Help With Lining Up A Lathe Tail Stock

once you can turn between centers without a taper put an aluminium bar between centers and take a very,very light cut al along the bar
then measure the bar a different points with the micrometer
if the readings are consistent you can forget about the level
 
Looking at the picture of the centers punching the steel measure I'd day your headstock isn't aligned with the ways.
 
turning in the chuck with a centre in the tailstock is not going to give any reliable result as to the alignment of the tailstock
 
janvanruth said:
turning in the chuck with a centre in the tailstock is not going to give any reliable result as to the alignment of the tailstock
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Could you please explain this further? Not trying to disagree, as I value your knowledge and experience, just need more info to understand. Thanks, JR49
 
I think janvanruth is saying with the chuck tightened on the bar stock instead of both ends being on centers ?
 
This is how I checked my tailstock with a co-ax indicator. I also swept the id of the quill taper. It will detect a high/low/fore/aft condition of the quill with respect to headstock axis.
 
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JR49 said:
Could you please explain this further? Not trying to disagree, as I value your knowledge and experience, just need more info to understand. Thanks, JR49
Click to expand...

if the piece is clamped in the chuck all faults of the chuck/spindle/headstock will be transferred to the piece
to eliminate all faults on the headstock side one has to place a centre in the headstock side
turning between centres will give an indication whether the bed is streight or not
a piece turned beween centres that is perfect in diameter, will mean allmost certainly that the bed is streight, as the cutter will follow the bed
any irregularity in the bed will transfer to the cutter and will cause change in diameter
after having established in this way that the bed is streight, a cut taken on a piece chucked up will show whether the headstock is aligned or not
 
janvanruth said:
if the piece is clamped in the chuck all faults of the chuck/spindle/headstock will be transferred to the piece
Click to expand...
I thank you sir, excellent explanation that even a novice can understand. Happy Machining, JR49
 
Thank you for the advice guys I'm now on a mission. I didn't want to start a new thread with another question so I thought I would ask here. I don't have a dead center setup for my sheldon lathe. Should I invest in a backing plate setup as I plan to turn barrels ? Looking around I see people putting dead centers in their chucks with a dog is this a safe and reliable way to turn ?
Thanks again Ed
 
Stick a piece of bar stock in your chuck , turn a 60 degree center on it and do't remove it , drive your work with a dog . No runout . I've turned up to 120mm Howlizter (sp) barrels this way for the DOD .
 
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