Dead Centers

Dead centers are lathe workholding accessories used to support a workpiece between centers when maximum rigidity and concentricity are required. Fitted typically into the tailstock (and/or headstock) taper, they provide a fixed reference point that helps prevent deflection on long or slender parts and improves surface finish during turning, grinding, and other precision machining operations.

This collection includes dead centers in common tapers (such as Morse), with 60° point geometry, and options in materials and heat treatment for wear resistance and long service life. You’ll find standard and heavy-duty styles designed for low runout and dependable repeatability, helping maintain alignment under load. Choose proven solutions from Vertex and Soba for setups where accurate centering and robust support are critical.

Dead centers are widely used by machinists, production engineers, and QC teams for shafts, pins, bars, and drivetrain components across general engineering, metalworking, maintenance, and toolmaking environments.