Pm1228 In Born

Neat trick scribing a line on the tail stock for setting tool heights. My near vision when kaput a while ago and its tough to see fine detail without looking like a watch maker.

I made up this many years ago to set the height by touch.

ToolHeightSetter.png
 
I am having the exact same problem. Can you post pics of what the plug looks like? Also, did you make or buy a spider? Thanks for sharing!!

Heckle and Jeckle said:
Spent the day tuning up the lathe...... a most excellent machine but had a couple of problems that needed to be addressed.

The most pressing problem, the compound slide would jam. There was no way to loosen and rotate it, 0* too 45* without it getting hung. It is in the engineering of the way the slide is assembled and just life.

To be very clear no words will or are to be thought of as a complaint offering solutions. For any owner of the lathe and wishes to resolve problems.

What caused the jamming, when the slide locks are back off to rotate pass 45* or set the cross slide at that location? There just so happens to be an assembly hole that allows access to the T nuts. Unfortunately as the T nut passes from one side to the other of the assembly hole, or is set at 45* . The T nut drops or twist out of alignment with the T slot, and jams.

Fist attempt was the file all the edges, just rounding them so the were smooth to the touch... Failed

Second measures widths, and file them parallel with consistent heights on both ends. No heavy cuts taken with the file, strictly clean up or dressing ........... failed

Third attempt, with some 1" bar milled a U on the end, reassembling the lathe, machined the OD to fit. When installed, the plug provides a guide for the T nut, as it floats across the hole to pick up the T slot.

If you attempt to make the plug, be sure or you may want to drill and tap a 1/4 x 20 hole. Use some all thread with a jam nut, it will give you a nice way to set and alien the U plug once set and tested .

Also the all thread can act as a removal tool if it should at some time become necessary to remove the plug. Simply install to 2 1/4 nuts at the far end of the all thread and bottom it out the plug will come right out.

Couple of other quickies, pulled the handles off. With sand paper and a flat plate, dressed face of the mount point, smoothed the operations of all.

Last but slick, above I took a shot of some bar I faced, can be plainly seen that to tool hight is dead nuts... nub less. How does one make that a repeatable, quick, and a easy no brainier processes?

Very simple grasshoppers, bring in the tail stop. Extend the quill, move the carriage over. Touch off from the quill, extend the quill and scribe a tool hight reference line.

cheers,
greg
Click to expand...
 
Most lathes I have seen the problem with the compound studs/nuts really comes down to how much you back off the nuts to move the compound. I'm not saying this is your problem, not seeing it in person, but might be worth a look for others fighting this. I think this especially might be true on new machines where things are tight and probably still have a little cosmoline on them, but the nuts generally don't need to be loosened more than a half turn or so. That should prevent them from dropping into the access hole. As far as turning sideways and not wanting to follow the circular groove they reside in, that's probably a different issue. They may be borderline too narrow, but that is what it is unless you want to make new ones. Rounding or chamfering should help some, and not over-loosening might have some effect on it as well.
 
Louis,

What's said about backing off to much when unlocking, is true and can be somewhat controlled. Unfortunately that is only one half of the problem.

This lathe the access hole just happens to be lined up with the T nut if the compound is set @ 45*. With this setting the T nut is centered in the hole, floating . Try to lock down the compound slide, the nut turns freely, nothing there to capture it. Sure you can futzs around working on both lock down screws and get it to work ....... who needs that ?

Made a guide plug that solves the problem. I did forget to mention an item in the write up. I ended up putting a stud in the 1/4 x 20 hole to keep the T nut from dropping below the circular groove, if too loose.


@Buggy Chief
No pictures the lathe is back together, here is a drawing for a reference, . As seen it is a simple project, get stuck or have a question PM me

greg
T Nut.jpg
 
Buggy Chief,

What's is the spider you asked about, is it the harness I picked the lathe with? If yes then, I used an axle strap looped under the bed, up the sides, and behind the lead screw up by the chuck. And a ratchet car tie down laced in and around the tail stock area.

greg
 
Spider is the solution that most folks come up with to attach to the spindle outside of the headstock to steady stock that is long. I only see about 2 wrongs of threads on the 1228 so not sure it is obtainable. Talked to Matt yesterday and he said it is just going to happen on smaller stock. I was turning a 3' piece of .625 aluminum that was sticking out of the chuck about 3 inches and the rest through the spindle of the headstock. Really whips around.

Heckle and Jeckle said:
Buggy Chief,

What's is the spider you asked about, is it the harness I picked the lathe with? If yes then, I used an axle strap looped under the bed, up the sides, and behind the lead screw up by the chuck. And a ratchet car tie down laced in and around the tail stock area.

greg
Click to expand...
 
Buggy Chief said:
Spider is the solution that most folks come up with to attach to the spindle outside of the headstock to steady stock that is long. I only see about 2 wrongs of threads on the 1228 so not sure it is obtainable. Talked to Matt yesterday and he said it is just going to happen on smaller stock. I was turning a 3' piece of .625 aluminum that was sticking out of the chuck about 3 inches and the rest through the spindle of the headstock. Really whips around.
Click to expand...

Well I sure was in the weeds with that thought .... I'm a boot can you tell ...... :) LOL

Thanks for saying ..
greg
 
For long stock you might consider a free standing support like this. The one in the picture uses bearings but a bent piece of metal or rod set in the "V"position or even a short section of tube will work.

Stock Support.jpg
 
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