# Home made dead center,,,



## stevers

Hi All,
First off let me say, I'm not trying to take business away from anyone. This is just an idea I came up with when a Friend sent me some "between center bushings". It was a way to be able to use the bushings and it was free because I had the old mandrel laying around. Actually, the mandrel was bent near the knurled nut end (tail end). 
So I cut it off and left about a inch and a half of shaft. Then I just mounted the MT end in the lathe and milled the tip. I got as close as I could to a 60 degree tip. I also used a dial indicter as I milled it to keep it as true as possible. It came out to with in a thousandth. With the BCB (between center bushings) on the lathe, they are very close also. With in a thou. So, here is a couple of pictures. 
And again, I am not trying to put anybody out of business, and if this offends anyone, I apologize.






Thanks for looking.


----------



## Firefyter-emt

Not a bad idea there Steve. In fact, if that was a collett chuck, you could of just sharpened the "inside" end of your good one and pushed the threaded end into the headstock.

Nice set up, and the bushings look great! []


----------



## leehljp

Great idea! Thanks for sharing that.


----------



## johnnycnc

Steve,good idea to get started,so you
don't have to wait on a dead center to
arrive.[]


----------



## polarbear1

Excellent Idea


----------



## GaryMGg

Reuse and adapt. Good ole ingenuity! Anyone complains deserves to be slapped. [}][]


----------



## doddman70

Sweet!!! Awsome idea[]

Shane


----------



## Texatdurango

> _Originally posted by stevers_
> <br />...And again, I am not trying to put anybody out of business, and if this offends anyone, I apologize.


Apoligizing for posting a good idea... pashaaaaw!

The way I see it, ANY good idea is worth sharing... period.  If it happens to blow someones skirt up because they are trying to sell a similar product or developed a similar process or coined a term for their idea or whatever, so be it.

I see the sharing of ideas one of the most important aspects of this forum and probably the main reason for me visiting every day.

Good idea by the way, I have a mandrel or two lying about that I might just put a point on now.

Thanks for sharing!


----------



## stevers

Thank you George, Thats how I felt. Thanks to all who replied, and those who thought about it. 
I am going to try my first turning with it as soon as we get back from town.


----------



## alamocdc

Nice tip, Steve. And thanks to Lee's input I now have an idea on how I can make me one. []


----------



## Blind_Squirrel

Sweet idea!  What did you use to mill it with?


----------



## Firefyter-emt

Scott, I assume that Steve most likly used a file.

There is just once thing I just thought of... This will not work for use with standard bushings, the shaft size is the same as the bushing hole. This method over the dead center will only work with custom made BCB's (new IAP phrase now in use: between center bushings)

Just to pop it in here too, you can get a MT-2 dead center from the "Little Machine Shop" for about $10.00 delivered. Just google it, and you will find them.


----------



## stevers

Thats right Lee. It works with your BCB's, but it would also work with bushings that fit inside the tube, like cigars. I tried it last night. It would work, just slip your bushing into the hole on the cigar bushing and it acts like an adapter. Pretty slick really. One of the bushings was a pretty tight fit, didn't feel like adjusting the fit at the moment, but it would certainly work.
Lee's right, I just used a file to get the main shape, then used an old HSS skew to finish it off. It's quite accurate.


----------



## Firefyter-emt

Oh, yea I see how that could work!  I didn't even think of using it like that. That would still work for pointing the end of an adjustable mandrel too. Cool! [:I]

By the way, how did you like turning BCB anyway?? Oh, and the pen was a HUGE hit! []


----------



## stevers

Awesome about the pen, that makes me feel good. Thanks. 
Using the bushings that way make them vestal. You can use them with any kit that fits the bushings inside the tube.
Hey, ya know what, I thought of something useful. [][][]


----------



## Firefyter-emt

What is really nice is with the dead center, you use the same centers for the A or B mandrel bushings.


----------



## Stevej72

Steve, thanks for sharing this excellent idea.


----------



## stevers

My pleasure Steve


----------



## polarbear1

Excellent Idea Steve


----------

