Good luck. I have been looking for the entire live center with the cup point for a while. Found an entire tail stock on E-Bay and even it was missing the center.

Scrappy

 

hi, i went threw the same deal
i misplaced the live center for my older sears lathe. so what i did was measure the thread pitch on the tail stock 3/4 16 and found a jacobs chuck on ebay to fit(10.50 with shipping) it is a half-inch chuck so it will take a morse taper#1 live center. found an ok #1 morse taper live center at www.woodcraft.com for 15 bucks and i am now back in business

 

elrockk, Did you say your TAIL STOCK has 3/4×16 threads? That is the size of my head stock.(drive side)

The tailstock is 1/2×20? (fine thread) or mabey mine is different from yours.

Scrappy

 

Hate to resurrect a 13 year old thread but do you have a picture of your tailstock with the chuck in order that I may wrap my head around what y'all are saying? I have the 4 jaw coming for the head stock but would like the Jacobs chuck so that I could use a drill bit if need be. Thanks!

 

my mistake, yes it is 1/2 20 on the tail stock.but the 1/2 inch jacobs chuck will take a #1 morse taper live center

 

Thanks Elrockk

Will check into that.

Scrappy

 

My problem was solved at the local hardware store. Found a 5/16×3/4" bronze bushing, which fit inside the tailstock and a Vermont countersink bit that fit inside the bushing. Just enough play for a little beeswax. If I can find a ball bearing to insert, it would probably be even better.

 

i have a complete working lathe model-149.23871 sears robuc co. i live in maine and am willing to sell for the right price-

 

In case anyone needs the manual

 

To elrockk, how do you keep the 1MT shank on the live center from wobbling in the 1/2" chuck?

 

it holds it fine I just insert it all the way in and tighten all 3 chuck points a few times until I tighten it down no wobbles yet

 

Have you considered having a machine shop make you one? I have this lathe as well and now I am thinking I need to be nice to those center points. No more hammering the drive piece into the wood.

 

I have just come across this exact lathe and am looking to get it functional again. It seems to work ok, and everything is there except the center on the tail stock. Has anyone had luck making theirs or buying? It looks like that ball bearing is still inside. The headstock has what looks like a 4 jaw metal chuck. Do you think I would be able to keep that or need to replace it with something else? Thanks

 

I have an old Sear lathe and was able to find parts that would work from Grizzly if I remember correctly. The trick was figuring out what the morse taper was and then looking for centers with that taper. Same with the headstock. figured out the threads and then ordered a 4 jaw chuck to fit.
The next item will be replacing the bearings in the headstock. They seem to have developed a bit of play after 50 years or so.

 

Penn State IND. Has those style of parts…..

 

I found this post on a google search. I have one of these lathes given to me years ago but never used. I started building fishing rods and want to use this lathe to turn cork on a mandrel. I need to convert this to a chuck on the drive end to hold it. All appears there except motor mount but we can make that. Where in the world do I get something to convert that 3/4" stub to hold a chuck with jaws. Keep in mind, I know nothing about this! Thanks in advance!!!

 

Does anyone have a good link for how to learn how to measure a morse taper? I guess I would need to get off the 4 jaw chuck and then measure from there, but wouldn't know how to read my findings. Thanks

 

I found this post on a google search. I have one of these lathes given to me years ago but never used. I started building fishing rods and want to use this lathe to turn cork on a mandrel. I need to convert this to a chuck on the drive end to hold it. All appears there except motor mount but we can make that. Where in the world do I get something to convert that 3/4" stub to hold a chuck with jaws. Keep in mind, I know nothing about this! Thanks in advance!!!

- JAMMCustomRods

Yea, I can give you some good advice. One thing you may notice about a lot of those old tube frame lathes is that they'll be in good shape, though that's because they usually weren't used much because they were not very good lathes. Lathes like that can vibrate a lot. Most serious lathers don't look twice those things. I'd suggest putting it in your next garage sale at a low price, then buy something like a Jet mini, a Delta midi or a even one of the Harbor Freight machines. And just for reference, good electronic variable speed control is very desirable on a wood lathe and worth the price difference.

 

Thank You guy's put a Jacobs Chuck as suggested it works great.

 

Go to alisam.com for a drive spur with a 1/2" straight shaft that will work in a Jacobs drill chuck. It is for driving, but with a free spinning chuck, I think you could use it for a tailstock center and it is only $20.

 

The Craftsman lathe I have (Model 101.06260) takes a #2 Morse Taper in the tailstock. A live center works better than the cup center with spring-loaded center point.

 

Thanks Phil! I have had mine for a good bit. Played with it once or twice once I got it home, but you know how life goes. I am able to now start getting better at turning and woodworking in general so I am wanting to make this little gem as good as I can. The live center it came with is still intact and works smoothly. As I said, would like the ability to bore horizontal holes as well.

 

Hey, I know this is a very old thread, but I could really usw this user manual if you still have it!!!

 

Here is a link to the manual over at the Vintagemachinery site:

149.23871 Sears 12" Wood Lathe

There may be others floating around over there as well.

Cheers,
Brad

 

Wow! This is so helpful. Thank you so much! Removing the spur is so different on this machine than most. I wasnt entirely sure how to do it. It is even different than on other Craftsman models. Attempting to unscrew it from the headstock spindle was my next move, but it's nice to know I am making the right move and not messing things up.