A recommended live center?

[C JParticipant @cj88518]

I somehow thought it would be easy to choose a MT2 live centre but find myself up against great swathes of unbranded items for sale online.

Could someone recommend a good one for me.

With thanks in advance

[C JParticipant @cj88518]

[egaParticipant @ega]

Gepy (Swiss) – good but expensive.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by ega on 05/03/2018 09:41:54:

Gepy (Swiss) – good but expensive.

.

+1

… actually, make that +2

Male and female versions are both superb.

MichaelG.

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/images/member_albums/79913/567176.jpg

http://anglo-swiss-tools.co.uk/gepy-centres-spindles/

 

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/03/2018 09:59:47

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Not as expensive but work well are Skoda.

Emgee

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I'm happy with my SKoda too, they have quite a slim body which is good for getting in close.

[C JParticipant @cj88518]

Thanks for the posts.

Having checked, I appreciate the design of the Gepy and like the slimness of the Skoda yet want still something a bit cheaper than £105.29 or am I seeking a false economy?

Edited By C J on 05/03/2018 10:27:02

[C JParticipant @cj88518]

I've just found a better price for a Skoda LC £64.97 this is more like it.

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

+ for Skoda.

[C JParticipant @cj88518]

Yep!

[egaParticipant @ega]

MichaelG:

Thanks, as so often, for the definitive link. So far as I could see, however, the makers do not specify the type, etc of the "OEL" which should be used to lubricate.

In the Centres PDF they say that most modern lathes are equipped with taper roller bearings (presumably, to the spindle). I know very little about modern machines and wonder how true the statement is today.

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Another vote for Skoda, I bought mine many years ago and it is still working very well.

Thor

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by ega on 05/03/2018 11:01:34:

In the Centres PDF they say that most modern lathes are equipped with taper roller bearings (presumably, to the spindle). I know very little about modern machines and wonder how true the statement is today.

Virtually all modern lathes except the smallest have taper rollers.

Neil

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

But not Myfords…

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Unless you are going to be using your rolling centre every day I would just go for one from a reputable hobby supplier – I got mine from Arc IIRC and it's just fine for what I want. The worst that can happen when you get it is it's not quite running true, but a reputable supplier such as Arc would replace it without question in that case. From Arc an MT2 live centre is ~£19.

[Anonymous]

Mine is Skoda, so far so good. I don't use it a lot, but it has a hard life when I do use it. I started with a cheap hobby grade one, can't remember where from. Hopeless, it failed within a couple of years, locked up solid. I don't know if it was the bearings breaking up, or the seals were poor and it let swarf into the internals. I turn a lot of cast iron, the swarf gets everywhere.

Andrew

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

 

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 05/03/2018 11:48:19:

Posted by ega on 05/03/2018 11:01:34:

In the Centres PDF they say that most modern lathes are equipped with taper roller bearings (presumably, to the spindle). I know very little about modern machines and wonder how true the statement is today.

Virtually all modern lathes except the smallest have taper rollers.

Neil

 

Posted by John Haine on 05/03/2018 11:52:08:

But not Myfords…

 

 

But, being a 70 year old design, you would be stretching anyone's imagination to call a Myford a 'modern lathe'.

However, playing the pedant card, my Myford 254S has a taper roller bearing supported spindle, not all Myford's are created equal

 

 

Edited By David Standing 1 on 05/03/2018 12:36:02

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I'm on my second Skoda, the first one got some heavy work and eventually the bearings collapsed, and although the supplier could overhaul it, it ended up quite a bit cheaper to buy a new one, this one should see me out, not having such a hard time.

Ian S C

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Maybe we should have a "criticise Myford" thread just to save other threads being derailed…

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by ega on 05/03/2018 11:01:34:

MichaelG:

Thanks, as so often, for the definitive link. So far as I could see, however, the makers do not specify the type, etc of the "OEL" which should be used to lubricate.

.

Mine get a drop or two of 'light spindle oil' occasionally.

I bought them secondhand, nearly 30 years ago, and it doesn't appear to have been a bad choice.

MichaelG.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by John Haine on 05/03/2018 11:58:39:

Unless you are going to be using your rolling centre every day I would just go for one from a reputable hobby supplier – I got mine from Arc IIRC and it's just fine for what I want. The worst that can happen when you get it is it's not quite running true, but a reputable supplier such as Arc would replace it without question in that case. From Arc an MT2 live centre is ~£19.

There is another item to add to the 'worst that can happen' category.

I have several revolving centres one of which is a no-name version which I don't use very often partly because of its bulk, but mainly that its revolving part is not concentric with the MT2 shank!

Ironically the rotating part runs very true to its bearings (which are probably very substantial) so it come in handy when using the tailstock pressure to grip a part being machined

I use a Skoda MT2 quite a bit but its MT2 shank is quite short so does not get ejected without a bit of a faff.

Ian P

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

John Haine,

Beware who you criticise,there are some very sacred cows on this forum !!

How do I know? Ask me !

[Raymond AndersonParticipant @raymondanderson34407]

CJ, To the list of live centers you should also check out Rohm, Riten and also Royal. all 3 are top notch.

[Alan JacksonParticipant @alanjackson47790]

You could make your own centre

Alan

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

Might be worth looking around second hand places. I got my bison live center as new old stock for less than the cost of a chinese no name center because the seller didn't mention it was Bison branded in the title and listed it as used.

Can't say I am a live center expert but the Bison seems to do nicely too though its hard to truly test its capacity on a minilathe

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