On my Vevor Lathe, the compound slide has both its travel and rigidity severely limited by the fact the dovetails and / or ways are not properly parallel. If I move the slide to its middle position and properly set the gib screws so the slide moves easily but is still acceptably rigid, then the rear 1/3 of its travel is incredibly sloppy, with more than 0.020" slack. If /I set the gibs at the rear 1/3 of the travel, the slide siezes by the time it is in the center of its travel. Even if I loosen the gib screws entirely, the slide siezes before it reaches its farthest excursion forward. Even a lathe this small (200 x 750 mm) should have a practical compound slide travel of more than 12mm, but this one does not. The gib is far from perfect, but I don't see how it could be responsible for the evident taper, at least not by itself.
The dovetails are not ground. It seems to me they, or at least the ways, should be ground and then lapped and /or scraped. The milling marks are not very fine, at all. I think I can help significantly by merely re-milling the dovetails. It may not be worth it, but I think the dovetails and the ways should at least be ground, as well. Is there someone out there with a surface grinder who could grind the dovetails, or at the very least the ways and the gib?
The dovetails are not ground. It seems to me they, or at least the ways, should be ground and then lapped and /or scraped. The milling marks are not very fine, at all. I think I can help significantly by merely re-milling the dovetails. It may not be worth it, but I think the dovetails and the ways should at least be ground, as well. Is there someone out there with a surface grinder who could grind the dovetails, or at the very least the ways and the gib?
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