Bill, your post gives me the courage (fortiter, not the Dan Rather kind)
to disagree with many superior and/or professional turners, but I'm
often wrong.

Many accomplished turners do use a dead tailcenter that by slipping can
prevent a catch. Maybe some do _not use it, but they teach or suggest it
to others.

Whatever, I find this way to prevent catches a useless pain. IMO, its
promoted more for its novelty and sends the wrong message re learning
techniques that make for good woodturning and prevent catches. Of course
I get catches and big ones too, but they would have been prevented
better by good turning than by a spinning dead center. For me, a few
catches are much less troubling than continually having to tighten the
tailstock or more often giving up to hunt for my spur center.

There are times when a reasonable cut using proper technique would make
a dead center spin. Maybe a dead center would have prevented a catch
that was never there.

Tell me why I'm wrong again? I'm still teachable. TIA


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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