Tailstock center?

Oneway. No regrets, it's a wonderful center.

(I have a $100 center on a $450 lathe now :-)

The most important accessory I bought after I got my lathe was a live center (one with ball bearings to carry the pointy part). I'm not sure brand makes any difference as long as it has the right morse taper. When I want to use padding or some other support for a peculiar shape, I stick it onto the live center some way or another.

Amen. I may have the only Jet Mini around with a Oneway live center, but its great.

Barry

Please enlighten me. I have heard how great the OneWay and some other live centers are and I have no doubt they are of higher quality than those often supplied with a lathe. My question is, just what difference does it make to my turning?

Thanks, Billh

Good one will do a couple of things for you. First, a properly designed set of bearings will not only roll, but resist side thrusts which you put on them while cutting. Second, outfits like the OneWay or the Nova I have offer easily interchangeable ends, allowing the stability of a dead center style, a 60 degree point metal working style, and even optional ends, like the Nova where I have some standard cones and jam pads which I screw into the end of the center. I think they're worth the money, personally, but I'm not sure I'd run out and buy one versus a chuck, f'rinstance. Chuck will do more than a center will to expand your turning universe.

Additionally...

You can drive the center point (which is replacable) out of the Oneway tailcenter. Using it this way gives you a small ring center which will hold small spindle work without the danger of splitting it.

Bill

There is only Oneway! ;)

Dan "Eccentric by Nature"