• Thanks for visiting The Penturners Forum today.

    There are many features and resources that currently you are unable to see or access, either because you're not yet registered, or if you're already registered, because you're not logged in.

    To gain full access to the forum, please log in or register now. Registration is completely free, it only takes a few seconds, and you can join our well established community of like-minded pen makers.

Live centre

sammy

sammy

Graduate Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2016
Posts
945
Location
Staffordshire
First Name
George
Something's bugging me. I have recently purchased a small axminster lathe and all is well except that the live centre in the tail stock didnt turn as freely as I thought it should. Anyway I convinced myself that I could get a better one from amazon. The one I chose had good reviews so I thought I was onto a winner. However it is about the same as the one that came with my lathe. The wood tends to spin on the point rather than revolve with the wood. I'm putting quite a bit of pressure on with the tailstock but worried about damaging the bearing in the head stock. Any thoughts.
 
A

AllenN

Fellow
Joined
May 20, 2013
Posts
2,245
Location
Lancaster, UK
First Name
Allen
George, I have four live centres, one which came with the lathe (Jet) two from Axminster and a pen mandrel saver ( Planet). All rotate freely without too much pressure on the tailstock. Do your bearings feel 'lumpy?' If so I suspect the unit has been wrongly assembled and the bearing is too tight.
 
21William

21William

Fellow
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Posts
1,629
Location
Dorset
First Name
William
I've also got three live centres including a mandrel saver from Chronos and they all rotate freely. As unlikely as it seems it sounds like you've been unlucky and got a couple of bad ones?
 
Phil Dart

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,491
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
Have to agree with the forgoing replies George. You have a couple of dodgy live centres which need to go back to their manufacturers for replacement. In fact if it were me, I'd send the Amazon one back for a refund, and put my faith in a replacement Axi.
 
sammy

sammy

Graduate Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2016
Posts
945
Location
Staffordshire
First Name
George
AllenN said:
George, I have four live centres, one which came with the lathe (Jet) two from Axminster and a pen mandrel saver ( Planet). All rotate freely without too much pressure on the tailstock. Do your bearings feel 'lumpy?' If so I suspect the unit has been wrongly assembled and the bearing is too tight.
Click to expand...

Hi Allen thanks for your reply. They dont feel lumpy just not quite as free running as I thought they should be. However, I too have a planet pen mandrel and Ive just been to the workshop to check and it runs really freely. So it looks like Ive got a couple of duffers and they'll both have to go back. Thanks again.
George
 
sammy

sammy

Graduate Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2016
Posts
945
Location
Staffordshire
First Name
George
21William said:
I've also got three live centres including a mandrel saver from Chronos and they all rotate freely. As unlikely as it seems it sounds like you've been unlucky and got a couple of bad ones?
Click to expand...

Thanks William looks like Ive got two bad ones.
George
 
sammy

sammy

Graduate Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2016
Posts
945
Location
Staffordshire
First Name
George
Phil Dart said:
Have to agree with the forgoing replies George. You have a couple of dodgy live centres which need to go back to their manufacturers for replacement. In fact if it were me, I'd send the Amazon one back for a refund, and put my faith in a replacement Axi.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your advice Phil, looks like I will be without a live centre for a few days so I'll have to concentrate on pens.
George
 
Phil Dart

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,491
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
sammy said:
Thanks for your advice Phil, looks like I will be without a live centre for a few days so I'll have to concentrate on pens.
George
Click to expand...

Oh dear, such a shame - if you have to concentrate on pens and they are as good as your most recent offering, lets all just hope that Axminster take a long time to reply.:bwink:
 
Penpal

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,342
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
With tail stock equipment you mostly get what you pay. Everything to be said for personal purchases where you can consult and try. Distant items need to come from reputable firms. Forever ago I bought a medium Bench drill, the chuck dropped out and I approached the importer at a working for wood show. He established what I had found saying when he made the bulk purchase what the price would be without the chucks. He was told exactly the same.

Nevertheless he sold me a superior chuck at a nominal price also pointing out this press had a hollow stem allowing a locking bar to hold the chuck in place. Always happy when real people deal honestly with their customers.

I have had custom live centres made for me, made my own after all its not a big deal. On one occasion I bought a mandrel saver from a big concern over in the US it was a drop kick in use. It pulled apart in my hand, I went to my local bearing dealer bought the right sized and better quality bearing. I contacted the firm in the USA, they withdrew their product and reenginered their mandrel saver using the info I provided giving me a refund for my original purchase.

Peter.
 
Warning! This thread has not had any replies for over a year. You are welcome to post a reply here, but it might be better to start a new thread (and maybe include a link to this one if you need to).
Top