Need short MT3 headstock dead center

benmychree said:
Headstock centers are generally left soft so that they can be trued up with a cutting tool when necessary; often they are marked with a groove near the 60 degree point so they can be identified versus the tailstock center which is always hard. It is a good idea to stamp the end of the spindle and the center with reference marks so that they can be replaced in the same orientation each time they are used so that they tend to run true at each use..
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Unfortunately for me, I didn't know the difference between Headstock center and Tailstock center and all I have, are the hardened Tailstock centers. I have one, where carbide tip has broke. I'm going to try to grind about 30mm of the tip and turn it as it is. If it gives. If not, I will heat it up with oxy-acetylene torch to make it soft. Heck I might even harden it back again, when I'm done. And NO. I don't have a tool post grinder. That would have been very handy, wouldn't it? I just tried using a file on the blacken portion of my center. If I can file it, I can turn it. :encourage:
benmychree said:
Who has used a dead center in the tailstock for several dog's ages? We used them in high school machine shop class in 1963, but not since then other than on cylindrical grinders.
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That is a philosophical question. I want my piece of work, to be true, even when I flip it around. I don't know any other way of doing it, other then between centers. And I don't like turning it between centers without a dog, because you know, what happens to carbide inserts, when work stops turning, while it is still engaged. Quite frankly, I was hoping, that you guys would just suggest where I can find a stubby MT3 center. But looks like it doesn't exist.
 
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They absolutely totally do exist. You probably have several in your scrap box, you just need to unwrap the packaging material that surrounds the center - you use your lathe to do that unwrapping. You really don't want a hard center in the headstock. You want to skim the center before use, and depending on the job you may want it longer or shorter, bigger or smaller.

Making that center is very straight forward. It will perform better than anything you can purchase, because you skim it in place and can make other modifications as needed. Hardening it will be an absolute PITA.

I suggest that you are over thinking this. Get a little piece of bar and whittle it down. Heck, making your own tooling is part of what this activity is about. You don't need to wait or buy - just get at it.

Cheers, David
 
Thank you David, for your advice! Unfortunately, I don't have that much tools as some of us and I know exactly (almost exactly) what I have and don't have. Now I need more carbide inserts, I burned four of them, turning this thing. It was hardened, but not too much. I liked the finish though...
Mission accomplished. :eagerness: Piece of cake. And YES, I did use some sand papor to make it look pretty. Don't we all? :)
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Ulma Doctor said:
Hi AMDtrucking,
nice work, well done!
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Thanks. :grin: I'm making this little (40lb) machine, for vaping (electronic cigarette) hobby of mine. It is almost done. But I encountered a problem. Even though, my big pulley (Ø2.75 inch) is perfectly true, so is the shaft, that it is sitting on, with woodruff key. But when it is assembled, it wobbles. I want to turn this pulley (flywheel) on its shaft, between centers.
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One thing that I should have said previously regarding headstock centers is, that nearly always they are the same size taper as the tailstock center, not the same taper as the headstock; a sleeve is inserted into the headstock bore, and the center into that sleeve; this results in a shorter overall length of the center. The sleeves are generally Morse taper, and are cut off flush with the end of the spindle and have no tang slot at the rear end, they are simply a tapered sleeve and are shorter than the rear end of center itself so that the knockout bar will knock out the center before knocking out the sleeve.
 
Yes, shortening the center was obviously the best, neatest solution. For parts to stack up that way in the spindle seems a bit odd. What's the make of lathe?
 
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