# Homemade shop made live center for a lathe



## GoceKU (Aug 12, 2017)

I was recently asked to find a live center MT2 for a friend how has a small lathe, after looking locally with no success i've order one online and a week later got an e-mail they can't deliver, so if i can buy one i can make one, so i started with an 45mm round 4150 steel, which is overkill but it was closest to what i needed, first i chuck it straight and cut it down to 18 mm and 80 long, took couple of heavy cut and got beautiful chips with insert tool, then i set my compound for morse taper and cut the taper, then i flip it around cut the excess, face it and begin drilling it started with 8mm drill and drill it about 40mm deep, then i drill it with 29mm drill about 26mm deep then i used a boring bar to bring it out ti 32mm press fit, i'm using two 6201 bearings, then i made the shaft from some AR500 started with 14mm cut a 60 degree taper on one side and cut it down to 12mm for 22 mm and 16mm down to 7,8mm and center drill the end, i put in a ball bearing in the end fill it with grease and then press in the bearing and shaft, as last thing i made a cap form C45 and press it on, this is my first live center i've made, and i'm very satisfied, i'll update this thread as is being used how it holds up, and i hope to inspire someone, not to be afraid to make you own tools.


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## tweinke (Aug 12, 2017)

Nice job! Please do update us on how it works out.


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## Silverbullet (Aug 12, 2017)

Looks good , should work well for you. Nice job.


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## WoodBee (Aug 13, 2017)

Sounds like an interesting project. Unfortunately I can only see the second, third and fourth pictures. The rest seems broken? I use Tapatalk, but when opening the subject in a browser it does the same. All or nothing I can understand, but why just some? 
Peter


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## GoceKU (Aug 13, 2017)

All the pictures open in google chrome, maybe the sites administrator can help explain.


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## GoceKU (Aug 16, 2017)

Little up date, my friend has been using this live center for couple of days, yesterday when i visited him he had an 120mm round piece about 500mm long 40 Kg chuck up and was turning it at 250 rpm, and the live centre handle it no problem, i've certainly chosen the right person to test it out, this guy has no mercy for his tools.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 17, 2017)

From the pictures it appears that someone really needed to turn to large a part and cut a slot in the back ways creating a gap, not a bad solution as the tail stock  likely can not reach that position.


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 17, 2017)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> someone really needed to turn to large a part and cut a slot in the back ways creating a gap



I noticed that notch carved out of the way,  too. 

Re: that great live center. I think I'd have tried to put more of a thrust bearing in it. Or are the 6201 bearings radial and thrust?


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## markba633csi (Aug 18, 2017)

40 kg holy sh*t  that's 88 lbs
Mark


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## dlane (Aug 18, 2017)

I noticed the way carving too I'll guess the front way is also, if it don't fit make it .


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## GoceKU (Aug 18, 2017)

I bought the lathe already relieved for cutting bigger diameters, the machine shop from where i bought my lathe used it to make some machinery parts like this, it's over 500 mm in diameters and weight is around 60 kg, tailstock never comes that close even the study rest has no problems clearing it.


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## GoceKU (Aug 18, 2017)

T Bredehoft said:


> Re: that great live center. I think I'd have tried to put more of a thrust bearing in it. Or are the 6201 bearings radial and thrust?


I've installed an single ball at the end to act against the thrust the two bearings are for vertical support.


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 18, 2017)

Here's what I had in mind 


This distributes the load against two hardened washers.


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## GoceKU (Aug 18, 2017)

I do know what an thrust bearing is, but because of being so small morse taper 2 i use only one ball bearing at the very back, i may make one more live center identical just to show in more detail, when i was finishing this one i was in a hurry.


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## Uglydog (Aug 19, 2017)

One of my once snow falls projects is to make (or buy) an extended point live center with a MT5 shank.
I'm interested in anything anyone posts on the topic. Especially regarding the bearing design/selection. 
While I've found several build plans, this is the link to one of the better documented.  

*http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/..._medium=email&utm_campaign=05-22-17#post93399*

Thank you.
Daryl
MN


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## GoceKU (Aug 19, 2017)

Now i have MT1, MT3, MT4 and my tail stock is MT5, so i'm using taper sleeves to use them, i may make one more MT2 and a big MT5, to have a full set, i've been talking to my tools supplier for a MT5 live centre but he hasn't come thru and i know if i start making i'll get a call that he has one in stock, and the bearings and material will probably be the same price as buying one.


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## GoceKU (Sep 5, 2017)

Little update, the live center i made its been i use almost a month every day and is still working great, only the very sharp tip is not so sharp anymore otherwise servs great.


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## GoceKU (Oct 11, 2017)

It's been couple of months since i've built this live center, and its been in use everyday since, last night i visited my friend how has been using it and is still holding up, the point has become blant, my friend said is probably from misuse, he has not been drilling the ends deep enough, other wise even with only one ball bearing at the end is holding well.


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## GoceKU (Dec 14, 2017)

Well the live centre is still holding up and has moved to a new owner, my friend did little tool trading and trade it for a drill chuck for his lathe, the new owner is also satisfied and thinks its factory made.


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## GoceKU (May 1, 2018)

Well this live centre vent to a new owner in another city, but surprise surprise, a different friend decided to buy a lathe and with the lathe got a box of tooling in which we found this live centre that i build. After talking to them both it turns out one friend trade it for a drill chuck and the other bought the lathe and tooling from the same person and is still in good shape fully functional.


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## Charles Spencer (May 1, 2018)

Nice follow up.


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## rock_breaker (May 16, 2018)

Enjoyed your project description and follow up. Your live center has obviously with stood some serious work and has met the challenge. Nice work!
Have a good day
Ray


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## GoceKU (Jul 30, 2019)

Well it's been 2 years since i've made this live centre and it has had an interesting journey, yesterday i seen it at the tool/flea market at one of the regular venders, someone had painted the outside and had stopped "CCCP" in the back of it, i turned it around and it still had my mark on it, the point had a fresh ground and it was sharp and the two holes for taking it apart had scraps, someone has taken it apart. I Wanted to buy it but the vender wanted 60 euros way too much. I called my friend that had it last and he sold the lathe and tools around new year i've never imagined something i've made will trade hands so many times incredible.


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## brino (Jul 30, 2019)

GoceKU said:


> I Wanted to buy it but the vender wanted 60 euros way too much. I called my friend that had it last and he sold the lathe and tools around new year i've never imagined something i've made will trade hands so many times incredible.



Maybe you need to make a few more and sell them yourself....for a good profit!
-brino


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