Bashed Dead Center

Boojie

Boojie

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Feb 18, 2019
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I bought a circa 1998 Smithy CB-1220XL ( basically a MI-1220XL) a few years back with almost zero hours on it. (Laugh if you will, but I got it, the bench stand , toolbox, and a bunch of tooling for $500.
Finally getting around to setting il up. But when I looked at the dead center I discovered the point was whacked (see picture).
How do I fix this? Can I fix this?

d91f4350ec76b0175e9760f0b29e3988.jpg
96458a373419fd2e07da5fc3a74abf6d.jpg


As always - thanks in advance.


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just old al said:
Do what I do - it likely fits in the headstock as a live centre.

Just put it in the headstock and re-cut the point - it's likely not hardened.
Click to expand...

Are the points a particular taper?


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The very tip of the centre is not critical since a centre divot has clearance at the bottom.
The taper of a centre is precisely 60 deg. (30 deg. each side).
As old Al suggested, I would clean up the centre by installing it in the spindle and setting the compound at 30 deg. from the spindle axis.
 
If the center has an MT taper you may have trouble holding it. What I have done is to remove the entire ram from the tailstock and grip the assembly in the chuck. Then you can machine or grind the tip on the center.
Robert
Edit: My lathe has a MT3 spindle and an MT2 tailstock. You may not have this issue.
 
Last edited:
Check the toolbox. There could be a taper adapter to fit the center in the headstock, if the headstock is different than the tailstock.
 
rwm said:
If the center has an MT taper you may have trouble holding it. What I have done is to remove the entire ram from the tailstock and grip the assembly in the chuck. Then you can machine or grind the tip on the center.
Robert
Edit: My lathe has a MT3 spindle and an MT2 tailstock. You may not have this issue.
Click to expand...

The tail stock is a MT3 but the headstock is a MT4. Some I’m not sure how to hold it.


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Many tailstock dead centers are hardened, while those that go in the spindle taper are not. You might want to check it to see if is hardened. If it is not hardened then you can dress it up as the guys have recommended. If it is, you can use a diamond stone to take the burr off and just use it; the very tip is rarely used anyway.
 
mikey said:
Many tailstock dead centers are hardened, while those that go in the spindle taper are not. You might want to check it to see if is hardened. If it is not hardened then you can dress it up as the guys have recommended. If it is, you can use a diamond stone to take the burr off and just use it; the very tip is rarely used anyway.
Click to expand...

Dumb question: how do I tell if it is hardened ( other than burning up a tool)?


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