Pipe center DIY

cascao

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Had a round 5" laminated steel laying around and decided to make a pipe center....

For the axle, used a drill chuck arbor MT02 to JT4. Machined Jacobs taper to 25mm the internal diameter of my bearing.

The bearing used is from a car front wheel. It's a double row angular contact ball bearing. It can handle axial and radial loads, It's preloaded (no free play), has good seal and it is cheap. The one I used has 25mm internal diameter, 55mm external and 45mm long.

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Machined the 5" steel with 4 jaw chuck since this is the biggest I have. First back side was made with bearing case. Pressed bearing and axle. So, I machined most of the taper (35º).

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***Now comes the odd part***
For the two finishing pass, I mounted the pipe center in tailstock and driven it by a threaded bar (see pics) This way I ensured best concentricity.

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:finger wag:Nice work but I hope you're not wearing those gloves while operating that lathe ! My buddy down the steel mill got a chip caught in his glove , got pulled into the chuck and was killed . .
 
Threaded bar screw into pipe center. This hole can be used to remove the axle in future.
The photo doen't show but during tailstock turning, there was a nut holding the threaded bar in the pipe center. Otherwise the bar will screw into pipe center.
 
I'm in the middle of copying your design. Hope you don't mind. I got a slightly smaller OD wheel bearing for a 3-1/2" diameter pipe center.
So far I've made the rough outside shape and drilled and threaded pointy end, bored the bearing seat, made the MT2 and bearing abour from a piece of hydraulic cylinder rod I had, complete with threaded hole at bearing end and compression washer for bearing.
Next steps are to very accurately finish turn the bearing end of the arbour, assemble and fit the threaded drive rod you mentioned. Then finish turn the cone in the tailstock.
Brilliant idea! Didn't take all that long either. Thanks a lot!
Photos coming when finished.
 
Nice to know. post a photo of your pipe center after.
 
Pipe Center? I have to admit making one never entered my mind, but I do have a large center. It was listed as a bull nose center when I bought it.

Very nice work.

Laminated? As in stacked plates? Did you notice any tendency to get a different cut or groove at the seams?
 
mistranslation detected

Sorry it was hot rolled steel.
 
Hi. Here are some photos, now that it is together.

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Still one pass to go clean up the taper section in situ.
I changed my mind about the angle of the taper, so had to do quite few passes...
 
Nice but would it be good to put a thrust washer in the cone to push against. I had though about making one, but was looking at using two bearings, for rotation and a thrust bearing between it and the front that way any pressure is put between the cone and the head of the taper without pushing on the bearing, which I though may cause wear in them. Just my 2 cents.

Ken
 
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