A Rarity - A Centricator Accessory

Printable View

27th January 2013, 05:57 PM
Anorak Bob

7 Attachment(s)

A Rarity - A Centricator Accessory

A while back I posted some snapshots of a sixties Centricator. The device utilises a magnetic block and a length of thin cord to prevent rotation of the body while the machine's spindle in which it is mounted, is rotated by hand. Photos here - https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/ce...1/#post1539534.

A couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon this arm on Ebay. The price with postage was $47 US. I bought it because I imagined I'd never see another. Turns out the seller did have another which too has been sold. The seller said it was new. He also posted a single image from a sales brochure. An exchange of emails resulted in me having a pdf of the rear of the brochure.

It is a loose fit in the Centricator. I could turn up a tighter fitting plastic plug but the arm works wonderfully as it is. The string is no match for the the arm. A similar arm could be fashioned from a flexible metal gooseneck arm.

A few forum members have Centricators. Peter, Hunch and Glen, I reckon it would be worth dropping 6 bucks on a donor Chinese gooseneck lamp and making your own.

BT
27th January 2013, 06:32 PM
Stustoys

Hi BT,

I'd never thought of using them for squareness. Should work on my coax also.
Made up something so you can pick up on a center punch yet?

Strange looking spindle on the mill in the bottom left drawing.

Thanks for the idea.

Stuart
27th January 2013, 06:57 PM
Greg Q

I like it, thanks for posting Bob. Stuart, that horizontal has a quill, like my FP2. It's a very cool feature.

Greg
27th January 2013, 07:08 PM
Stustoys

Hi Greg,
That was my guess but I hadn't really thought it through.
Your mill(or Bobs) doesn't have a table Y(right?), so the Y with vert and hoz has to be done on the spindle.
:doh:
Would have got there sooner or later lol
Stuart
27th January 2013, 07:50 PM
Greg Q

Actually, in the spirit of the wooly milk pig (German slang for universal machines), the Deckel has horizontal, vertical and articulated tables. The FP2 and above have quills on both spindles, as well as the normal three axes of movement.

I am away collecting all the electrical components needed to modernise the motor controls of the Deckels as I write...

Greg
28th January 2013, 01:34 AM
Anorak Bob

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Hi BT,

I'd never thought of using them for squareness. Should work on my coax also.
Made up something so you can pick up on a center punch yet?

Strange looking spindle on the mill in the bottom left drawing.

Thanks for the idea.

Stuart

You can see the clearance issue with the Centricator saddled up Stu. A wiggler is my best bet with a punched mark. I borrowed a beautiful Hensoldt centring microscope a while back when I was struggling with the swivel base. Had about as much working space as the Centricator, sadly.

BT
28th January 2013, 08:35 AM
harty69

Hi BT

Looks like a hand bit of kit
unfortunately I cant use one on my centricator model as the only thing that is held stationary by the magnet is the dial indicator inside the glass tube

cheers
Harty
29th January 2013, 12:42 PM
BrianLara400*

Hi Bob
Thanks for posting - I'm glad it exceeded your initial impressions, and works as advertised.

So does it function in the same manner as the string in tension ? i.e is the balled end attractive/ magnetite
or does it just rely on the end being braced against the machine?
How long would you say it is?

Greg, I picked up a selection of the proper deckel slotting tools - thanks for your photo's and dimensions from a while back.
29th January 2013, 01:26 PM
Greg Q

Ah, good news on the slotting tools. I note that HSS in the larger size blanks is stupidly expensive. If I ever need to make another tool I plan to silver solder tool steel to a mild steel blank.

Greg, trying to ignore my Centricator envy
29th January 2013, 02:36 PM
Anorak Bob

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianLara400*

Hi Bob
Thanks for posting - I'm glad it exceeded your initial impressions, and works as advertised.

So does it function in the same manner as the string in tension ? i.e is the balled end attractive/ magnetite
or does it just rely on the end being braced against the machine?
How long would you say it is?

Greg, I picked up a selection of the proper deckel slotting tools - thanks for your photo's and dimensions from a while back.

Hello Glen,

The ball is non magnetic, and is braced against the machine. I'm wondering if my idea of a tighter fitting plug might be an improvement. It just dangles down as it is at present and I'm not sure if that was the intended fit.

I'm not looking at the arm at the moment but it would be about 220mm long. I'll measure the thing properly when I return home.

Bob.