Bull nose center with no tang

[Threadkiller]

I just bought a bull nose center from harbor freight. Nice piece for $30, the bearing feels smooth and it looks like decent quality. Only problem is it doesn’t have a tang on the back to eject it out of the tailstock. It’s just a blank hole no threads. I was thinking of maybe drilling and tapping it and putting a short stud in the end? Any ideas? I’ve attached pictures. The missing paint on the back is from me prying on it to get it out of the tailstock

 

[mmcmdl]

Put a piece of anything handy in between the tailstock and the center . It'll pop right out .

 

[SWIGIN]

Did you try it?

I have some that needed extended and others that still ejected.

Just don't slam it home for the test.

 

[Nutfarmer]

Your thought of taping the end of the shank is good. It will work

 

[OTmachine]

Could you have removed the TS screw and used a brass or aluminum drift to drive it out?

 

[RJSakowski]

Tapping may prove difficult if the center is hardened.

I would turn a pin to fit the hole with a button head the appropriate length to allow ejection when you retract the tailstock quill. The pin can be a light interference fit or you can fix it in place with LocTite, Super glue, or even hot melt glue to keep it from falling out. You should be able to make this fix in a matter of a few minutes. I would make a trial pin with a loose fit to determine the needed length of the extension. I set my tailstock tools to eject at about .05" before the end of travel to get maximum usable travel of the quill.

 

[projectnut]

I also have a few live and dead centers without the tang. I just slip a 1/2”x1” dowel pin in the tail stock first.

 

[D.sebens]

I have one center that doesnt reach the ejector. My tailstock will retract enough to pop it out off the live portion and the tailstock body.

 

[mksj]

I have yet to see a live center that has a tang, and I have around 10 different ones. They all eject when the tailstock is pulled all the way back. On one of mine similar to yours, I turned a small button with a pin that was a press fit into the hole on the end so it would eject a bit sooner. I have only seen tangs on tailstock MT drills, MT chucks, MT collet holders I assume to prevent them from spinning should they loosen. I have seen issues with untanged MT reducers that would not eject from the tailstock, the ones I use are all tanged.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

glue a ball bearing on the end