Tailstock vertical alignment???

[John Hasler]

I had some 1" wide brass strips that came with the lathe. The thinnest was .0165" and placing a strip between the halves of the tailstock put the dead centers point to point...visually as close as I can get. I used 2 strips, one under the front and one under the back right at the front and rear edges. There is now a gap between the halves, but I don't think that will be a problem.

There was not a great deal of wear to the bed contact surface...the original machining marks are mostly still visible.

Sandwiching a steel rule between the points of the centers will give you a very sensitive indication of alignment. Do this with the ram both extended and retracted.