LCENTSS22 No. 2 MT with 1-Inch Crown Super Wood Lathe Drive Center

Crown drives should come standard with every lathe. I can't tell you how much trouble I've had with traditional spur drives, which require you to drive the spike into the material in order for the spurs to engage. I have ended up with cracked and split workpieces more times than I can count.This drive center has a spring-loaded center which makes using it safe and easy. As the tailstock is advanced to engage the work, the center point retracts, and easily allows the crown to engage and grip the workpiece. I prefer this size to the 1", since it is small enough to grip smaller stock. It still has plenty of grip for wider pieces, though.When I received the item, the center spike was bound. The spike is held in place by a set screw, which goes into a channel that runs along the side of the center spike. When mine was assembled, the set screw was not in the channel, and was binding the spike in place. Loosening it, rotating the center spike, and tightening it into the channel solved the problem, and the center now works perfectly.

I'm an absolutely beginner at turning. My old school PM #90 came with old school spur centers and I just hate using them. This center makes so much more sense to me. I believe one of the touted benefits of this design is that if you get a bad catch the piece can spin. I haven't taken the time to even think about that or how it would work. This center is so easy to use. I debated this for over a week, not knowing what the heck I was doing or what I really needed, but now I realize how silly that was. It was a slam dunk for me, and crazy cheap to boot.

I purchased this item for my small lathe. In truth I have not used it yet (due to illness) but I am sure that it will be a real asset to my turning.It is designed to hold smaller items more securely, by looking at it I am sure that it will do just that. It looks far superior to the center that I got with the lathe. Having lots more teeth that the one that came with the lathe. The item was on sale when I purchased it. I thought that it looked so good that I actually purchased one for my brother and sent it off to him in another state. When it arrived he e-mailed me and told me the same thing that I stated about it being better than the one that came with his as well.

Bought both 5/8inch (new) and 1inch (used Amazon warehouse).Both sizes worked well. From reviews first thing I did was check if center point would retract/compress. Both compressed fine - strong spring. The 1-inch was a little stiff - (perhaps that's why someone returned it) - compressed it a few times and it went in & out with no problem. Set screws on both were tight (I'll watch for loosening and use blue locktite if needed).Used small for a 3/4 square pen blank sized piece of black walnut - held well and when done just small indentations where the teeth bit in. Used the 1-inch on a 3 inch wedge shaped piece (with bark) and the 1-inch held just fine as well.First impression is that I'm pleased with both. Put the piece in place, tighten the quill - the center point retracts and the teeth bite in. Lot easier than the standard 4-prong spur drive.

If you are thinking about buying one of the drive centers all I can tell you is it is worth every nickle. Bites into the wood without leaving a very deep impression and the spring loaded point is awesome. I love the small diameter of the drive center. I purchased the 5/8" center because I intended to use it on small diameter turnings but ended up trying it on 4" diameter X 12" long block and had no spin on the drive center at all. I will be ordering the 1" diameter next and if they made this center in a larger diameter, I would be buying those as well.

Great product at fair price. This is a terrific safety device for novice turners or experienced ones who occasionally turn difficult wood. It hold tight when it should and slips when mild catches occur to keep the piece on the lathe and out of your face! Smooth machining on the taper, Spring loaded point allows precise placement of the wood, but retracts so there is no mark left by the center. This is my go-to for holding wood in my headstock.

I realize there is only so much you can say about a lathe head stock center . . . but I really like this type. I had used a similar one that was smaller, but for turning larger items this one gives a bit better grip. I use it to put rough half-logs between centers so I can turn out a spigot for a expanding chuck. It is nice with the one-way teeth as it grips to take off really well, but will slip if there is a catch without destroying your wood/lathe/arm. You just pull the tool back out, perhaps tighten up the tail center, and keep going without incident. However it won't slip unless you really grind down. My 4-blade center grabs a bit better, but makes a pretty good mess when you have a catch.With the spring-loaded point, it doesn't split the wood no matter how much you crank down on it (the round set of points is too big and spreads out the pressure). It is really well-machined, you can see in the picture even blown up.

This 5/8" PSI drive center is smaller than the 1+ inch versions I am used to. It matches up quite well with the miniature turning that I usually do. There is not much to it. The center pin is spring loaded, which takes a little getting used to. The pin is solid in the centers I had been using, so it drives right into the end grain. A quick pre-drilling into the blank solves that problem in hard wood. The spring behind the pin is pretty stiff, so it still works easily for soft wood. The teeth are very sharp and hold securely to the wood. Overall, this is a welcome addition to my wood lathe.