🔩 Medium Center Morse Taper LC 21 Review

This center should fit my needs. When cleaning the carrier oil I found 2 very sharp edges that were not cleaned from the factory. This was from a smoothly turned area next to the knurling. Sharp and you really have to look to see it. I was able to clamp it on a lathe and use a bevel tool to remove the edges. Time and use will show how it holds up.

I bought 2 of these bearings to experiment with. Both MT2s looked as if quality had gone into their manufacture. Both should be from the same manufacturer, but it doesn't look like it. One of them has keyholes for access to the camps. Have no other. When the bearing retaining ring was removed from the one with the keyholes, HOLY COW! what did they use to cut it? This was the worst thread I've ever seen. But for the price, I don't think you can complain.

I needed an inexpensive 60 degree morse taper 2 to hold the end of the grip stock and also for the scales. I used a Whiteside nib mandrel along with a hollow center for the nib to slide through so it rests against the pen blank or spacer rings. When I tightened the tailstock just enough to hold the spring blank, it put so much pressure on the bearings that they clicked slightly as the machine turned - these aren't torsion bar bearings, after all, so lateral pressure causes external wear. I…