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Short MT centers?

E. Bobicki

Cast Iron
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Location
Oakville, ONT, Canada
I'm outfitting the lathe I just bought with centers, it says in the manual that the headstock is MT 5. However I just bought a MT5 dead center for the headstock and it doesn't fit, almost like the center would fit if two inches were cut off the small end. Also the lathe came with a MT5 to MT3 adapter which would work as the overall length is shorter. I just figured that I might as well get a MT5 center and not even bother with the adapter.

What should I do? Get a MT3 dead center and use it in the adapter or cut off the MT5 center I have (carefully) and use that, or is there some sort of MT5 short center I can buy?
 
You can always bag it and just make a short center to hold in the chuck. You turn it down a bit each time you use it to trim it perfectly true, and go.

The chuck jaws make great dog drivers. Much better than trying to find a long-tail dog.

Whoever suggested this to me gets a big "attaboy". It is much simpler than the long centers, and may be more accurate than the adapter and smaller center. I think that is what you are expected to do....many/most machines had a weird spindle taper and a special center sleeve, look at old pics. I know larger Logan have one of two proprietory spindle tapers, you have to use a sleeve.

Since the center turns, the need for hardening is much less....tailstock one still must be hard.
 








 
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