tailstock

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kregg slack

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trying to adjust the tailstock side to side at 30-inches from headstock, make a cut on a peice of alum at tailstock and it is lets say 0.750 and at the headstock its 0.780 so i would guess that i would move the tail stock to the right if you was at the back of the machine looking at the headstock and move it 15 thounsands should put things on the money. the closes i could get it was 6 thounsands after about 3-hours but i wanted it better and im at 30 thoundsands out now. i use a tork whench to tighting the tail stock down so its the same all the time. i will try agin tomorrow with a peice of steel between centers but intil then i would like to hear if im doing it the right way thank you. its a leblond lathe and its leveled very good.
 
Kregg,

Sounds like you are doing it one of the workable ways. I normally use a steel bar about 12 inches long that has been ground between centers. A center in the headstock and a center in the tailstock should do it for you. Instead of cutting I think an indicator is better. There is no reason why you can't get down under a couple thousands in 12 inches. I have an older Clausing and it is less than .001 in 12 inches.

Don
 
if the tailstock cut is smaller than the headstock cut you need to move the tailstock away from the operator.( think that is what you said.) what kind of threaded adjustment is on the tailstock ? do the math and figure the .000" per 360 rotation of the thread, make corresponding partial rotation to move the tailstock. do not do it all at once, but sneak up on it. my cheap chicom is less than .0003.....but it took a while,
i like the tool steel rod between centers.....think i may look into that..but maybe 24".
mike in co
 
ok thanks, i do tork the bolts down pretty tight on the sides of the tailstock maybe thats where my trouble is coming from.
 
When I set my tail stock I started by center drilling a piece of bar stock on both ends. I then turned down a piece of material to about 1" in diameter and cut a 60* point on the end in a three jaw. I placed my bar stock in the lathe between my turned dead center and a dead center in the tail stock and drove the piece with a lathe dog. I made a cut taking .010" off my bar stock and measured with a mic for taper. My taper was larger at the tail stock so I adjusted for half the taper and made another cut, .010" again. This is the process I used to remove all of the taper, it worked fine. Use a dial indicator though to measure the amount of adjustment you’re making on the tail stock.

Hope this helps,

William
 
i use a gage on the side of the live center when i move it so i can read thounsands.
 
kregg slack said:
i use a gage on the side of the live center when i move it so i can read thounsands.
Click to expand...

Some live centers have been known to not be as tight as dead centers. The method I use was taught to me by a friend that worked as a tool & die maker then a mold maker.
 
ok i got it down to 1-thounsands, now i slid my tailstock up to the headstock and in my headstock there is a peice of 1-inch o.d of steel that i had turned down with a 60-degree point on it. but my live center and that peice of steel is about 25 thounsands off. maybe my live center isnt as good as i thought it was so i will try a dead center with a gage and slid it back and forth to see if it makes up that 25 thounsands. i hope so
 
i put the dead center in the tailstock and it is the same thing, so i guess the headstock needs to be moved but i dont see how you can do that because it rides on one of the vee of the lathe table. what can i do now.
 
Most tail stocks have adjustment left and right. If it needs to go up, shim it. If it needs to go down, thats a problem.
 
at 30-inches away i can turn at both ends and it will be at 1-thounsands between the two. but when i slid my tailstock back up to the headstock my dead center and headstock center is about 25 thounsands out to the right.
 
all the trouble is in the talestock, if i pull on the tale stock then tighten it down i can get it to line up with the headstock, so i need to fix the tailstock someway then dial the tailstock back inline with the headstock. back outside in the shop for acouple more hours i guess.
 
Kregg,
I know you have forgotten more about running a lathe than I know, but are you certain the ways are level the full length of the bed?

James
 
yes its level, i just fixed it. there was a built up of chips an grease under the tailstock part that tightens the tailstock down thats under the ways. i cleaned it all out and set it back on the lathe and put the dead center in the tailstock and push it to the head stock where my 60 degree point was and took my mag glass and light and adjusted the two points together. then put the 30-inch peice of 1-1/4 stainless between the dead center and 60 degree center and adjusted it bt running the gage back and forth intill it was with in 1-thounsands, then i took the 1-1/4 rod out and pushed the tailstock back up to the 60 degree center and it was perfect. useing the gage back and forth on the rod sure was alot faster to adjust, thanks guys.
 
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