I have a mono tube lathe that takes a # 1 taper . I ran a 3/8 "drill
through the head stock shaft hole so I can run all thread threw my blank
and face plate on large bowl blanks so I can turn out of balance chunks
of wood. I center drilled the end of the all thread for my live center
in my tail stock I got a 3/8 drill with a 24" shaft from an electrical
company for running tv coaxial wire in houses..Maybe you can give that a
try. Sorta like a large pen arbor. Hay I gotta go and turn some really
beg pens now.

Jerry