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#1
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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 |
#2
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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. -- Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by |
#3
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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/ |
#4
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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 |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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 |
#7
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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 |
#8
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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 |
#9
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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. |
#10
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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 |
#11
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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 |
#12
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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 |
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