Axminster m950 drive centre

[supergoose]

Hi,

Recently acquired an axminster m950, and in my haste to try it out I purchased a 2mt drive centre from axminster.

Upon trying to use it, it fits the tailstock,not the headstock- it's far too big.

The manual says the spindle is 1 inch, 8 tpi, 2mt taper- and that the tailstock barrel is 2mt which is why I assumed it would fit either end. I realise now that the manual describes the spindle, rather than the tooling that the spindle will accept.

What do I actually need to do to use this lathe for spindle work? The manual is fairly light on any detail, and I can't see any type of tooling that fits on the current spindle that would accept another 2mt tool?

Many thanks in advance

 

[Richard_C]

Do you have a chuck on the lathe and did you take it off before trying the 2MT drive centre?

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

My Axminster arrived with the face plate fitted.
It will be 75mm diameter with 4 to 6 holes in

 

[supergoose]

I removed the face plate. The headstock is now just the spindle which has the hex shank followed by a one inch screw thread. The hole in the part with the screw thread is around half the diameter of the tailstock.

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

Sounds like a number one morse taper.
Can you get a photo with a mm rule showing the dimensions of the hole, After Christmas I will measure a 1mt live centre and a 2mt live centre I have here
Ok won’t be nasa standard but it should point you in the right direction.
I am in titchfield so I can’t even say pop round, borrow a 1mt to try
Ok as it’s Christmas and I am a softie post the pic, I will look as soon as I can. Maybe even LEND you a 1 mt drive centre to try
That way you get to play,

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

As you are new here do not post your postal address in these areas
Send me a pm... in fact I will pm you
Ok pm sent

 

[Davegree]

I had a 950 and it was 2mt both ends. There isn’t a mt2 to mt1 adaptor is the headstock spindle, is there?

 

[cally60]

Google turned up a set of instructions for the M950, and spec is shown a 2mt for drive and tailstock centres. I think Davegree is probably right

 

[ChaiLatte]

There isn’t a mt2 to mt1 adaptor is the headstock spindle, is there?

I do not want to say that your suggestion is impossible, but there are a few factors that would need consideration.

As we have questioned above whether there was a chuck attached, that suggests _any_ standard 2MT item would not fit when the lathe is in this condition.

If the 2MT centre would not fit with a chuck attached, what is different about the reducer which would allow it to fit?

Similarly, have you ever seen a adaptor (reducer) where the fat end of the male piece fits flush with the fat end of the female piece? If there were an adaptor fitted, it would project from the spindle and be very obvious to look at. The fat end of the inner female taper is always outboard of the fat end of the outer female taper. They have to be this way and cannot be displaced any closer laterally as the wall thickness would be insufficient.

All that said, thre could be _something_ in the spindle but it may not be a conventional Morse taper reducer.. As above, photos would assist.

In particular, a photo from the back end of the spindle, looking through the spindle towards the tailstock, so we can see light at the end of the tunnel, would show if there is any step or reduction in the spindle bore.

In a similar vein, describe what is the largest diameter of material that can be pushed into the spindle from the back end and how far it can be pushed.

 

[HamsterJam]

@supergoose, I am near Okehampton and can lay my hand on a Jacob chuck (drill chuck) with a 1MT shank if you would like to borrow it to try it in your spindle.
I might have a 1MT drive centre lurking in the workshop but I’d need to check that.