AXMINSTER MULTI-HEAD LIVE REVOLVING CENTRE & ADDITIONAL TIPS - 2MT

[Sam Fleisher]

Does anyone use one of these? It's tax return time so I'm going to upgrade a couple of items and I don't know if this is the one to get of the axminster line or the deluxe one.

If you use one are they stainless steel? The deluxe version specifically says it is but the multi head package doesn't.

Thanks

 

[Tom Gall]

Is it the #APTC7H2 live center (just looked it up in my Tool inventory) ? If so, I believe it is SS ... nice tool and still looks good in my sometimes damp basement shop. Bought mine in 1999 for $79.95 ... probably a lot more today. I've only used it for a special application with the small faceplate. I'll have to go search for all the other parts for future reference.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

I asked the other day about what aptc meant on the other live center being sold and I was told that it was when axminster was going by a different name. Must still be old stock but they are $69 dollars now. I don't know if it is identical to the multi head kit or not but they look the same.

$69 is for the center and three points I believe.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Is it the #APTC7H2 live center (just looked it up in my Tool inventory) ? If so, I believe it is SS ... nice tool and still looks good in my sometimes damp basement shop. Bought mine in 1999 for $79.95 ... probably a lot more today. I've only used it for a special application with the small faceplate. I'll have to go search for all the other parts for future reference.

Do your accessories look like one of these on the end? The solid is the multihead center which I'm guessing is the same as yours and the one with the hole is for the one they call the revolving live center. I'm not sure what the threads are for, I thought it was a slip fit but I guess not.

Still not sure which one to get. Both are good I guess.

 

[Brian Deakin]

This video may be helpful

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9nyi2DinbI&t=558s&ab_channel=AndrewWhale

 

[Tom Gall]

Do your accessories look like one of these on the end? The solid is the multihead center which I'm guessing is the same as yours and the one with the hole is for the one they call the revolving live center. I'm not sure what the threads are for, I thought it was a slip fit but I guess not.

Still not sure which one to get. Both are good I guess.

Sam, my live center looks like those in your 2nd photo. BUT, doesn't have the two pieces on the LH side ... unless I lost them (unlikely). It just has the two smaller cone centers shown on the RH side and the cup center (the one you'll probably use the most) already mounted on the live center. Further inspection of my Tool Inventory list shows I received the small faceplate attachment about two weeks later for $18.95 (from CSUSA) like in your 4th photo. The faceplate includes a wood screw to use as a screw chuck - but that is pretty much useless IMO. I'd rather use double-sided tape for most applications. All the attachments I believe are short Morse (#1) tapers. They are removed by backing off that small ring about a 1/4 turn by using the two rods.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

My goal I think is to be able to take one of those chuck adapters that Harrison sells for a drill chuck for reversing to help with centering on a vacuum chuck. I guess I need to figure out the size of the shaft on one of those and see if it can be machined to match the #1 morse you mention.
Thanks for getting back to me.

 

[Tom Gall]

My goal I think is to be able to take one of those chuck adapters that Harrison sells for a drill chuck for reversing to help with centering on a vacuum chuck. I guess I need to figure out the size of the shaft on one of those and see if it can be machined to match the #1 morse you mention.
Thanks for getting back to me.

I don't know what that Harrison adapter is ... but, if you're now talking about vacuum chucking I think you are "barking up the wrong tree"! All you need is a center mark on your tenon or recess to use your live center for placement on the vac chuck. I also have one of those adaptors that attaches to a Oneway live center (3/4"x10 tpi) with a thread to match your chuck on the other end (i.e. 1-1/4"x8). I prefer the simple center mark in most cases.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

The Harrison adapter is more or less the same as your screw on version, just goes in a drill chuck instead of being threaded. I don't know how big a #1 taper is so I don't know if there is enough there to have it machined or not.
I have some rough turned bowls I picked up that some have a tenon and others have a recess and trying to make the process of truing them up easier.

 

[hockenbery]

The Harrison adapter is more or less the same as your screw on version, just goes in a drill chuck instead of being threaded. I don't know how big a #1 taper is so I don't know if there is enough there to have it machined or not.
I have some rough turned bowls I picked up that some have a tenon and others have a recess and trying to make the process of truing them up easier.

All the fittings for live centers are useful and handy to have.

A simple friction drive reverse chucking over the open jaws of a chuck is one easy way to true a tenon and cut the rim square.
this revers method also lets me adjust the rim high and lows.
with the rims aligned vibration is minimized with the bonus of getting the biggest bowl from the dried blank.

in the thread on working with green wood the demo recording of remounting a dried bowl shows this process well

Working with green wood

The August 2015 AAW JOURNAL has great article by David Ellsworth on working with green wood. This is followed by 11 marvelous ways turners turned cracks into features. One of David's themes is that the deck is stacked against newer woodturners successfully working with wet wood. Might be a nice...

www.aawforum.org

 

[Sam Fleisher]

All the fittings for live centers are useful and handy to have.

A simple friction drive reverse chucking over the open jaws of a chuck is one easy way to true a tenon and cut the rim square.
this revers method also lets me adjust the rim high and lows.
with the rims aligned vibration is minimized with the bonus of getting the biggest bowl from the dried blank.

in the thread on working with green wood the demo recording of remounting a dried bowl shows this process well

Working with green wood

The August 2015 AAW JOURNAL has great article by David Ellsworth on working with green wood. This is followed by 11 marvelous ways turners turned cracks into features. One of David's themes is that the deck is stacked against newer woodturners successfully working with wet wood. Might be a nice...

www.aawforum.org

In #3 video, is there a reason for when you were starting and trued up the rim you went that direction with the cut instead of the direction you used just after that working on the sides? Small to big?

 

[hockenbery]

In #3 video, is there a reason for when you were starting and trued up the rim you went that direction with the cut instead of the direction you used just after that working on the sides? Small to big?

there are several reasons.

1. it is the same cut but from the opposite side. The goal is to flatten the rim which reduces the out of balance

2. There are supporting fibers behind the cut from air into the rim.

3. It’s efficient and quick

4. that direction lets me nibble away at the peaks first. The goal is to flatten the rim.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

there are several reasons.

1. it is the same cut but from the opposite side. The goal is to flatten the rim which reduced the out of balance

The only reason I ask is I've been watching different videos on technique and slicing with and against the grain. I thought there maybe was a special reason for it but I see later in the video you were going from bottom to top but with a light touch to keep from knocking a chunk out.

 

[hockenbery]

The only reason I ask is I've been watching different videos on technique and slicing with and against the grain. I thought there maybe was a special reason for it but I see later in the video you were going from bottom to top but with a light touch to keep from knocking a chunk out.

it was fair question…
i listed a few more reasons in an edit.

when ever Possible I try to cross cut the wood with the fiber being cut supported with fibers behind them.

hit a broom on the side with a machete you cut a clean cut ass long as straws keep the ones being cut from bending.
that is a cross cut with supporting fibers.

when there are few straw supporting you get torn straws instead of clean cuts.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

This video may be helpful

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9nyi2DinbI&t=558s&ab_channel=AndrewWhale

For some reason I missed the first part of this video and I couldn't figure out what the guy was doing. lol I went back and watched from the beginning and at 1:00 the part starts that helps.

 

[Brian Deakin]

In the Uk the kit was available in 2 varients one with a small number of centers and another with all of the centers Additionally you could purchase the centers individually

The faceplate includes a wood screw to use as a screw chuck - but that is pretty much useless IMO
There is an Axminster tools video which shows the screw chuck attached to a hand made wooden cone The cone is used in the drilled base of a peppermill to keep the peppermill centred and supported when mounted in a chuck
So one use of the screw chuck is to attach a handemade wooden cone and tail centre of your own design

 

[Sam Fleisher]

In the Uk the kit was available in 2 varients one with a small number of centers and another with all of the centers Additionally you could purchase the centers individually

The faceplate includes a wood screw to use as a screw chuck - but that is pretty much useless IMO
There is an Axminster tools video which shows the screw chuck attached to a hand made wooden cone The cone is used in the drilled base of a peppermill to keep the peppermill centred and supported when mounted in a chuck
So one use of the screw chuck is to attach handemade wooden cone and tail centres in a variety of designs

So the shaft is a morse taper short like was said? Any reason to buy the newer version instead of this one?

 

[Tom Lucas]

I have the oneway live center set, with the 5/8" threading, and the Nova live center set. I like and use them both. Nova has a chuck adapter that goes into their live center. It is a short MT2. I use it all the time to reverse a project into a vacuum chuck. The other little Nova gadgets are nice when you need them. You can also easily make your own inserts by turning an MT2 shaft to fit the live center.

The Oneway is nice too. The 5/8" threading accepts such adapters as the rubber chucky cones, and anything machined with 5/8" female threading. I think it's 11 tpi. I like the rubber chucky cones on hollow forms.

I'm sure the Ax is functionally about the same as these 2, and quite good, as are most Ax products. Doubt you could go wrong with any (or all ) of them.

 

[Tom Gall]

I have the oneway live center set, with the 5/8" threading, and the Nova live center set. I like and use them both. Nova has a chuck adapter that goes into their live center. It is a short MT2. I use it all the time to reverse a project into a vacuum chuck. The other little Nova gadgets are nice when you need them. You can also easily make your own inserts by turning an MT2 shaft to fit the live center.

The Oneway is nice too. The 5/8" threading accepts such adapters as the rubber chucky cones, and anything machined with 5/8" female threading. I think it's 11 tpi. I like the rubber chucky cones on hollow forms.

I'm sure the Ax is functionally about the same as these 2, and quite good, as are most Ax products. Doubt you could go wrong with any (or all ) of them.

I believe it's a 3/4"x10 tpi. I would have to go down to the shop to check for sure ... just came up so I'm not going back down!!! I've bought several 3/4x10 nuts from Lowe's (?) and made my own fittings for different purposes.
I've got five different live centers. I bought the Oneway 20 years ago for a special application (which I rarely use) and it looks brand new!

 

[Tom Lucas]

I believe it's a 3/4"x10 tpi. I would have to go down to the shop to check for sure ... just came up so I'm not going back down!!! I've bought several 3/4x10 nuts from Lowe's (?) and made my own fittings for different purposes.
I've got five different live centers. I bought the Oneway 20 years ago for a special application (which I rarely use) and it looks brand new!

I think you are right. It's 3/4"x10. My memory is not so good these days.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

And the axminster says it's the common thread with 3/4- 16. Common for them I guess.

 

[Brian Deakin]

I believe it's a 3/4"x10 tpi. I would have to go down to the shop to check for sure ... just came up so I'm not going back down!!! I've bought several 3/4x10 nuts from Lowe's (?) and made my own fittings for different purposes.
I've got five different live centers. I bought the Oneway 20 years ago for a special application (which I rarely use) and it looks brand new!

I contacted Axminster tools in the UK the reply they gave me was


The thread size for the ejection ring thread is 3/4" X 16 UNF

 

[Brian Deakin]

Update I saw these fittings on a Uk website I thought they may be a solution to attaching turned home made heads

12847 - Threaded Cap 3/4" x 16 Unf

3/4" Female UNF/JIC, Cap, SR 1018, Low Density Polyethylene, Red, Moss

www.fluidairfittings.co.uk

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Those might work. I also thought of just using the rubber ends that are put on the ends of canes and things like that.

But I probably will use the little face plate and stick an appropriate size dowel on it then use a drill chuck to turn the end to what's needed for a given situation.

I bought a #2 to #1 morse taper adapter because I thought I read somewhere that #1 was the taper on the attachments but it's not or if it is it's way down at the bottom of the adapter so I figure a drill chuck will work for my needs (fingers crossed)