Live centre without morse taper

[John G]

I have got an old mini lathe (I guess you could call it a "hobby" lathe).

The tailstock only has a dead centre, so I wanted to replace it with a live (rotating) centre. The problem is the tail stock is not a morse taper - it is a lockable 1/2" shaft.

So it is possible to get live centres that do not have morse taper ends? i.e. preferably a threaded end?

Alternatively, is it possible to take a new centre apart to remove the taper (which I would replace with a 1/2" shaft)?

Final alternative (not preferred), where can I buy a small replacement tail stock from?

Thanks,
John.

[TTIT]

Might be able to help out - with emphasis on the "might" bit. I've still got the tailstock from my old home-made lathe which used a 25mm threaded rod. I machined a JT3 taper on the end so I could use a Jacobs chuck on it and then made my own dual-bearing live-centre to fit on it from a lump of brass (which came from a vibrator - that'll get 'em scratchin' their heads :; ). If it's possible to replace your entire tailstock spindle with this one, or attach a JT3 taper to the end of your existing spindle to accept the live-centre, I could easily be encouraged to part with them. :U

[John G]

Thanks,
Not being a lathe expert, I don't totally understand what you have described.

You made a live centre out of brass, and it has a "JT3" taper on the end?
Can the taper come off, or is it all one piece?

When I look at various centres online, I can't tell whether the bearings are actually part of the taper, or if the taper can somehow unscrew from the bearing section.

If they can come apart, I can probably get my machinist mate to either mill a new taper, or even mill the taper down to the 1/2" diameter I need. But I have to be able to get the bearings off the taper first.

[rsser]

If TTIT can't help, can I suggest that you try the dead centre and see how it goes?

My first lathe had one and a drop of oil of some kind in the junction with the wood worked fine. In fact, some turners say that bearings in a tail centre introduce unwanted vibration.

[Durdge39]

Indeed, dead centres work fine, when I do ever turn something I just use the dead centre as is until I hear a squeak and then add a drop of mineral oil onto it. The oil soaks in a bit and the point of contact seems to cauterize into a thin, hard layer of wood that is smooth and stays self lubricating for at least half an hour. If the squeak develops again, just add another drop of oil.

[QC Inspector]

LittleMachineShop.com - Live Center, Unimat 3 & 4, SIEG C0 Lathes (http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2948&category=)

Should be possible to press a bushing on it to get it to the right diameter, but it won't work if it has to have a thread.

Pete

[TTIT]

Thanks,
Not being a lathe expert, I don't totally understand what you have described.

You made a live centre out of brass, and it has a "JT3" taper on the end?
Can the taper come off, or is it all one piece?

When I look at various centres online, I can't tell whether the bearings are actually part of the taper, or if the taper can somehow unscrew from the bearing section.

If they can come apart, I can probably get my machinist mate to either mill a new taper, or even mill the taper down to the 1/2" diameter I need. But I have to be able to get the bearings off the taper first.Quick diagram to explain - top is an adaptor found on most pedestal drills - MT2 up the spindle of the drill and the JT3 into the chuck. My version below with the JT3 on the end of a 25mm screw thread and the live centre that's gathering dust in some dark corner of the shed.

[Mobil Man]

You might check 'Grizzly.com' They carry lots of different adapters.