# Live Center Steady



## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

I would like to thank those of you who commented on my live center with the wheels in the Longworth thread. Scotsman said, "Clever idea with the rollers if it works ok?" Well, Scotsman, it works exceptionally well, by cutting set up time to seconds compared to setting up a bunch of "rubber thingies" ( Rums description). Depending on how you want to set your form up for tenon removal, it's just like starting a new turning between centers, but can have the tenon removed and the bottom sanded in about 5 minutes..
I also invented what I call a Chuck Plate. It's been likened to the Elio drive and that Vermec thing. I can't say whether Vermec is the same as I haven't seen how it's mounted to the lathe. I'll say up front, 'It's nothing like either of those 2 tools." 
My Chuck Plate is 4 1/2" OD with 13 adjustable screws to hold a rough piece of wood between centers. The screws do not screw into the wood. They act like a spur, but since the screws are spread out to 3 1/2 od, you get better holding than with a spur. They also adjust to fit the contour of the wood. It is meant to be used between centers only. 








This particular Chuck Plate is the first aluminum one I made. Notice the #1. Prior to that I made them out of wood, but with the metal Chuck Plates, there is more versatility in turning. You can see the outer ring of screws are removed on this one. I've dedicated this Chuck Plate to the tenon removal stage of my turnings. I made up a bunch of MDF plates and drilled holes to match up with the 5 screws. 








I usually measure the OD of the rim of my form, and transfer that dimension to the plate by cutting a groove to match. After the rim and groove matches, I bring up my tailstock, adjust the wheels, and remove the tenon and detail and sand the bottom. I also found that if you make the groove or plug to match the form, you don't really need to use the live center nose because the groove is centered, and the form can only go on centered…..... No fuss, no muss…. 
















Another method is to use a plug instead of the plate. That is usually a MDF round that fits onto the Chuck Plate, and is usually 2 thickness's of 3/4" mdf. I double up because I contour the plug to kinda sorta match the inside contour of my form. 








I then bring up the tailstock with my Center Steady and remove the tenon. 









Every day I use the Chuck Plate and The Live Center Steady, I learn something new. The one thing I don't experience any more is the fear of losing a finished form. I have lost a few, but they are usually wood that is so far gone, it should have been burned rather that trying to work it into an object of utility…..
If you want to see more pictures, and maybe even videos, let me know. I have over 40 hours of vids, but my computer wont let me burn any, and I'm not ready just yet to post on Youtube. A little pursuasion might encourage me to post a couple….. Jerry (In Tucson)


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Impressive. Videos and pictures please, and thank you

for sharing your innovative ideas.

Rock on


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

Jerry that looks like a neat little invention to me. I would watch a few videos. I'd also like to see some more pics of your turnings. Depending on where you are in Tucson I'm 1-2 hours south of you. Any chance you'd like to give some lessons?


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

A big YES on the vids.
Bill


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## rum (Apr 28, 2011)

Good stuff Jerry, thanks for sharing.

A couple comments/questions:
- It seems that turning a new MDF backer for each piece would get tedious. Do you manage to end up re-using them a lot? Most of the stuff I turn is one off found wood (price is right) so I don't end up with a lot of extremely similar shapes.
- Looking at your last pic I'm thinking of ways to make the rollers adjustable in/out. Not sure if that's ever been something that seemed useful?

I could see using the rollers with the longworth to once you're down to dealing with the middle bits as well.


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Jerry, not one to stifle ingenuity, not sure would need your setup. Have you ever demonstrated your live center steady & chuck plate at a turning club or symposium? You might even generate some interest posting at other woodturning message boards.

Actually, think many woodturners would go for it! Of course will meet a few folks like me too but don't let that deter you.

Best of luck with it!


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

Thanks for the replies, Guys. 
Joe, I live between the 2 casinos on Valencia Road….... send me a pm with a phone number. I can't imagine you live 2 hours south when the border is only 1 hour away. you probably live in Arivaca or nearby, and still using horses for travel. hehehe 
Here is a picture of one of my turnings. I gave it to my sister last year, and while visiting her again 2 weeks ago, she saw another she liked, so I traded for this as I really like it. It'sa Palo Verde natural edge hollow form, 5 7/8" od and 3 7/8" tall with just over 1/8" walls. You'll notice that a vaccum chuck wouldn't have helped…..
















Rum, if you look at pictures 4 and 6, you should notice the wheel ring protruding on either end of the live center shell. It's threaded at 16 tpi, so each turn will give you 1/16" adjustment. Total adjustment on the shell is 1 1/2"+ and the wheel struts allow 1" travel. Also notice the position of the wheels angling away from the shell body. The full width of the wheels at the most extended adjustment will give about 3 1/2" between wheels. If you remove the wheels, and spin off the ring and insert it from the opposit end, reinstall the wheels, that causes them to angle towards the center line, giving you a diameter of just under 2".
I had a sheet of 3/4" MDF, and made plates from 11 3/4" decreasing in size by a 1/4" until I got to 4". I will reuse the plates until they are turned down to 4". 
Depending on whether the plate will be used as a rim plate or a plug, I start with a plate at least 1/4" larger in od for rim fit, and with a plug, I use a plate no smaller than 1/4" of the ID. I also use that drawer liner as a non slip aid while turning.
Another note. This is not just a tool for removing tenons. It's a fully functional live center. I usually loosen the wheels and rotate them 90° out of the way, or 180°, pointing backwards. I'll shape my turning using the live center while appropriate, then remove it to finish all the hogging out, sanding and then get it ready to remove the tenon.
Bill WW, I've done one demo at my local club. It was a disaster…. I went in with a plan, deviated, and it went downhill from there…. Every form I turned or removed a tenon during the demo was successful, but I lost track of what I wanted to convey… Actually, it was a good demo, but unorganized.

Is there a way on this site for me to post my own personal videos??? I think it would be better for me to go that route than uploading to youtube, then loading a url here…. .... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Jerry might find support from some of the woodturners turned tool maker. Even if they are not interested might point you in the right direction. Even woodturning vendors might have an interest. Folks at Penn State Industry have been copying or cloning other manufacturers products.

Do not see much design problems with your chuck plate other than having enough made and ready to ship.

Your live center steady could use some refinement to make it look more professional.


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

Here is another form I did recently. High mountain oak from the Santa Rita Mountains in Southern Arizona.

Bill, tell me more about how I can refine this any more than it has been. I'm using 4140 chrome moly steel for all the parts that make up this tool. The live center shell is heat treated. The threads are 16 tpi. There is approximately 3" adjustment from nose to wood, and 3 5/8" between wheels when fully extended, or 2" when reversed and retracted. There are 3 bearings, one 32mm thrust and 2 axial bearings at 32 and 35mm OD spaced at 1.700". I think it's up there in tolerence @ + -.001" at the most…. The pictures you've seen so far is of the first one I made and have used for the last year. 
I'm about 1 week away from completing 14 new ones with revisions from the one you've seen. Now I need to find a machine shop that can make them here in the US for a price that woodturners can afford… 
I've also posted a video on youtube, 



 . It started out as a 3 part video, but the first video wasn't pertinent to what the second shows. Even this one doesn't make much sense until I bring up the wheels and remove the tenon I created, then made another and removed it also. It's not buffering properly on my computer, so I hope you have better luck with it than I do…....... 
It took over an hour to post a 9+ minute video, so next week I'll post more that are a whole lot better.
For those of you that might have an interest in flintknapping, check out 2 other videos by me entitled, Jerry's Blades by Nubsnstubs. ........... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Jerry, anyone that has turned for more than a day or two gets the concept behind your live center steady.

Jerry after watching your video cannot see how your device will go on or attach to my live center! Will it work on my live centers? Have an old Grizzly & Jet 1642 live center that use daily.

I am not a toolmaker marketing turning tools, neither your pictures nor video makes me want to buy your device. Some feedback from turners that make & market their tools might lead to sales.


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

Bill, this is a stand alone live center designed for the threaded wheel ring attached to it.

Since I posted this video to Youtube, I've had only 22 views. I have gone back to Youtube several times to view it, and it takes a few seconds to start, then runs for 2 seconds and stops, then after about 1 minute, it will play until it reaches 9 seconds, then stop again. After some time it'll play some more, and stop again.. This is not a one time thing. It's the same, 2 seconds, 9 seconds, and so forth. Are any of you that might have viewed it having the same problem?? Please let me know as I need to get the video working correctly to make your veiwing more pleasurable. Sorry I don't have any virtual popcorn for you, but I'll work on it…... hehe…......... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Yeppers


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Jerry-Just watched the entire video … no problems. Played right thru to the end.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Video was fine for me too. Cool invention.


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