Live center question

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Gene Howe
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Live center question

Post by Gene Howe »

A friend has just acquired a 520 and has asked me if an other than SS live center would work with his tail stock. I don't turn so, I've no idea.
Thanks for your help.
thunderbirdbat
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Re: Live center question

Post by thunderbirdbat »

The tail stock has a #2 Morse taper, so any live center with that taper would work.
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Gene Howe
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Re: Live center question

Post by Gene Howe »

Thanks, Brenda.
rdgrnstd
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Re: Live center question

Post by rdgrnstd »

I'm new to this forum and trying out the post feature.
Anyone know where I can get a live tail stock center with a 5/8" post.
Thinking I could turn things on the faceplate and then place the faceplate on a live 5/8" tail stock center.
I have a live 1"-8 center but can't seem to find a simple way to adapt it to a 5/8" post.
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JPG
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Re: Live center question

Post by JPG »

rdgrnstd wrote:I'm new to this forum and trying out the post feature.
Anyone know where I can get a live tail stock center with a 5/8" post.
Thinking I could turn things on the faceplate and then place the faceplate on a live 5/8" tail stock center.
I have a live 1"-8 center but can't seem to find a simple way to adapt it to a 5/8" post.
What pray tell do you intend to due after mounting the faceplate et al to the live tailstock? :confused:
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Hobbyman2
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Re: Live center question

Post by Hobbyman2 »

Not sure what ya have in mind either but ebay has about every combination of mt2 shafts and parts combinations you could ever want or put together ? also harborfreight , they have mt2 jacobs chucks .
Pretty sure SS still has a mt2 shaft and you can put about anything ya want on it ?. jmo
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rpd
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Re: Live center question

Post by rpd »

rdgrnstd wrote:I'm new to this forum and trying out the post feature.
Anyone know where I can get a live tail stock center with a 5/8" post.
Thinking I could turn things on the faceplate and then place the faceplate on a live 5/8" tail stock center.
I have a live 1"-8 center but can't seem to find a simple way to adapt it to a 5/8" post.
Welcome aboard. :)

I am unclear at to what you're trying to do.

To get us all on the same page as to terminology.

Image

A - Drive Center - mounts on the 5/8" spindle (headstock) for turning between centers

B - Dead Center - mounts in the tailstock when turning between centers (does not turn)

C - Live Center - mounts in the tailstock when turning between centers (has bearings, point turns with work) #2 Morse Taper

this is more elaborate Live Center that has interchangeable points
novalivecenter.jpg
novalivecenter.jpg (306.23 KiB) Viewed 37326 times
The spindle on a regular lathe has threads on the outside (like your 1" - 8 tpi description) but a drive center would mount in the hollow end which would be #1 or #2 Morse taper. and a Live center would not have threads either.

Do you perhaps mean a scroll chuck. (like this)
lathe chuck.JPG
lathe chuck.JPG (363.96 KiB) Viewed 37326 times
if so you can get a 1 - 8 tpi to 5/8 smooth adapter from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Lathe-Spindle-Ad ... B07B4CPC3P

There is also a lathe arbor that is 5/8" on one end and #2 Morse taper on the other, that lets you mount things that normally go on the spindle in the tailstock instead.
https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... arbors.htm
lathe arbor and drillchuck.JPG
lathe arbor and drillchuck.JPG (151.39 KiB) Viewed 37326 times
lathe arbor wdrillchuck.JPG
lathe arbor wdrillchuck.JPG (168.58 KiB) Viewed 37326 times
Please, post a picture of what you are trying to do, and/or rephrase your question.
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BuckeyeDennis
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Re: Live center question

Post by BuckeyeDennis »

rdgrnstd, there's a way to do it (with a slight part modification), but I too am curious as to why you would want to.

The Nova Live Center System that Ron showed above not only has a #2 Morse tape shank -- it also has a #2 MT bore in its nose. That's how the various accessory tips mount.

The Shopsmith tailstock chuck arbor has a #2 MT shank, and a 5/8" OD nose that will accept any Shopsmith spindle-mounted tooling. The problem is, the Nova live center's #2 MT nose bore is shallow -- less than an inch deep. So you'd need to cut the tailstock arbor's MT shank down to about 7/8" long. It would still engage most of the depth of the MT bore in the Shopsmith tailstock, however, so this modification probably wouldn't limit its usefulness.
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wa2crk
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Re: Live center question

Post by wa2crk »

If you do use the Shopsmith tailstock chuck adaptor with the SS faceplate on a conventional lathe be sure to use tailstock support when you turn. The vibration from the tool can cause the morse taper to loosen in the socket. (I know) I use a second chuck mounted on a 1"8TPI live center ( from PSI) in the tailstock of the conventional lathe to reverse a bowl
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rdgrnstd
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Re: Live center question

Post by rdgrnstd »

thanks for all of the reply's.
I was going to turn various pieces with a 5/8" hole that I could then place on a live tail stock center and use it as a ram chuck. This piece would then be stationary on the live center. I would use it when turning anything, like a ball between two centers and being able to rotate the ball with out the ram chuck wanting to slip off. Or even a bowl with out the ram chuck wanting to slip off. Sound like I'll just stick with the 1"-8 live center and make an adapter to 5/8".
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