Steb centres

[pgrbff]

I'm so new to woodturning that I still don't have a lathe. Even the Record 305 is nearly twice the price in Italy delivered.
I was hoping someone could explain the difference between a steb centre and a revolving steb centre?
If I understand correctly the revolving steb centre should prevent a grab? Does it have another use?
Happy Christmas!
PS I only intend turning small handles at the moment would a 7/8" revolving centre be OK?

 

[ChaiLatte]

A revolving centre will not drive the work so would only be used in the tailstock.

A non-revolving centre would only be used in the headstock.

 

[pgrbff]

I think I will have to call a shop. There seem to be revolving stebcentres, tailstock stebcentres, steb drives and simple stebcentres.

 

[Rhossydd]

I was hoping someone could explain the difference between a steb centre and a revolving steb centre?
If I understand correctly the revolving steb centre should prevent a grab?

If it revolves it's a tail support, if it's fixed it's a drive.
No, they won't prevent grabs.

Stebs or crown drives are useful as they can drive (or support) more evenly over a bigger area and are less prone to being driven into the piece being turned.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A revolving steb centre IS a tailstock centre - it would serve no purpose in the headstock. A "simple steb centre" and a steb drive are same thing. The drive versions are made either cylindrical to fit in a chuck or with a morse taper. The proper morse taper steb (not a copy) has a parallel bit behind the drive so it can be used either way (I can't speak for the copies). There are also copies that are much cheaper.

They don't actually prevent grabs, they minimise the problem especially when not set to tightly - the work will just stop rotating and not split/launch/spoil etc.

 

[Dave Brookes]

If you want a steb centre ‘equivalent’ as a drive from the headstock then Chronos is the place to go to, £14.36 including delivery.
Dave

 

[ChaiLatte]

I think I will have to call a shop.

Half the shops probably do not know themselves what the difference is and as Phil has said above, sometimes terms are synonyms. It is better to educate yourself on the concepts and then use the pictures to buy one that does what you want.

 

[rob1693]

I just use a dead center in drive and a live center in tailstock works for me for most between center turning

 

[niall Y]

If the OP is hoping to avoid catches when turning between centres - then a pair of ring centres is all that is needed this will also allow the work to easily be reversed as with the steb centres.

 

[Bob Chapman]

If the OP is hoping to avoid catches when turning between centres - then a pair of ring centres is all that is needed this will also allow the work to easily be reversed as with the steb centres.

If the OP is a total beginner, then when he does eventually get a lathe he is very unlikely to have the skills needed to turn between ring centres. It was when trying to turn with a ring centre drive that Gerry Stebbings came to invent the Stebcentre by filing teeth around the ring! He told me this himself when he came to me for lessons years ago.
My advice to the OP is to get a 7/8 Stebcentre drive and forget the revolving ones until he has a pressing need for them.

 

[Ed Weber]

If the OP is a total beginner, then when he does eventually get a lathe he is very unlikely to have the skills needed to turn between ring centres. It was when trying to turn with a ring centre drive that Gerry Stebbings came to invent the Stebcentre by filing teeth around the ring! He told me this himself when he came to me for lessons years ago.
My advice to the OP is to get a 7/8 Stebcentre drive and forget the revolving ones until he has a pressing need for them.

I agree
A steb center is basically designed to be a slip clutch, an extra level of insurance to avoid an accident or injury.
Only after the OP gains experience would I advise modifying the teeth.

 

[Vulcan]

According to Sorby it’s to give more security and reduce the risk of splitting.

“Its ring of sharp teeth ensure that the Stebcentre bites the wood to give more security and more drive. Because there are several points of contact there is minimal risk of splitting. The Stebcentre can be used with equal confidence on both soft and hardwoods as well as synthetic materials.”

https://robert-sorby.co.uk/product/stebcentres/
As the patent has run out there are now cheaper options available, Google “Crown Centre”.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I agree
A steb center is basically designed to be a slip clutch, an extra level of insurance to avoid an accident or injury.
Only after the OP gains experience would I advise modifying the teeth.

It was a ring centre modified, not a steb.

 

[Ed Weber]

It was a ring centre modified, not a steb.

I think it's a distinction without a difference. Many names for the same operation.
The device allows the wood to revolve after a catch, remaining captures between centers .

 

[Robbo3]

Steb has become synonymous with serrated ring centres in the same way as Hoover with vacuum cleaners.
They come into their own by giving more surface area contact when used on sloping ends or off centre spindle work especially when the centre overhangs the edge.

 

[Vulcan]

I made a small crown centre to fit into my revolving centre, it’s proved to be very handy.

 

[JimTaylor]

No one has mentioned that a big bonus ring and step type centres have is that they mark the wood much less than other types of centre. A normal live centre can leave a deep indent into the surface of the wood. The centre spike of the steb is spring loaded so does not create a deep indent and the outer ring teeth only leave smaller indents.
Another name you may see is live and dead centres. Live centres revolve so can’t drive the Timber and dead don’t revolve so are used to drive the timber.

 

[Robbo3]

No one has mentioned that a big bonus ring and step type centres have is that they mark the wood much less than other types of centre. A normal live centre can leave a deep indent into the surface of the wood. The centre spike of the steb is spring loaded so does not create a deep indent and the outer ring teeth only leave smaller indents.

Agreed, but if steb drive centre fails to bite it can bore into the wood especially if it's punky.
Applying too much pressure with a conventional live centre can split the wood.