please point me in the right direction im tired of having to get a tip oversized and cut it down (thats like 14 mm going on something smaller) and tired of having to have some one hold the shaft also. if no one has them i will make it myself but i was just trying to save time.
wtb for my harbor freight lathe: something to center tip / hold shaft
- Thread starter MEMPHISBULLFROG
- Start date
14mm is pretty normal for tips to start. It gives you latitude for centering errors. You can either use a rear chuck or an expanding collet to hold your shaft steady inside the spindle.
I believe Chris Hightower can provide you with either of these things.
www.cuesmith.com
http://www.mcmaster.com/#rod-end-bearings/=i9dsq0
To hold the rear ?
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-sleeve-bearings/=i9dtdd
You can get Acetal bearings there with an undersized ID then bore them to size.
To hold the rear ?
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-sleeve-bearings/=i9dtdd
You can get Acetal bearings there with an undersized ID then bore them to size.
If you are looking for a tool to center your tips, i can help you:
That's a very good idea Joey especially for those with no machining capabilities. I wish I had thought of it. I built my own for much cheaper but I had the material and capabilities to do it. It is crude looking as are most of my do-it-myself projects but it works extremely well. I used a 1.250 inch ID bearing that I got on the net for 4.00 and change and made a delrin collet to fit.
Dick
Which HF lathe do you have? In addition to the suggestions above, you will need some way to grip the cue from the headstock. If the headstock spindle has a 3/4-16 right-hand thread on it, then you can simply buy a Taig 3-jaw scroll chuck and screw it on the spindle. Or, if it is not threaded and has a Morse Taper hole through the spindle, then look on eBay or elsewhere for a scroll chuck with the right taper. (You could also look for an MT to 3/4-16 adapter). You can either grip the cue shaft - carefully - directly in the chuck or buy some maintenance arbors, and screw them into the threaded end of the shaft. The arbor can then be clamped in the chuck without fear of denting/damaging the shaft.
HTH
Gary
Edit: I assumed you had an HF wood lathe, but if you have a metal lathe, then nothing I said above applies - sorry for the waste of time.
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I have seen some with a V-Block made out of wood with carpet glued on it.
I like the bearing steady rest better. But this will work fine.
I like the bearing steady rest better. But this will work fine.
Hi,
I agree with your statement.
Leonard Bludworth has a mini lathe with felt glued in a channel he has at his repair booth that seems to work just fine.
You can get a stead rest and a tapered rubber collet that fits in the bearing from Unique. They use it on their Cue Companion but it would be very adaptable as it is 2 alum plates connected on an 90 degree angle. If you don't have a mill to make one this would be worth it.
Rick
Made this for my HF 7x10
This is for a taig based one I made but could be used for the HF
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If you are looking for a tool to center your tips, i can help you:
Could you send some prices
How much???
Made this for my HF 7x10
This is for a taig based one I made but could be used for the HF
I have a Harbor Freight 7 x 10 that I'm using a three roller steady rest on that I got off of eBay. Here is a link: Steady Rest
I was going to make one myself, but quite simply I was too lazy and didn't want to run all over looking for parts. I mounted this on a block that I can clamp to my bench at various locations. What I really like, is I can not only use this as a steady to the left of my lathe when I'm doing tips and ferrules. I can also move this to the right of my lathe, remove my toolpost, and have a decent set up for shaft cleaning.
I was going to just mount a second chuck at the back spindle hole. However, that posed a problem because there isn't enough length between the front chuck and the rear. If you put a shaft in there with a little bit of wobble, it'll start whipping around like crazy and before you know it....bad things can happen
Not a bad setup...I got the HF 7x10 for $300 used on my local craigslist, then $50 on the steady rest and I'm good to go.
Regarding the tips at 14mm...you can get some of the boxed tips like LePro, Elkmaster, Triumph, etc..in sizes smaller than 14. However, most of your newer tips that I've seen only come in 14mm. Trust me, it's much easier to just slap a 14 on and trim it down to size as compared to using some gizmo to try to center a smaller tip. Usually you'll have to do some final trimming anyway.
Hope this helps...
I was going to make one myself, but quite simply I was too lazy and didn't want to run all over looking for parts. I mounted this on a block that I can clamp to my bench at various locations. What I really like, is I can not only use this as a steady to the left of my lathe when I'm doing tips and ferrules. I can also move this to the right of my lathe, remove my toolpost, and have a decent set up for shaft cleaning.
I was going to just mount a second chuck at the back spindle hole. However, that posed a problem because there isn't enough length between the front chuck and the rear. If you put a shaft in there with a little bit of wobble, it'll start whipping around like crazy and before you know it....bad things can happen
Not a bad setup...I got the HF 7x10 for $300 used on my local craigslist, then $50 on the steady rest and I'm good to go.
Regarding the tips at 14mm...you can get some of the boxed tips like LePro, Elkmaster, Triumph, etc..in sizes smaller than 14. However, most of your newer tips that I've seen only come in 14mm. Trust me, it's much easier to just slap a 14 on and trim it down to size as compared to using some gizmo to try to center a smaller tip. Usually you'll have to do some final trimming anyway.
Hope this helps...
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I got my lathe for about $300 new. I was meaning mainly for the 14 mm to get it on perfect so i can get the gluee off in time instead of with my finger.I have a Harbor Freight 7 x 10 that I'm using a three roller steady rest on that I got off of eBay. Here is a link: Steady Rest
I was going to make one myself, but quite simply I was too lazy and didn't want to run all over looking for parts. I mounted this on a block that I can clamp to my bench at various locations. What I really like, is I can not only use this as a steady to the left of my lathe when I'm doing tips and ferrules. I can also move this to the right of my lathe, remove my toolpost, and have a decent set up for shaft cleaning.
I was going to just mount a second chuck at the back spindle hole. However, that posed a problem because there isn't enough length between the front chuck and the rear. If you put a shaft in there with a little bit of wobble, it'll start whipping around like crazy and before you know it....bad things can happen
Not a bad setup...I got the HF 7x10 for $300 used on my local craigslist, then $50 on the steady rest and I'm good to go.
Regarding the tips at 14mm...you can get some of the boxed tips like LePro, Elkmaster, Triumph, etc..in sizes smaller than 14. However, most of your newer tips that I've seen only come in 14mm. Trust me, it's much easier to just slap a 14 on and trim it down to size as compared to using some gizmo to try to center a smaller tip. Usually you'll have to do some final trimming anyway.
Hope this helps...
I was going to do something like what Chuck posted but my garage setup didn't really work out for that type of extension. I was trying to think of something I could set on the floor to hold the bearing and I came up with the idea of using a camera tripod.
Then I got a cheap ball bearing and holder and made a little aluminum plate that bolted to the tripod mount. I made a Delrin bushing and made a bolt to hold the bushing into the end of the shaft
I also made some Delrin collets to hold the shaft in the chuck end.
The nice thing about the tripod is that I can adjust all of the angles and then lock it down. When I'm done using it I can put it away but it's ready to go the next time I need it.
Also, like JAlan said, if I want to clean a shaft I can just move the tripod to the other side of the lathe and it's ready to go.
With a properly set up lathe, you don't have to worry about the tip diameter issue. In fact, I much prefer to get oversize diameter tips so I know they'll be perfectly sized when I'm done.
Then I got a cheap ball bearing and holder and made a little aluminum plate that bolted to the tripod mount. I made a Delrin bushing and made a bolt to hold the bushing into the end of the shaft
I also made some Delrin collets to hold the shaft in the chuck end.
The nice thing about the tripod is that I can adjust all of the angles and then lock it down. When I'm done using it I can put it away but it's ready to go the next time I need it.
Also, like JAlan said, if I want to clean a shaft I can just move the tripod to the other side of the lathe and it's ready to go.
With a properly set up lathe, you don't have to worry about the tip diameter issue. In fact, I much prefer to get oversize diameter tips so I know they'll be perfectly sized when I'm done.