Live Center Quality

rock_breaker

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I may be coming into a few extra bucks and think I need to replace my no name but older live center. A rough spot can be felt when turning the point and sometimes it stops.
Travers Tool Co. have a sale on that list a Phase II MT2 @ $38.15 and a SKODA @ $146.95. MSC have some from around $40.00 up to several hundred dollars.
Does price relate to quality here? The Phase II has a spring of some sort and my thought is that it could reduce accuracy sooner due to moving parts or do they all have springs?
I would appreciate constructive comments from Phase II and SKODA users.
Have a good day
Ray
 
Hey Ray,
Price does relate to quality. Good centers, like Royals, have multiple preloaded angular contact bearings and most of them also have a thrust bearing to support the end of the shaft that holds the point. The good live centers that I am aware of do not have springs in them.

Skoda actually makes pretty good live centers but again, price determines the level of quality.

I only own Royals and had an Emco (made by Rohm, I think) but have used a Skoda briefly so I don't have a lot of exposure to the other makes. I do know that Royal and Rohm make really good ones and I particularly like the exchangeable tip models.

Which morse taper are you looking for?
 
I have a Skoda, which I'm perfectly happy with. It's not as good as a Royal, but it didn't cost as much as a Royal
either. No clue about Phase II.
 
The Morse Taper on my existing live center is a 2. The live center for the Enco lathe is MT3. I don.t have any "shrinkum compound" to use it on the Clausing however. The Phase II and SKODA are listed on the same line in the catalog, will call tomorrow to see if they are by the same manufacturer. I like the idea of being able to load 600 pounds, I interpret that as being strongly built. There is a Royal listed but not in MT2, price says it must be of superior quality. Not sure how much work I will have and how generous the neighbor will be so am thinking in terms of the SKODA.
Have a good day
Ray.
 
The Skoda is very good quality for the price, although for the size lathe, just about anything would work. Still, I have purchase some less quality (Shar's) live centers and it was gritty and did not spin well until broken in. I have a Swiss live center and it is like butter out of the box. You need to decide on the point type, so I often use an extended nose/CNC type when turning small diameters, I have a standard nose and a bull nose live center.

Between the Phase II and Skoda, I would go with the latter. I feel it offers a better built live center and a mid level price. Unlikely you will wear out a Skoda in the hobbyist environment. If you need to go cheaper, then you may check the Z-Live centers.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Morse-Ta...eight-600lb-60-Point-Skoda-Brand/171863011824
https://zlivecenter.com/mt2-livecenter
 
Thanks guys! I don't anticipate mounting a 600 pound job but parts around 100 pounds are on many farm machines. I just like the strength rather than sweating out a near max load.
Have a good day
Ray
 
Skoda and Phase II are not made by the same manufacterer. Phase II stuff is Chinese. Skodas are European.
I have a Phase II QCTP which is just fine, but I was willing to spend a bit more for the live center, and glad that I did.
 
Thanks guys! I don't anticipate mounting a 600 pound job but parts around 100 pounds are on many farm machines. I just like the strength rather than sweating out a near max load.
Have a good day
Ray


Just to throw it out there. The weights the live centers can handle is not the weight of the part wanting to machine. The weight is how much the live center can tolerate. Meaning forces put on the center.
 
Greetings Ray, i would suggest you buy the best you can afford.
 
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