Turning square shafts

Son of Sam said:

Often we encounter square shafts that are turned round on ends to fit bearings. If they are 1-1/4" square of less this is no problem because we put them through the headstock with a 4-jaw. The problem comes with anything larger. 1-1/2, 2" are very common and I have even done up to 3-1/2". Shafts range from 24" up to 84". This is what I have done so far with mixed or limited success.
1. Milled a square into a round boss with a couple set screws and held that in the steady rest.- This allows for end work to be done such as a tapped hole. Chatter is an issue as well as the ability to take any decent size cuts.
2. Milled the face and indicated the center in mill, center drilled the end. Works decent but chatter is still a huge issue.

I am wondering if there is a so called "Proper" way to do this, or has someone found something that works better than what I am doing.

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johnoder said:

Forget the milled square and use eight BIG set screws - four each end

Called a cathead, a heavy wall sleeve - long enough so the set screws don't foul the steady rest

You can even make it spool shaped so each end is bigger - so the big set screws have some real meat to work in

Think of it as a four jaw chuck that fits in a steady rest

The oil patch has centered these things up over the last many years with machinist scale and depth mics

Click to expand...

johnoder said:

Forget the milled square and use eight BIG set screws - four each end

Called a cathead, a heavy wall sleeve - long enough so the set screws don't foul the steady rest

You can even make it spool shaped so each end is bigger - so the big set screws have some real meat to work in

Think of it as a four jaw chuck that fits in a steady rest

The oil patch has centered these things up over the last many years with machinist scale and depth mics

Click to expand...

onecut said:

The catshead/paw is the norm,but you can center drill it thro the back of headstock make a bar that is a close fit thro your "spout" drill tap it to hold your c/drill and center drill the end of your shaft using a blackdeka hand drill thro the back of the headstock

Click to expand...