# interchangable live centers



## JPigg55 (Dec 14, 2013)

Anyone use an interchangable live center ???
Shopping for centers on eBay, I ran across quite a few.
Are they more likely to have accuracy errrors vs individual centers vdue to the 2 different tapers ??? (Adapter into tailstock and center point into adapter)
Are there any that one could use the individual dead center points without the live center adapter ??? ie same taper ???
Only advantage I see would be the money savings vs buying indiviual canters.


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## xalky (Dec 14, 2013)

JPigg55 said:


> Anyone use an interchangable live center ???
> Shopping for centers on eBay, I ran across quite a few.
> Are they more likely to have accuracy errrors vs individual centers vdue to the 2 different tapers ??? (Adapter into tailstock and center point into adapter)
> Are there any that one could use the individual dead center points without the live center adapter ??? ie same taper ???
> Only advantage I see would be the money savings vs buying indiviual canters.


 Like anything else the, the potential for more errors is there just as the potential of a live center vs a dead center, A dead center will be more accurate theoretically.. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a combo kit just because of the large tube centers available with them. You could always buy something more accurate later should you find the accuracy to be not up to par. If your running a 3 jaw chuck, it's doubtful that the center would be worse than the chuck.


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## JPigg55 (Dec 14, 2013)

Thanks Xalky,
How about the second question ???
Do any of the sets have interchangable centers that are the same taper as the live adapter ???
Was wondering since it occured to me that one could use the inserts as dead centers if they were.


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## xalky (Dec 14, 2013)

JPigg55 said:


> Thanks Xalky,
> How about the second question ???
> Do any of the sets have interchangable centers that are the same taper as the live adapter ???
> Was wondering since it occured to me that one could use the inserts as dead centers if they were.


 I don't know...sorry.


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## george wilson (Dec 15, 2013)

I haven't seen any interchangeable center sets that are particularly accurate. There may be in uber expensive sets that I have not seen. Above my pay grade,though.


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## flutedchamber (Dec 15, 2013)

Royal makes a nice interchangeable live center that is accurate to .00005.  It's priced from just over $500 to just over $900, depending on the size of the Morse taper.  I believe Bison also makes a quality unit.


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## george wilson (Dec 15, 2013)

As I said: Above my pay grade!!


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## benmychree (Dec 15, 2013)

I had a Bison set in my business, which I sold a few years ago; the quality was excellent, accuracy was quite adequate, and longevity is still there; I made extra points for specific pipe or tube sizes that were particularly handy. Bottom line, not cheap, but worth every penny, and I wish I'd have brought them home for my home (retirement) shop, although they can be borrowed.  The only thing I do not like about them is the relativly large diametwe of the bearing housing as compared with the needle bearing type that is much smaller; one must hang tools much farther out unsupported to machine small diameter parts, particularly, single point threading when using Aloris tools; this I solved by finding Pratt & Whitney form ground tools with long straight shanks that can be held in an Aloris plain holder.  I have a 19" swing Leblond Regal lathe, so small parts ar a bit of a challenge due to these cleareence issues; it takes a lot of tailstock quill extension to clear the bulk of the Aloris CA holders, especially for thye smaller diameters.  I do, however like having a larger lathe with it's relativly greater ridgidity and no less accuracy than most smaller lathes, except toolroom models, generally.


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