Help please?
I bought the Axminster eccentric chuck, want to make wands for kids. If I put the live centre on the other end of the wand is it going to shatter the spindle? Or mess up the lathe in some other way?
I don’t have an eccentric chuck but it seems to me that if you leave a waste block at the live centre end, you can continue with such support. The problem with any long thin spindle turning is if the pressure from the live centre is even slightly too much, the work piece will bow, as I’m sure you know. I’d suggest that before you do any turning, you move the the spiralling chuck settings to each of the various positions you intend to use and make a dimple with the live centre at each setting while the wood still has substance. This will allow you to locate the live centre into the appropriate position for each setting with minimal pressure. Remember to sand and, if required, apply finish at each stage before moving on to the next position.
I have made eccentric wands by simply loosening the chuck and moving the live centre to pre-determined off-set positions, then re-tightening, finishing off back at the central position for the handle. They seemed to look ok.
There is a way to achieve this. As the tip of the wand is usually on the same axis as the centre of the handle you could turn the off centre blade first leaving enough room at the handle and tip ends to return to the centre axis. Turn the blade first.
