when do you use a live center instead of a dead center?

[4GSR]

I listened to mikey's advice and ordered a half decent live center from Travers:
View attachment 237060 The picture is a bit misleading, the marking on it say Skoda but the description says it's a Phase II brand, never the less it sounds like a better quality live center than the $19.99 ones on ebay.
http://www.traverscanada.com/precision-heavy-duty-live-center/p/69-201-011/

Let us know how it turns out. I'm looking for another live center with a 3 MT shank.

 

[Bamban]

I would not buy a Royal or any other live center at retail prices. Use what comes with your lathe and watch for a deal on ebay. Brands to look for are Royal, Skoda and Riten (there may be others). Rohm makes good ones, too. Typically, a new Skoda will go for about half what a Royal costs on ebay, like this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SKODA-Preci...944974?hash=item1c85af568e:g:oTQAAOSwSypY-T5C

I would make an offer for $100.00 and see if he bites.

I have an interchangeable tip Royal. Its good to know that they are warranted for life and if you have a new tip, Royal will grind it to suit your specific live center body for free, for life.

I made an offer on this Skoda Mike linked, the seller accepted. Got it for $75, plus the shipping. Perfect for my favorite lathe, the Jet 1024.

 

[darkzero]

What a find, after watching a few youtube videos , it looks like refubishing/repairing these older live centers is quite common.

I've seen some too & it doesn't look hard except if you don't have the capability to regrind the nose. Some people just clean it up on the lathe though.

But if you don't feel like doing it yourself or can't, Royal & Riten both have repair programs. They'll repair/recondition live centers for most any manufacturer if possible, doesn't have to be their own. Whether or not that's economical, I don't know, not sure what the rates are. Of course you wouldn't send in a cheap $40 import center.

 

[bfd]

time for another definition. I was taught that if the part rotates on the center then its a live center if the part doesn't rotate on the center then its a dead center I like the bearing center verses the no bearing center bill If you get a cheaper center you probably wont notice much difference try it before you condemn it I have even used a homemade center that worked great bill

 

[Ken from ontario]

time for another definition. I was taught that if the part rotates on the center then its a live center if the part doesn't rotate on the center then its a dead center I like the bearing center verses the no bearing center bill If you get a cheaper center you probably wont notice much difference try it before you condemn it I have even used a homemade center that worked great bill

I'll soon find out, the one I bought was the least expensive live center that seemed not a total waste of money.I would imagine a shop made live center with a good ball bearing could perform just as good ,in fact I would like to try building one with my new lathe.

 

[4GSR]

I'll soon find out, the one I bought was the least expensive live center that seemed not a total waste of money.I would imagine a shop made live center with a good ball bearing could perform just as good ,in fact I would like to try building one with my new lathe.

Growing up, that's all I had to work with was a homemade live center dad made. It got us by until I bought a new Rohm live center around 1978. Still have that center, too. Oh, the homemade live center, well I turned it into a revolving center with a 3" 3-jaw chuck mounted to it to hold material long enough to cut a steady rest groove on it. Been handy at times.

 

[Bamban]

Growing up, that's all I had to work with was a homemade live center dad made. It got us by until I bought a new Rohm live center around 1978. Still have that center, too. Oh, the homemade live center, well I turned it into a revolving center with a 3" 3-jaw chuck mounted to it to hold material long enough to cut a steady rest groove on it. Been handy at times.

I like that revolving TS chuck. There were a couple of times I could use one.

 

[Ken from ontario]

Growing up, that's all I had to work with was a homemade live center dad made. It got us by until I bought a new Rohm live center around 1978. Still have that center, too. Oh, the homemade live center, well I turned it into a revolving center with a 3" 3-jaw chuck mounted to it to hold material long enough to cut a steady rest groove on it. Been handy at times.

A revolving center with a 3"chuck , what a great modification, I wonder if a smaller chuck like a drill press chuck would work.

 

[dlane]

 

[Billh50]

I bought one of those cheaper live centers for my mini-lathe. Every time I tried to use it kept getting chatter no matter how much pressure I put on the part. Once I even stalled the lathe trying to put more pressure on. Change to my dead center and I never get any chatter. So now I only use my dead center with lots of grease.