Any thoughts on a Steb center versus a Spur center; advantages/disadvantages, when to use one over the other?
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Steb versus Spur Center
- Thread starter Lewis Elliott
- Start date
The only time I use a Step center if for really fine work. Other than that I hate them. You need pretty high pressure from the tail stock to keep them from spinning out.
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- Apr 27, 2004
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I’ll suggest a third alternative- ONEWAY safe center- cup center with a point
I use the cup center for most spindle work.
Recenters near perfect
Great for off center work, if I ever want to flip the piece end for end the cups match my tail center for near perfect centering
Our great feature - if I want to orient the grain for something like a 3 sided turning- I just loosen the tailstock a bit and rotate the piece so my grain lines up with the first index then do the layout.
I use a spur center most of the time for starting bowls and hollow forms.
Steb centers are ok. For me the cup center is a much better choice.
My steb center stays in a drawer.
I use the cup center for most spindle work.
Recenters near perfect
Great for off center work, if I ever want to flip the piece end for end the cups match my tail center for near perfect centering
Our great feature - if I want to orient the grain for something like a 3 sided turning- I just loosen the tailstock a bit and rotate the piece so my grain lines up with the first index then do the layout.
I use a spur center most of the time for starting bowls and hollow forms.
Steb centers are ok. For me the cup center is a much better choice.
My steb center stays in a drawer.
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I use steb centers for smallish spindle oriented work. Less likely to split parallel grain of smaller dia. Spur drives for any xgrain work.
For larger (~8” and up dia) I use a Nova jumbo drive spur, 2” dia, that threads onto the spindle - works much better than the Olio drive it replaced.
Any time I use a spur/steb, they get seated by using tail pressure, lock the spindle, rock the work, tail pressure, rock, tail pressure, rock, etc until seated.
For larger (~8” and up dia) I use a Nova jumbo drive spur, 2” dia, that threads onto the spindle - works much better than the Olio drive it replaced.
Any time I use a spur/steb, they get seated by using tail pressure, lock the spindle, rock the work, tail pressure, rock, tail pressure, rock, etc until seated.
I use the cup centers for just about anything less than 12" diameter. It is so easy to adjust the orientation of the piece to get the look I want while roughing out. For smaller pieces I use cup centers without the center point.
The Oneway cup center works well for me.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I use a steb center a lot. I have a 1'" and 3'/8". Works well for me for many things. Not good for holding through bark or wood that isnt flat.
I have a couple of spur drive centers somewhere. I don't use them. I use steb centers on spindles that don't work so well with a scroll chuck. I have 1", 1/2", and 3/8" diameter. They do take some pressure, but are quite safe to use. They let got if you get a catch and allow the wood to spin. Great for teaching kids.
Now I acquired my stebs in a packaged deal, used. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't buy them. I'd just dig out those drive centers and make do with them.
I don't see that a cup center is all that different than a steb. Just a smooth knife-edge vs. a serrated edge. To me all these drive about the same for spindles 1"+ in diameter. Smaller than that and the stebs do offer some advantages. The 3/8" is the bomb for smaller things.
Now I acquired my stebs in a packaged deal, used. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't buy them. I'd just dig out those drive centers and make do with them.
I don't see that a cup center is all that different than a steb. Just a smooth knife-edge vs. a serrated edge. To me all these drive about the same for spindles 1"+ in diameter. Smaller than that and the stebs do offer some advantages. The 3/8" is the bomb for smaller things.
I use drive centers made by Nova that fit in a chuck. The original is dished out square drive with a center point and 4 outside points. They next made a set of steb type centers in 3 different sizes. Again I use them so I don't have to take the chuck off, just quicker.
Robust makes a nice cup drive center with a removable bowl drive for center work. That is ll i use for my school classes and in my own shop as well.
Much food for thought! Thanks to all. I sprung for the Oneway Strong Hold chuck a while back. Does anyone use that model?
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Many folks in the forum have the stronghold. I have a couple great chuck..
Great holding power loads of jaw options.
I also have a Vicmark 120. I prefer the vicmark for bowls, I like the hex key and their dovetail better than the ONEWAY dovetail.
For spindles, finials etc I prefer the strong hold
Yes. Oneway chucks/jaws are my favorite. They are the only mfr with the profile jaws (explained on their website). The unique profile provides improved grip over other designs as tenon dia increases. My favorite jaws are the profile tower jaws which give more bottom access to bowls/platters and grip long tenons for extended hf’s like vases.
Tom Gall
TOTW Team
Yes, love 'em. I have two Strongholds & two Talons. I agree with @Doug Freeman regarding the profile jaws. What I really like is that they are so much easier to open/close than any of my other chucks (Vicmarc, Axminster, Records, Novas & Grizzly). Some will say the machining tolerances on some of those other chucks is better making them harder to operate - but, I've never had a holding problem with any of my Oneways.
a few years ago I switched I use steb drive centers and steb live centers. Would never go back.
Roger Wiegand
Beta Tester
I'm with Hockenberry on this-- the cup "dead" center works perfectly, is very easy to re-center work when you're taking it on and off the lathe (eg when fitting a tenon to a ferrule or such), and in the incredibly rare event of a catch 
it just spins in place. With the bigger Robust version I've turned 18" bowl blanks between centers without any problem.
I tried Steb centers and found that they just drill into the wood just with heavy cuts, not only in the event of a catch. The big spurs can split your blank if you apply too much pressure, plus they make enormous divots in the end of your work. I no longer own either the steb or spur drives I once used, gave them away after discovering how well the dead center drive works for me.
it just spins in place. With the bigger Robust version I've turned 18" bowl blanks between centers without any problem.I tried Steb centers and found that they just drill into the wood just with heavy cuts, not only in the event of a catch. The big spurs can split your blank if you apply too much pressure, plus they make enormous divots in the end of your work. I no longer own either the steb or spur drives I once used, gave them away after discovering how well the dead center drive works for me.