Ok guys and ladies, I broke down and bought me a dead center so that I could start turning between centers instead of having to use a mandrel.

 

Problem is that there is not enough grip to allow the item to be worked on while turning, if you try, the work piece stops turning while the lathe is running. I have a 60 degree dead center, in the headstock, I have a 60 degree LIVE center in the tailstock.

 

I must say that I am a complete noob when it comes to turning between centers, but to me this seems like it should work, what am I doing wrong?

 

Signed

The confuzed geezer.

 

Pictured is a piece of copper swirl acrylic from PSI and the dead center from Penturners Products in the head stock also using the bushings from PP (7mm), and live tailstock from PSI both are 60 degree

 

 

---

Charles

Charles,

I turn all my pens between centers and rarely have a problem stopping my blanks.  I had much more problems when I used a mandrel because I was afraid of tightening the jam nut too much.  I even turn some without bushings using the centers in the tube. 

If yours are stopping try the obvious first.

Put a little more pressure on the tailstock.  If your lathe is aligned I don't think you will affect the blank especially if you are using Johnny's bushings.  O by the way make sure your bushing and centers don't have any oil on them.  Johnny recommends a light wipe of 3 in 1 oil for storage.  Make sure that is cleaned off.

 

 

Take a slightly shallower cut and make sure your tool is sharp.  That said I use a Woodchuck Pen Pro and am very aggressive when rounding.

 

Round over your blanks before you put them between centers.  I square the ends on the disk/belt sander.  After the blank is square I knock the edges off on the belt sander.  It helps keep the tool from catching.

 

Good luck.  In my opinion between centers is the only way to go.

I may be totally off base here, but it was my impression that the head stock should have a "drive spur" type center. They come in various sizes and "gripping" ability. The tail stock can use a "live" (spins freely on bearings) or a "cup" (stationary) center- hope my terminology is correct. 

Here are two sites that have a lot of good information about turning:

http://www.turningtools.co.uk/wtintro/wtintro.html

http://nickcookwoodturner.com/articles-spindle-tips.pdf

Also, here is a link to a great resource. These folks have a super free monthly newsletter, also-

http://www.woodturningonline.com/

 

Lew

I wonder if you slightly tapered the inside end of the bushing that rests against the the drive center. It might give it more surface contact and therefore more friction.

Just curios Charles, but what speed are you at when roughing the blank?

 

---

John Moody
John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

Charles is absolutly correct, increase the pressure a little and use sharp tools. I've been turning between centers using stock bushings and so far haven't had any issues. Check out this video, it has some great info for turning between centers and not because it shows the Pen Pro but thats a bonus:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYFhRINVDDE 

 

 I just got the Woodchuck Pen Pro and what a great tool.

First question: Are you wet sanding your blanks? Second: Are you using accelerator with the super glue? It appears that when you sand you're using regular sand paper and overheating the blank given the radial scratches that appear. For acrylic blanks I use wet dry sand paper and then the micro mesh pads and I wet sand during the entire sanding process which helps keep the blank cool among other benifits. Use a light touch so you don't creat a lot of heat, heat can cause the gue joint to fail. On several websites dealing with acrylics they recommend spraying the blank with accelerator and then sliding the tube with the CA into the bore of the blank which assures the CA will cure down the full length of the tube. I switched to 5 minute epoxy a few years ago and heave never had one fail.

Hey Charles,

From looking at the tube that came out of the blank, did you apply a good amount of glue on the tube? And did you rotate the tube as you were pushing it into the blank?  There does not appear to be any glue on the tube. Just asking. I turn my blanks at 2000 and deer antler at 2500.