Hi folks, I'm not a turner, but a friend wants me to make some shafts
for him. They have to be turned between centers as part has to be
ground later. Material is mild steel, all shafts have a large end & a
small end. Large end about 3/4", & 3"long, small end (the one to be
ground) 5/8" longest one 8", others a bit shorter.
I plan to cut the material to length & center drill both ends, but if
I use a drive dog, how do I machine where the dog is? If I start with
a longer shaft & part off the stub where the dog was I can't drill a
center exactly on center.
My idea is to cut to length, center drill, machine 5/8" diameter
(leaving 5 thou. for grinding) & machine as much as I can of the large
end, leaving about 10 thou. to go, & then removing the dog & hope that
I can get enough drive from the center to bring the part not yet
machined down to the 10 thou. too big size & finish with a light cut
to size.
Please help with a better (correct) way of doing this.

T.I.A. Ian sutherland. Oz.