Craftsman Lathe Tailstock

I'm new to woodworking and particularly turning. I recently purchased an old craftsman lathe with a good motor. It is missing the pointed piece that actually holds the tail end of the wood on the tailstock. I have checked the sears website and the part or parts that were originally used for that have been discontinued. I was thinking about having one made at a local machine shop. I think I need just a circular point welded to a nut that threads onto the tailstock assembly. Is there a certain angle I should use for the point? I'm thinking about 60 degrees would be OK. Better yet is there somewhere else I can get this item or something else I can use inplace of it?

Thanks woodslave

Reply to
woodslave
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Unless the lathe is some particularly bizarre design, you should be able to use pretty nearly any spur center or live center that has the appropriate taper to fit into your tailstock -- probably a #1 Morse taper (1MT).

Try posting in rec.crafts.woodturning and you'll probably get a lot more response than you will here.

Reply to
Doug Miller

He did, and got some good answers, Doug... But most of us said the same thing that you did.. ;-]

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

[Chuckle]

guess I must have missed his post in rcw.

Reply to
Doug Miller

You didn't miss it. I just took your advice.

Thanks

Reply to
woodslave

Don't know how old your lathe is. My old craftsman lathe was built in the late 30s and has a #2 Morse taper..

Reply to
Jim Hall

Craftsman lathes from the 70s and 80s generally use #1.

Reply to
Doug Miller

You can get a live center for #2 or #1 morse taper at Pen State Industries for $20.

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bought a cheap live center at Sears over 30 years ago and it still works perfect. I remember the one sold by Rockwell Delta at the time cost about 10 to 20 times as much, or some such ridicules price, and when I got the Sears one in the mail, I was very happy with the quality, and I was right. Not sure how the Pennstate one will fare, but for the money, I say go for it, you don't need no stinking $300 live center for a wood lathe:-) 60 degree would be fine.

Reply to
Jack Stein

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