Thread: Weak drive centre

Tiger,
I hope you don't take this as a silly question but are you sawing a cross (X) for the spurs to locate in. Also take the drive out of the lathe and bang it into the wood with a rubber or wood mallet.
Regards
John

G'day John, I do all that you suggest yet the workpiece still rotates at times especially with heavy cuts. I turn a lot of pine and it is particularly noticeable then.

You should never have to do either of those things.

The Steb centres are fantastic IMHO.

I have always said that the best improvement to a lathe is get decent drive and tailstock centres.

Tiger, it could also be technique or blunt tools that is causing the problem.

Tiger,
I reckon you need a new center then.


,
I have never had a Steb center but I will keep it in mind for the future.
I have 2 drive centers and no idea who made either of them. One works well while the other can slip sometimes so some are better than others.
Regards
John

Another vote for technique and/or tools as source of problem.

Originally Posted by orraloon

Tiger,
I reckon you need a new center then.


,
I have never had a Steb center but I will keep it in mind for the future.
I have 2 drive centers and no idea who made either of them. One works well while the other can slip sometimes so some are better than others.
Regards
John

I agree totally. Had the same myself.

Tiger. If you want to bring the centres and your chisels down here I will have a look.

Originally Posted by

Tiger. If you want to bring the centres and your chisels down here I will have a look.

I might have to come too !!! Damned if I can get those Steb centres to hold any better than a normal spur-drive

Hi , not technique nor sharpness, never have a problem when work is supported in chuck or other methods of holding.

Hi Tiger,
I've been turning for 28 yrs, & I had that problem as well. What says is most likely true, but they still bore a hole in the softer timbers.
My Idea is you find a MT 2 older type drill, cut the drill part off, so as you have a nice round piece of steel. Clean the taper, whack it back up the head stock.
With a small Skewchigouge, turn the end, & make a ring & cone end, most like you tail stock.
There will be a HOWL about turning steel in your lathe, but I have made a heap of the Centres. I can honestly say I have never had a problem with either making them or using them .
The thing about is that your wood may never come out of the lathe, but will drive most every wood you can think of. The only other thing is if it doss slip, you just slightly tighten your tail stock, so in practice, all your wood will do is spin on the
Ring & Cone. When turning the steel, of course make sure that your tool rest is approx. 1-2 mm away, with no over hang, Speed, well that is up to you, my guess would be around 1000 revs.or less if you want. I have used the Centre for about 7 years. never had a problem, but those cross drives, in my opinion are dangerous. If I knew how to send photos I would do it. REGARDS, ISSATREE.

Originally Posted by issatree

Hi Tiger,
I've been turning for 28 yrs, & I had that problem as well. What says is most likely true, but they still bore a hole in the softer timbers.
My Idea is you find a MT 2 older type drill, cut the drill part off, so as you have a nice round piece of steel. Clean the taper, whack it back up the head stock.
With a small Skewchigouge, turn the end, & make a ring & cone end, most like you tail stock.
There will be a HOWL about turning steel in your lathe, but I have made a heap of the Centres. I can honestly say I have never had a problem with either making them or using them .
The thing about is that your wood may never come out of the lathe, but will drive most every wood you can think of. The only other thing is if it doss slip, you just slightly tighten your tail stock, so in practice, all your wood will do is spin on the
Ring & Cone. When turning the steel, of course make sure that your tool rest is approx. 1-2 mm away, with no over hang, Speed, well that is up to you, my guess would be around 1000 revs.or less if you want. I have used the Centre for about 7 years. never had a problem, but those cross drives, in my opinion are dangerous. If I knew how to send photos I would do it. REGARDS, ISSATREE.

ok first off that sounds so dangerous wood lathes are not meant to turn metal so that must have been a big strain to do, and holding the tool must have hurt! as for the drill your trying to turn HSS with HSS? properly made centers are hardened and ground expensive if you want to get some one to do that but why not use a dremal rotary tool or a die grinder secured to a sort of make shift tool post that should do it.

as for me i use the cheap drive center that came with my lathe and it must be over 16 years old but i have never had a problem with it even when the spurs are not in the wood and its just the center spike then again i put heaps of pressure on the tailstock to. one thought you guys haven't touched on is the angle of the grind on the spurs and the center spike, if it was a steep, sharp angle then it would go deeper into the wood easier and there would be less chance of it stopping to bore a hole. just a thought i did like the idea of making your own center .......ill post a link latter to sow you guys something

Patrick

Edit: this guy makes great stuff his web site is fuul of little things. i want to make one of these centers one day i think it will be a hell of a lot better than most on the market
http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Pr...ivecenter.html

Originally Posted by TTIT

I might have to come too !!! Damned if I can get those Steb centres to hold any better than a normal spur-drive

Occasionally I will get a slip if I catch or don't bring the tail stock up tight but in the main they are the best drives I have used except the 6" one on my "little" lathe. It don't slip.

Issa, that is called a dead ring centre and can be bought if people are reticent about turning steel.

They rely solely on friction to drive but in production work they are very handy as the timber stops for removal.

To Patrick, Tiger & ,
I had better clarify what I was explaning. In reality I have only made 1 of the ones I explained. I thought it would be easier for Tiger to find a No. 2 MT Drill, as most of the sunday Markets may have them or a Swap Mett, most certainly, and I failed to say that they had to be heated and then let cool before attempting to turn the steel.
I actually used ABORS from Jacob's Chucks, as I have a nice supply now, & they are not HHS, well, these are not anyway. I have a friend who has a Metal Lathe & he can do the hard ones.
I really don't have that problem turning the steel in my "Tough Lathe", & there is no pressure whatsoever on the tool or the lathe or the steel. You don't drive the tool into the steel that hard as to cause pressure. In fact you can manage a beautiful long shaving if you do it right .
I'm certainly not out to get anybody hurt, but I suppose there are Turners & there are Turners. This was just an inexpensive way of making a Drive Dog. I will never use a Star Drive again as long as my tail points to the ground.
I hope this explains the way I do things.
REGARDS,
ISSATREE.

I had trouble also with the drive center burying itself in soft or wet wood. I purchased a two prong drive center (see pic if I can post it). The prongs on mine are about 1 inch long and that solved that problem. If you drive it in deep, it can not spin in the wood and loosen up. If you get one make sure it has the setscrew to adjust how much you want the center pin to extend. I also have steb centers for hard wood. And they are terrific. I rarely use my four prong drive any more (I probably would if I did more spindle work,
Mike