles abd the center top spring was too strong. caused chatter on thin spindles. I took it apart and ground off 1 link. works great now.

 

[Jon Rista]

Unless you are convinced you like steb centers more. I’d suggest the ONEWAY safe center. I use it all the time for spindle and multi center turning. I like it a lot more than a steb.
Has advanages over a steb:
matches my tailstock center I can flip a piece end to end
If I’m doing an index layout. I can loosen the tailstock a bit a spin the piece to line up a grain pattern with the zero index.
Recenters pieces you take off the lathe perfectly. theoretically a steb recenters - in practice they rarely do. The little dents in the wood either deform or only line up in one spot on the steb.

ONEWAY center

https://oneway.ca/index.php?route=product/category&path=59_75_107_121

A useful alternative is the robust with added features

Cup Center w/Bowl Drive Set – Robust Tools

This is interesting. I do have problems realigning if I take a blank off the stebs I have. I am curious...how do these centers hold onto the wood? The rim of the center here appears smooth...does that not allow the wood to spin if you hit a different density or catch?

EDIT:

NVM. Apparently that is expressly the design:

"Because there are no aggressive teeth on the Safe Driver (as there are on Spur Drivers), if the turner gets a catch while working, the wood merely stops spinning while the Safe Driver keeps turning. Avoiding catches in this way allows a turner to work with much more confidence."

 

[Brian Gustin]

Unless you are convinced you like steb centers more. I’d suggest the ONEWAY safe center. I use it all the time for spindle and multi center turning. I like it a lot more than a steb.
Has advanages over a steb:
matches my tailstock center I can flip a piece end to end
If I’m doing an index layout. I can loosen the tailstock a bit a spin the piece to line up a grain pattern with the zero index.
Recenters pieces you take off the lathe perfectly. theoretically a steb recenters - in practice they rarely do. The little dents in the wood either deform or only line up in one spot on the steb.

ONEWAY center

https://oneway.ca/index.php?route=product/category&path=59_75_107_121

A useful alternative is the robust with added features

Cup Center w/Bowl Drive Set – Robust Tools

I just wish I could find one that you can chuck up in your scroll chuck - much like the screw centers that come with many chuck kits... I have the steb center version, but have yet to find a cup center version..

 

[hockenbery]

This is interesting. I do have problems realigning if I take a blank off the stebs I have. I am curious...how do these centers hold onto the wood? The rim of the center here appears smooth...does that not allow the wood to spin if you hit a different density or catch

I think you arrived at an answer. I’ll add
They hold with tailstock pressure. There are slight tapers on the cups that reinforce the holding power.
They will slip occasionally - 1/8 or 1/4 turn on the tailstock fixes that.

If you get a catch or move the tool rest into the spinning wood the cup center will slip

 

[Roger Wiegand]

I just wish I could find one that you can chuck up in your scroll chuck - much like the screw centers that come with many chuck kits... I have the steb center version, but have yet to find a cup center version..

I use the one I got from Robust in my Vicmarc chucks all the time. Just push it in until it bottoms on the bottom plate of the chuck jaws and tighten. May not be designed for that use, but works perfectly well.

 

[John Kananis]

Unless you are convinced you like steb centers more. I’d suggest the ONEWAY safe center. I use it all the time for spindle and multi center turning. I like it a lot more than a steb.
Has advanages over a steb:
matches my tailstock center I can flip a piece end to end
If I’m doing an index layout. I can loosen the tailstock a bit a spin the piece to line up a grain pattern with the zero index.
Recenters pieces you take off the lathe perfectly. theoretically a steb recenters - in practice they rarely do. The little dents in the wood either deform or only line up in one spot on the steb.

ONEWAY center

https://oneway.ca/index.php?route=product/category&path=59_75_107_121

A useful alternative is the robust with added features

Cup Center w/Bowl Drive Set – Robust Tools

I love mine for exactly this reason and you can file the round part to have detents (I've not done that) but if I'm not flipping the piece or don't want too much tailstock pressure, I totally prefer the steb center.

 

[Kevin Jesequel]

Unless you are convinced you like steb centers more. I’d suggest the ONEWAY safe center. I use it all the time for spindle and multi center turning. I like it a lot more than a steb.
Has advanages over a steb:
matches my tailstock center I can flip a piece end to end
If I’m doing an index layout. I can loosen the tailstock a bit a spin the piece to line up a grain pattern with the zero index.
Recenters pieces you take off the lathe perfectly. theoretically a steb recenters - in practice they rarely do. The little dents in the wood either deform or only line up in one spot on the steb.

ONEWAY center

https://oneway.ca/index.php?route=product/category&path=59_75_107_121

A useful alternative is the robust with added features

Cup Center w/Bowl Drive Set – Robust Tools

I’ll second what Al said. I use the Oneway safety center for everything except really large blanks (and then I use the Robust version with the larger “bowl drive” attached). And if it slips, you just tighten the tailstock. With a steb, you need to stop and clean out the teeth. A steb will also “drill” into your piece every time it slips.

 

[Brent@TurnRobust]

I use the one I got from Robust in my Vicmarc chucks all the time. Just push it in until it bottoms on the bottom plate of the chuck jaws and tighten. May not be designed for that use, but works perfectly well.

Not to promote our products, but the Robust "cup drive" as we call it, has a short straight section on it that is designed to be grabbed by the chuck jaws. Moderators, you know what to do if I've overstepped.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Not to promote our products, but the Robust "cup drive" as we call it, has a short straight section on it that is designed to be grabbed by the chuck jaws. Moderators, you know what to do if I've overstepped.

Hope they don't - That's the info I couldn't find when looking at it before, so didn't know if they could chuck up to my Nova chucks... Added one to my amazon saved for later list, next time I need to blow some extra cash, I'll get one.

 

[Don Stephan]

As a result of so many positive statements I purchased a safe center. I don't find it suitable for production skew work - onstantly slips on my PM 4224 no mattter the tailstock pressure. Not saying one shouldn't use it, just not for me.

 

[John K Jordan]

Hi, a recent thread got me interested in steb centers. It seems that there are two brands out there sorby steb centers which are around $80 and Chinese steb centers which are around $20.
Now I'm no fan of exporting us jobs to a autocratic 1st world power to be performed by children. But that ship has sailed. I'm willing to spend more on better tools or better quality. But is there really $60 worth of better quality in a steb center?

I"m a fan of the Sorby steb center; I've tried most of the others including several with the smooth rims. Some I've tried don't have spring-loaded centers - a HUGE minus for me.
I'm not one to decide based on price, even if it appears to be the identical. (does the cheap one have the same specs, including the spring-loaded point?) You forgot to include links to the cheap ones so others can look.

The cheap inport may be perfect, maybe you can be the guinea pig. But if not perfect, you may have a $60+ headache. And is it made with high quality materials that will last a lifetime?
I know the Sorbys work well and have for many years for me. I use one of the two sizes on most of what I turn.
I also bought the one you grip with the chuck. I don't much care for it.

I personally would go for the Sorby. It may cost more but like other quality tools, you only pay once.
BTW, the Sorby Steb drive and live centers of the same size do match up perfectly when the blank is flipped end to end although I've rarely had the desire to do that. I have the 1/2" set and the 3/4" set.
To part with them you'd have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands. Or wait till my mind is gone and just tell my wife you want them!


JKJ

 

[Jamie Straw]

As a result of so many positive statements I purchased a safe center. I don't find it suitable for production skew work - onstantly slips on my PM 4224 no mattter the tailstock pressure. Not saying one shouldn't use it, just not for me.

I "liked" this post and then reread it. I've not used the Oneway Safe Center, but have seen the Axminster cup center set in action under heavy skew and French bedan use. Only slips if there's a catch. (On my Christmas List, not a Steb fan)

 

[Dave Landers]

Here's my (relatively short) experience with the Sorby Steb centers. I purchased a (still in package) 7/8" set from someone on the forum this summer. I have a MT2 drive center, a drive center to go in a chuck, and a live center.

Things I like:

• The spring-loaded center pin. It sticks out enough and the spring is strong enough to let you center and spin a blank (of reasonable size) without engaging the teeth. As has been mentioned, the spring is pretty strong, so not appropriate for smaller spindles.
• While the teeth on the live center aren't really that useful (vs, say, a cup), but they match the drive centers so I can flip a blank around and it lines up pretty well.
• I like the idea of the chuck-mounted drive center, but find I don't use it much (see below) and it's not too hard to swap a morse drive with a chuck. I'm not usually in that much of a hurry these days.

I don't like:

• The groove in the chuck-mount drive center doesn't match my Vicmarc jaws (it's gripped by the center of the jaws, near the slides, not the dovetails). The groove is too narrow and gets stuck on the jaws, have to whack it with the chuck key handle to get it off. I haven't got around to attempting to resize the groove.
• When I first used the live center (from its original packaging), it got really hot. Discovered this when I rested my hand on it - ow. The spinny part was pressing against the stationary body. I had to take it apart, chuck it up, and remove a couple thousandths to give it clearance to spin.
• My drive center needs to sit on a flat/square end. Otherwise it wobbles (and so does the blank). Could be due to my "modification" but I really didn't take off that much material. I rarely have nice square flat pieces. So I usually use the Steb drive center with my "standard" PM/Jet/Oneway-style live centers - and loose the advantage of flipping the blank around (the pin in the Steb center is larger and goes deeper than the standard live center, so things don't always line up perfectly.

These are my observations, my experiences, and are affected by what I bought (still in package, but not new/recent) as well as what (and how) I turn. My $0.02 (USD).

Overall, I like having these as an option when mounting blanks, but I wouldn't want them to be the only option.

 

[Bill Alston]

I rarely use taper tooling in the headstock. I bought the Sorby Chuck mounted Steb centre, saves removing the chuck.
Lots of places now make “Crown Centres”, I even made one of my own for a revolving centre.

 

[Bernie Kopfer]

I have and use both the Sorby and Asian steb drives. In practice I don’t detect a difference. The quality of the visible workmanship is somewhat evident, but immaterial in my experience to their performance.

 

[John K Jordan]

When I first used the live center (from its original packaging), it got really hot.

Neither of my two Sorby steb live centers get hot with use.

As I mentioned, I don’t like the center held in a chuck. It has the disadvantages of using a chuck including the spinning jaw finger/tool nippers when working in tight places, then extra length of the chuck, and the possible seating problems if everything else is not perfect.

I’m glad they offer different options for all these center tools so everyone can be happy!

(This thread finally inspired me to finally order the one set of Sorby stebs I don’t have, the 1-1/4” drive and live, both with #2MT.)

The spring-loaded center pin. It sticks out enough and the spring is strong enough to let you center and spin a blank (of reasonable size) without engaging the teeth. As has been mentioned, the spring is pretty strong, so not appropriate for smaller spindles.

I do use the spring-loaded point for even very thin spindles. As shown in my thin spindle document, I leave a narrow “button” on the thin end to keep the point away from the very thin end (sometimes the ends are 1/16” diam or so and the point might not be appropriate, spring-loaded or not.) This button is a bit wider in diameter than the 1/2” step live center and provides excellent support. For very hard and possibly brittle wood, I also drill a small hole in the “button” spindle before mounting to allow room for the point. I don’t use a drill bit but a hand-held gimlet. This drills a conical hole in the end and prevents any pressure from the spring to compromise the thin spindle. I leave the “button” until I’m done with the spindle, thing it a bit with a skew, then cut it off with a fine saw to prevent any fiber tearout from letting ie break off.

JKJ

 

[John K Jordan]

Hi, a recent thread got me interested in steb centers. It seems that there are two brands out there sorby steb centers which are around $80 and Chinese steb centers which are around $20.
Now I'm no fan of exporting us jobs to a autocratic 1st world power to be performed by children. But that ship has sailed. I'm willing to spend more on better tools or better quality. But is there really $60 worth of better quality in a steb center?

I"m a fan of the Sorby steb center; I've tried most of the others including several with the smooth centers. Some I've tried don't have spring-loaded centers - a HUGE minus for me.
I'm not one to decide based on price, even if it appears to be the identical. (does the cheap one have the same specs, including the spring-loaded point?) You forgot to include links to the cheap ones so others can look.

The cheap inport may be perfect, maybe you can be the guinea pig. But if not perfect, you may have a $60+ headache. And is it made with high quality materials that will last a lifetime?
I know the Sorbys work well and have for many years for me. I use one of the two sizes on most of what I turn.
I also bought the one you grip with the chuck. I don't much care for it.

I personally would go for the Sorby. It may cost more but like other quality tools, you only buy once.
Oh, the Sorby Steb drive and live centers of the same size do match up perfectly when the blank is flipped end to end although I've rarely done that. I have the 1/2" set and the 3/4" set.
To part with them you'd have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands. Or wait till my mind is gone and just tell my wife you want them!

JKJ

 

[John K Jordan]

I have the steb center version, but have yet to find a cup center version..

I supposed you could mount the steb in the chuck, turn on the lathe at a slow speed, and grind off the teeth with a Dremel or something and make it into a cup center.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Centers held in the 4-jaw chuck- I can't measure things to the .000 of an inch, but I imagine (I have no data) a geared chuck and its adjustibilty can create a variability away from a repeatable true center that a morse tapered fitting doesn't suffer from. This is meaningful if removing and reattaching the wood and the chuck-held drive center. It is a non-issue if your turning project on a chuck-held center is a one-and-done process.

If an actual dead cup center can still be found (such as what was provided as the tailstock center [#1 MT] on the old Sears Craftsman monotube bed lathes of the 1980s and 90s, and Robust sells one today), using a Dremel to grind 3 or 4 evenly spaced scallops into the outer ring results in a good headstock drive center that has more bite that a full ring, but not like the teeth of a Steb. Below is one I modified around 1998, #2 morse taper, after I replaced my Sears monotube with a Jet mini. No idea where I bought it from- Craft Supplies or Packard, I'd guess. No such thing as Amazon back then.

A Oneway Safe Center came with my Oneway 1224 earlier this year. I've used it a few times, and it does, as it claims, force improved tool control from the user, but it is so easy to stop the wood from spinning, esp. if the wood has some mass to it. Working on a long spindle to make a walking stick this weekend, I has to swap to my scalloped cup center to finish the job. I may take the Dremel to the Safe Center.

 

[John K Jordan]

Centers held in the 4-jaw chuck- I can't measure things to the .000 of an inch, but I imagine (I have no data) a geared chuck and its adjustibilty can create a variability away from a repeatable true center that a morse tapered fitting doesn't suffer from. This is meaningful if removing and reattaching the wood and the chuck-held drive center.

Maybe a bit off the point, but if one encounters a project where it might be useful to remove the spindle from the lathe then remount it with perfect registration every time, consider the method I use: turn a short #2MT on the end of the spindle that fits the lathe MT. Perhaps more useful for thinner spindles than thick ones, it eliminates both the drive spindle or a chuck. I cut short MTs on nearly every thin spindle I turn, both for a secure drive (it can’t slip due to poor tool control) and I can take the piece off the lathe and remount and continue where I left off 10 minutes or a week later. It has a second advantage of adding stiffness to the thin spindle that turning between centers can’t provide. I’ve been working this way for many years - the simple method of creating the MT on the end of a spindle is documented in an appendix in my Thin Spindle PDF document here in the Tutorials/Tips section.

I make a lot of short 2MTs for other reasons. For example, the incredibly useful Nova live center has a fat 2MT point that can be knocked out and wooden shop made attachments can be mounted in its place for a variety of special holding functions. I would hate to work without this so I bought a second Nova live center to keep on hand.

(And BTW, a simple inexpensive dial indicator and magnetic base will let you measure concentricity to a thousandth of an inch. I use one to check chucks and centers and things and to aid in aligning mult-part turnings.)

JKJ

 

[Bill Blasic]

I have and use the Nova steb centers which are used in conjunction with any of the Nova 4 jaw chucks. 3 sizes and they work flawlessly.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Centers held in the 4-jaw chuck- I can't measure things to the .000 of an inch, but I imagine (I have no data) a geared chuck and its adjustibilty can create a variability away from a repeatable true center that a morse tapered fitting doesn't suffer from. This is meaningful if removing and reattaching the wood and the chuck-held drive center. It is a non-issue if your turning project on a chuck-held center is a one-and-done process.

For the vast majority of the times I use mine (Steb center that chucks into my nova jaws) I'll only be using it long enough to get a blank roughly trued up and cut a tenon/recess on tailstock end, so I can then just pop it out and chuck it up in whichever jaws I've already got mounted.. if I was doing a project (usually involving spindle turning) that simply wouldn't work well with the 4-jaw chuck in the way, I'd pop chuck off and use one of my MT2 drive centers. So in one way I can agree with your point, but in another, it is easy enough to eyeball any runout in the point of the center once chucked up , and adjust as needed (you can visually detect the runout at the sharp point when it's spinning 1000 RPM or so if your lighting and vision is good, because the point becomes "blurry" when spinning if it isn't running true.)

 

[Raif Harik]

Yea, I should have known this would be a can of worms .
I currently have a spur drive? I guess it's called with 4 wings and it's pretty wonky. Like Brian and others I generally use the drive to true up a crazy shaped piece of wood and get a tenon on it. Ultimately what I am coming away from this with is, I should get a cheepo ( making sure it has a spring point ) and if if I like it great. If it's good enough quality great. If I hate it great it was cheep, if the quality sucks, perhaps not great but better than buying the $80 one and finding out I hate it.
Thanks, as always for all the great information

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I just wish I could find one that you can chuck up in your scroll chuck - much like the screw centers that come with many chuck kits... I have the steb center version, but have yet to find a cup center version..

There are several steb drives meant for chuck use. Also you can use a MT in a chuck but if it is scared do not use that one in the taper.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Not to promote our products, but the Robust "cup drive" as we call it, has a short straight section on it that is designed to be grabbed by the chuck jaws. Moderators, you know what to do if I've overstepped.

This is the information we need, Brent.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I"m a fan of the Sorby steb center;

I'm not yet, but it isn't Sorby's fault. I accidentally bought a 1/2" steb center (I wanted a bowl blank size). Quality stuff, but it's too small for my daily use drive. It's a fair bit of money for a boo boo. Not so much that I returned it, though.

 

[John Kananis]

I'm not yet, but it isn't Sorby's fault. I accidentally bought a 1/2" steb center (I wanted a bowl blank size). Quality stuff, but it's too small for my daily use drive. It's a fair bit of money for a boo boo. Not so much that I returned it, though.

View attachment 70011

I (personally) don't think I'd use a steb for bowls, even the big one (although I don't have the largest size - 1.25" I believe). However, if you're looking for something to drive bowl blanks and not have to remove your chuck, oneway offers a spur center meant to be held by the chuck itself.

 

[John K Jordan]

I accidentally bought a 1/2" steb center (I wanted a bowl blank size).

Yes, that’s great for many things but I use a larger one (3/4”) for tailstock support on bowls on occasion. I just ordered the 1-1/4 set which might be better for some things.

John K., I can’t remember the last time I used a spur center, except for a small 2-spur drive center the late Brian Horais gave me when he visited my shop. It’s perfect for the multi-axis twisted "therming" he loved. What a creative guy.

After his visit, I turned this: bud vase with glass tube insert. I made this with 3-axes on one end and with 2-axes on the other. Might look odd but feels perfect in the hand.



Sure do miss Brian!

JKJ

 

[John Kananis]

I would use it on something like this. Load it with the intended bottom facing the spur center (between centers), make a recess in the intended top, then flip it over to make a proper tenon while the top of the bowl is held in a recess.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I (personally) don't think I'd use a steb for bowls, even the big one (although I don't have the largest size - 1.25" I believe). However, if you're looking for something to drive bowl blanks and not have to remove your chuck, oneway offers a spur center meant to be held by the chuck itself.

The spur drive that came with my Rikon is decent. I'll have a look at that OneWay when I get ready to upgrade.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have a Nova 1 1/4 I use mostly.



For larger blanks this one also Nova works very well and you can take out two blades and have a two spur drive.

 

[Mike Peace]

My club uses the cheap Chinese multi tooth centers. They do not hold up as well as a Sorby but they are cheap. I like the Record Power multi tooth centers. I believe they are as well made as my two Sorby ones but less expensive and you can adjust the spring tension on the point with an Allen wrench. They also have some multi tooth centers that are a bit less expensive without a spring. You can still crank the tailstock for a secure hodl without having to pound on them with a mallet like the typical 4 prong centers that come with your lathe. I did a video on the various RP drive centers

View: https://youtu.be/IZh90XCU5dg

 

[Darryn Achall]

I use a cup drive on almost everything. Even on whole logs large enough that I needed a chain fall to get them on the lathe. If it slips, give the tailstock a quarter turn tighter and get back to it. On pieces that are large and rough, it feels safer knowing that the log can slip if anything goes sideways.

 

[Bill Alston]

For the vast majority of the times I use mine (Steb center that chucks into my nova jaws) I'll only be using it long enough to get a blank roughly trued up and cut a tenon/recess on tailstock end, so I can then just pop it out and chuck it up in whichever jaws I've already got mounted.

Yes, same here. That’s how I use them. Quicker and more convenient for me than removing the chuck.

 

[Adrian Wilson]

I am happy with my Axminster steb-type centre; made in UK. I am almost entirely a spindle turner. I am interested in this theme of using cup centres to drive, but my intuition says I won't be happy. But I won't know without trying it, so I will, I guess.

 

[John K Jordan]

I am happy with my Axminster steb-type centre; made in UK. I am almost entirely a spindle turner. I am interested in this theme of using cup centres to drive, but my intuition says I won't be happy. But I won't know without trying it, so I will, I guess.

I haven't tried the Axminster but they look similar (and less expensive!). Do they have spring-loaded center points?
I'd like to get one to evaluate - do you know where to buy them in the US? (I see Woodturners Wonders advertises one but they are sold out)

At one time I turned quite a bit with cup centers and don't like them as much as the steb, especially those with non-spring loaded points.

It seems to me the suggestion that cup centers are "safety" centers and will just let the wood spin on a catch would apply mostly to beginners since catches usually get rare with experience. However, in my tests the steb drive centers WILL spin on a catch, and easily if the tailstock is only lightly tightened. I think tightening pressure flexibility is one advantage of spring-loaded points, especially for very hard wood.

When I teach the skew it's always with well tightened steb centers. Haven't had anyone get a catch yet, but there is always tomorrow!

JKJ

 

[Adrian Wilson]

I haven't tried the Axminster but they look similar (and less expensive!). Do they have spring-loaded center points?
I'd like to get one to evaluate - do you know where to buy them in the US? (I see Woodturners Wonders advertises one but they are sold out)

At one time I turned quite a bit with cup centers and don't like them as much as the steb, especially those with non-spring loaded points.

It seems to me the suggestion that cup centers are "safety" centers and will just let the wood spin on a catch would apply mostly to beginners since catches usually get rare with experience. However, in my tests the steb drive centers WILL spin on a catch, and easily if the tailstock is only lightly tightened. I think tightening pressure flexibility is one advantage of spring-loaded points, especially for very hard wood.

When I teach the skew it's always with well tightened steb centers. Haven't had anyone get a catch yet, but there is always tomorrow!

JKJ

Yes, the points are springloaded. It seems very good quality to me. I am in Canada, so I can't afford anything out of the US now.... I use Woodchuckers in Ontario, and they have them. They are a good company, nothing but good experiences with them.https://woodchuckers.com/collections/drive-centres Mine is the Woodturning Pro Drive.