a pipe center, also known as a bull nose center is a type of live center which has a large diameter conical nose rather than a sharp point. this allows the center to be used in the bore of a pipe or other workpiece with a large interior diameter. while a pipe center ensures the workpiece remains concentric, its main advantage is that it supports the workpiece securely, and can be used for parts whose larger inner diameter prevents the use of a normal pointed center. thin-walled material such as pipes easily collapses if excessive force is used at the chuck end.