Thank you thank you thank you!! Brand new lathe owner here, every video I've come across completely skips this step (the most terrifying as a new lathe owner) and it's been driving me crazy!
Thank you for the video showing the use of the spur drive and especially the correct way of finding the center of the piece to be turned. Very helpful video!!
Great video, but I think you forgot an important step before turning on the lathe. Always hand spin the blank to make sure it clears the tool rest before engaging the lathe motor.
Thanks... I see people drilling a hole or not, and you've got a nice compromise with the punch. Now... I am moving to a safety drive for a bit. It's like the cupped dead center I believe you once showed, except it does have a spring-loaded point. I'm going to assume marking the center should be about the same procedure, and I'll just need to feel out how much pressure to exert with the tail stock so the workpiece only stops if I truly catch or manhandle (but it's not in danger of flying out anywhere in between!)
No, you are correct. You can be slightly off center and this will self correct as you round the piece. The downside to being off center is that the piece will wobble, you will have to reduce the turning speed to be safe and this will effect the cut. You will also have more waste material if you mount off center. It only takes seconds to find center and mount as I demonstrate in this video. It really is worth the effort to do it right.
They make drive centers with a smaller diameter then the standard size I show in the video. These drive centers are made for the purpose of being able to turn blanks with a smaller diameter. There are times when even these smaller drive centers are too large. In that case I use a chuck instead of a drive center. You can support the other end with a 60 degree live center. It will support the wood blank with it's point yet still have plenty of clearance to have access to the entire piece of wood. Just Google Nova Chuck and 60 degree live center to get a better visual image of what I am talking about.
Great question. I never quantized it with a specific depth. I just make a couple of taps, enough so that the spurs penetrate the wood. it doesn't have to go in too deep. Tightening at the tailstock will provide the pressure needed to ensure that the spurs stay engaged and don't slip.
The spurs must enter the wood or else the wood will not spin. If you were able to get it to spin it would certainly stop when you engage the cutting tool. The spurs are what enable the drive center to turn the wood.
I have been following these instructions but the spurs end up ripping out of the center when I apply pressure. Am I applying too much pressure? I am using carbide tools. Any help would be appreciated.
Without seeing what is happening it is difficult for me to say. With that said.....If the spur is tearing up the wood while it is spinning it may be possible that the wood is not secured tight enough and is spinning loose resulting in the tearing. If it is ripping the wood before you even start turning then it might be too tight. I tighten just enough so the wood does not spin free of the spur while I am cutting.
Is your spur just a single point or does it have small blades beside the point like the one in my video? If it is like the one in my video the solution is easy. It is spinning because it is not tapped in deep enough and you are not screwing it in tight enough.
@@daveswoodshop782 I am very new to this. We can seem to get the spur in deeper, don't know what we are doing wrong. It is just like the one you have with the "wings"
@@tracykerr2250 What species of wood are you using. Are you putting the drive spur into end grain? Have You tried another piece of wood as this piece might be bad? What type of tailstock are you using? Does that look similar to mine? if it does you have to tighten it enough so that the spur completely penetrates the wood and the outer circle is tightly against the wood.
Hello Dave, You make outstanding videos. I'm a woodworker that is trying to get into RU-vid and have included link cards from my videos to yours since they are so high quality. I was wondering if you could include link cards to some of my videos, I hope you will find them valuable. Would've reached out to you through email but I couldn't find your contact information anywhere. Thank you, Asher
Are you saying that it is difficult each time you try to remove it or that you can't remove it at all? If it is difficult you have to clean the spur center and where it plugs in with a solvent to remove all grease and gunk. Both surfaces must be perfectly smooth. The slightest debris will cause binding.
@@daveswoodshop782 it is fixed to the lathe, so without disassembly it doesn't come out. I guess my question is, do I tap the stock into it or just tighten the machine until it seats. Thanks for your help.
I have never heard of a spur center that does not come out but if this is really the case then I would hold the wood against the spur center and give it a tap with the soft mallet before I tightened the Live center to it.
@@daleleibfried8648 I didn't think mine came out either, but turns out it was just stuck in there (probably from debris since it's a used lathe). I was able to put a punch on the other side of it and tap it out (toward the direction of where you mount) and it came out with a gentle tap.
That's probably because I taught Kindergarten through 3rd grade for 40 years. Old habits die hard. Not intended to be condescending. The good news it it provided me with the skill set necessary to break things down to their basic parts and then impart that knowledge to others.
