Newbie Question on Spur Centers
 

Just received a rather inexpensive HF lathe and it is set up and ready
to go. I noticed that the spur center is a MT-1 that has 4 individual
spurs on it. The spurs themselves are flat across the ends and not
sharp at all...And I mean really flat, like over a 3/32" flat. So when
tightening up the tailstock the spur center spurs don't dig in at all.
I don't know if this is normal for a spur center to not have sharp
spurs. I had a jet lathe a few years back and I'm pretty sure the spurs
on the spur center where really quite sharp. I know you are not suppose
to sink the spurs into the workpiece by using the tailstock but I do
know that by using easy pressure I could sink the spurs into the wood by
gentle turning the tailstock. So my long-winded question is: Do I have
some really cheap/defective spur center and live center which I should
replace? The only MT-1 that I have been able to find online are from
Grizzly and run about $4.00 so I imagine these are probably real cheap
also and I don't know if they are sharp or not. If it looks like I
should replace the spur center and live center are there any suggestion
sources that provide mid-priced centers?

-Thanks for any and all help

It's on a HF lathe - of course it's cheap. Not really a problem if you
simply make two sawcuts at 90 degrees through the center at that end of
the stock, which you should be doing anyway - the center holds better
that way. Simply squeezing it in often leads to the center acting like a
drill if you get a catch, or even strong cutting forces.

Packard Woodworks does have #1 taper centers in the $24-27 range, or a
Stebcenter #1 for $50. 800 683-8876 - I'm just a happy customer.

--
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Ecnerwal wrote:
Packard Woodworks does have #1 taper centers in the $24-27 range, or a
Stebcenter #1 for $50. 800 683-8876 - I'm just a happy customer.

Better check the thread and size on that HF spur drive. They
frequently are 3/4" X 10 tpi. Driving the MT out can be
difficult. Just take a file to it and sharpen the edges.

Dave in Fairfax
--
Dave Leader
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/
PATINA
http://www.Patinatools.org/

Sure enough, you have a cheap/defective spur center. Try Sears for a new
one. You ought to be able to get one for about $10. You can work around
the cheap/defective one by making criss-cross sawcuts in the ends of your
blanks, but you'll be happier if you just replace it now.

Barry


"buck" wrote in message
rvers.com...
Just received a rather inexpensive HF lathe and it is set up and ready
to go. I noticed that the spur center is a MT-1 that has 4 individual
spurs on it. The spurs themselves are flat across the ends and not
sharp at all...And I mean really flat, like over a 3/32" flat. So when
tightening up the tailstock the spur center spurs don't dig in at all.
I don't know if this is normal for a spur center to not have sharp
spurs. I had a jet lathe a few years back and I'm pretty sure the spurs
on the spur center where really quite sharp. I know you are not suppose
to sink the spurs into the workpiece by using the tailstock but I do
know that by using easy pressure I could sink the spurs into the wood by
gentle turning the tailstock. So my long-winded question is: Do I have
some really cheap/defective spur center and live center which I should
replace? The only MT-1 that I have been able to find online are from
Grizzly and run about $4.00 so I imagine these are probably real cheap
also and I don't know if they are sharp or not. If it looks like I
should replace the spur center and live center are there any suggestion
sources that provide mid-priced centers?

-Thanks for any and all help

Dave.... the thread is 3/4" X 16 tpi
Is this pretty much the standard? And thanks for the advice.


Dave in Fairfax wrote:
Ecnerwal wrote:

Packard Woodworks does have #1 taper centers in the $24-27 range, or a
Stebcenter #1 for $50. 800 683-8876 - I'm just a happy customer.


Better check the thread and size on that HF spur drive. They
frequently are 3/4" X 10 tpi. Driving the MT out can be
difficult. Just take a file to it and sharpen the edges.

Dave in Fairfax

Dave.... the thread is 3/4" X 16 tpi
Is this pretty much the standard? And thanks for the advice.


Dave in Fairfax wrote:
Ecnerwal wrote:

Packard Woodworks does have #1 taper centers in the $24-27 range, or a
Stebcenter #1 for $50. 800 683-8876 - I'm just a happy customer.


Better check the thread and size on that HF spur drive. They
frequently are 3/4" X 10 tpi. Driving the MT out can be
difficult. Just take a file to it and sharpen the edges.

Dave in Fairfax

Dave.... the thread is 3/4" X 16 tpi
Is this pretty much the standard? And thanks for the advice.

Dave in Fairfax wrote:
Ecnerwal wrote:

Packard Woodworks does have #1 taper centers in the $24-27 range, or a
Stebcenter #1 for $50. 800 683-8876 - I'm just a happy customer.


Better check the thread and size on that HF spur drive. They
frequently are 3/4" X 10 tpi. Driving the MT out can be
difficult. Just take a file to it and sharpen the edges.

Dave in Fairfax

Barry... Thanks for info... I will check out Sears tomorrow before K-Mart
gets a hold of them... LOL




"Barry N. Turner" wrote in message
.. .
Sure enough, you have a cheap/defective spur center. Try Sears for a new
one. You ought to be able to get one for about $10. You can work around
the cheap/defective one by making criss-cross sawcuts in the ends of your
blanks, but you'll be happier if you just replace it now.

Barry


"buck" wrote in message
rvers.com...
Just received a rather inexpensive HF lathe and it is set up and ready
to go. I noticed that the spur center is a MT-1 that has 4 individual
spurs on it. The spurs themselves are flat across the ends and not
sharp at all...And I mean really flat, like over a 3/32" flat. So when
tightening up the tailstock the spur center spurs don't dig in at all.
I don't know if this is normal for a spur center to not have sharp
spurs. I had a jet lathe a few years back and I'm pretty sure the spurs
on the spur center where really quite sharp. I know you are not suppose
to sink the spurs into the workpiece by using the tailstock but I do
know that by using easy pressure I could sink the spurs into the wood by
gentle turning the tailstock. So my long-winded question is: Do I have
some really cheap/defective spur center and live center which I should
replace? The only MT-1 that I have been able to find online are from
Grizzly and run about $4.00 so I imagine these are probably real cheap
also and I don't know if they are sharp or not. If it looks like I
should replace the spur center and live center are there any suggestion
sources that provide mid-priced centers?

-Thanks for any and all help

Order one with only two fangs and sharpen your four. It's as designed,
would work fine with 90 degree kerfs, as indicated. Two wings means one
pass at the bandsaw and no guessing at 90 degrees. When you've got squared
stock, use your four.

"buck" wrote in message
ervers.com...
Barry... Thanks for info... I will check out Sears tomorrow before K-Mart
gets a hold of them... LOL




"Barry N. Turner" wrote in message
.. .
Sure enough, you have a cheap/defective spur center. Try Sears for a
new
one. You ought to be able to get one for about $10. You can work
around
the cheap/defective one by making criss-cross sawcuts in the ends of
your
blanks, but you'll be happier if you just replace it now.

Spur centers are easy to sharpen. Somebody suggested a file, I do mine on
the bench grinder. You could also use a sanding disk, a belt sander, or a
Dremel. No sense spending money for a new center when a minute or two is
all it takes to make yours sharp. If you use power tools instead of a
file, dip it in water every few seconds to keep the metal from overheating
and drawing out whatever temper it may have.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co

Thanks Mike.... Already picked one up from Sears for $9 and it is way better
than what I had. I will take your advice and grind down the old one for a
spare.... if need be.
Also, the new one has 4 spurs that line up which I like so they fall into
the saw cuts on the end of the wood piece. The old one had staggered spurs
which I suppose is suppose to keep from splitting wood... but they just
won't dig in unless you pound them.


"Mike Paulson" wrote in message
...
Spur centers are easy to sharpen. Somebody suggested a file, I do mine on
the bench grinder. You could also use a sanding disk, a belt sander, or a
Dremel. No sense spending money for a new center when a minute or two is
all it takes to make yours sharp. If you use power tools instead of a
file, dip it in water every few seconds to keep the metal from overheating
and drawing out whatever temper it may have.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co

but they just won't dig in unless you pound them.

Yeah, you have to give 'em a whack. That's normal. Most turners keep a
plastic or wood mallet handy for just that purpose. But then you don't
have to go the extra step of cutting grooves in your stock unless it is
wood that is prone to splitting.

In article rs.com,
buck wrote:
Thanks Mike.... Already picked one up from Sears for $9 and it is way better
than what I had. I will take your advice and grind down the old one for a
spare.... if need be.
Also, the new one has 4 spurs that line up which I like so they fall into
the saw cuts on the end of the wood piece. The old one had staggered spurs
which I suppose is suppose to keep from splitting wood... but they just
won't dig in unless you pound them.


"Mike Paulson" wrote in message
...
Spur centers are easy to sharpen. Somebody suggested a file, I do mine on
the bench grinder. You could also use a sanding disk, a belt sander, or a
Dremel. No sense spending money for a new center when a minute or two is
all it takes to make yours sharp. If you use power tools instead of a
file, dip it in water every few seconds to keep the metal from overheating
and drawing out whatever temper it may have.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co