How do I find my center?

S

Strange_Days

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey everyone,

I'm having a little trouble finding my center...

I bought a live center from ebay and it wasn't a super cheapie but its very difficult to turn the center, I think it will act more like a dead center in wood rather than a live center without adding too much pressure to start it turning. Is there some way to clean these things out to make them easier to turn?

And where can you get concave centers other than from Chris hightower or cue components. I have no problem ordering from these guys but to get it to Canada costs $$$ for shipping, more $$$ for duties, more $$$ for everything. A $30 item will easily cost me double if not more if UPS is shipping it.

Where do you guys go center shopping?
 
Try puttin some oil or sprayin it with wd40 or the like. I mean if that's really tough to spin you better send it back. Live centers run smooth, they should as always and offer almost no resistance when they spin.

What I do to have a concave center is I make an adaptor for the live centers' nose... bore it to the diameter of the nose and slip it in there. Making sure I have a tight fit. The concave side, I drill it using a round over bit approx size of the tip. You could use delrin or whatever composite material tough enough for the task. You now have a concave live center :)
 
Strange_Days said:
Hey everyone,

I'm having a little trouble finding my center...

I bought a live center from ebay and it wasn't a super cheapie but its very difficult to turn the center, I think it will act more like a dead center in wood rather than a live center without adding too much pressure to start it turning. Is there some way to clean these things out to make them easier to turn?

And where can you get concave centers other than from Chris hightower or cue components. I have no problem ordering from these guys but to get it to Canada costs $$$ for shipping, more $$$ for duties, more $$$ for everything. A $30 item will easily cost me double if not more if UPS is shipping it.

Where do you guys go center shopping?
Click to expand...
If you want real good look at lee valley,if you want cheaper busy bee,princess auto,i just got t ips shipped,now canada post is also charging a handling fee,i pay shipping fr u.s plus gst,handling but i still get them cheaper than anywhere ive found here.Most everybody here wants moori.
 
got live center and concave center for my fishing rod lathe. worked fine for a friends enco. ill check the name on the lathe tomorrow when im at the shop
 
Strange_Days said:
Hey everyone,

I'm having a little trouble finding my center...

I bought a live center from ebay and it wasn't a super cheapie but its very difficult to turn the center, I think it will act more like a dead center in wood rather than a live center without adding too much pressure to start it turning. Is there some way to clean these things out to make them easier to turn?

And where can you get concave centers other than from Chris hightower or cue components. I have no problem ordering from these guys but to get it to Canada costs $$$ for shipping, more $$$ for duties, more $$$ for everything. A $30 item will easily cost me double if not more if UPS is shipping it.

Where do you guys go center shopping?
Click to expand...

You can also buy these items from Joe Porper, or Muellers Recreational Products. If you want contact information PM me!!
 
Strange_Days said:
Hey everyone,

I'm having a little trouble finding my center...

I bought a live center from ebay and it wasn't a super cheapie but its very difficult to turn the center, I think it will act more like a dead center in wood rather than a live center without adding too much pressure to start it turning. Is there some way to clean these things out to make them easier to turn?

And where can you get concave centers other than from Chris hightower or cue components. I have no problem ordering from these guys but to get it to Canada costs $$$ for shipping, more $$$ for duties, more $$$ for everything. A $30 item will easily cost me double if not more if UPS is shipping it.

Where do you guys go center shopping?
Click to expand...

I am also uncertain about your question, you can go to almost any hardware store and buy a center finder that will work on round and square stock. These things are like a protractor and they work very well, they cost less than $10.
 
You could try to mount a piece of scrap wood and "run in" the live center for an hour or two. It could be greased with a thick grease. I had an import one I had to do that to, to get it to spin eaisly. All the american centers I have spun freely right out of the box. It may be worth a try if you don't want to return in. Chris.
 
sluggish center

I had a center that was a little too stiff as well. I was able to use a spanner and very slightly loosen the bearing adjustment, then it moved more freely. The adjustment can give too much runout if one overdoes it, so be prudent. In the USA, chinese import centers are very inexpensive. Around $20 US. An extended nose center, which I find more useful for cues cost about $40 in a #3 Morse Taper. That center moved the silkiest and seems far superior in construction and finish to the other two import live centers I own for two other lathes. Unfortuneately the smallest that I have ever seen in the long nose style has been the #3 Morse.
The idea about making a cup to cover the nose of a center for a makeshift concave does work. One can use aluminum and make a set screw to hold it to the nose, just onto the straight shoulder, if a more secure mounting is desired. The delrin is also feasible. The inexpensive imported live centers for wood lathes can also be used. I have one with a removeable center point, and with the point removed it makes a great concave center. I add a pad of a folded over soft paper towel piece between the leather tip and the center to keep from burnishing the tip shoulder excessively.
 
check out custom powerwrap,,,,,,,,,,,i believe live and concave centers are like 8 bucks apiece. google the company for the address
 
olsonsview said:
An extended nose center, which I find more useful for cues cost about $40 in a #3 Morse Taper. That center moved the silkiest and seems far superior in construction and finish to the other two import live centers I own for two other lathes.
Click to expand...


Does anyone know a good place to order one of these?
 
long nose live center

I bought mine from www.hqtinc.com They are selling part no. 202-3420 in their current sale catalog for $36 US for the Shars brand, extended nose live center, in a MT#3 shank. Their telephone in the Cleveland area is: 440-975-9684. I hope that can help.
 
olsonsview said:
I bought mine from www.hqtinc.com They are selling part no. 202-3420 in their current sale catalog for $36 US for the Shars brand, extended nose live center, in a MT#3 shank. Their telephone in the Cleveland area is: 440-975-9684. I hope that can help.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much Olsonsview, I will be ordering one today :)

Matt
 
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