# Tailstock retractor



## Cadillac STS (Dec 14, 2014)

I made this retractor because when drilling nylon advancing the usual way with the tailstock screw goes fine but then the time it takes to withdraw it makes the nylon melt.  Now I can drill a hole in the nylon (For nylon bushings) and pull it back simply and easily by throwing the tailstock screw to let it loose and pulling the lever back.  It can be used for going in or out.  Has about a 3 inch throw.

Bonus question:  The lever and link are from a well known piece of shop equipment.  What is it from?


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## dulltool17 (Dec 14, 2014)

Whomever coined the phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" was referring to you, sir.  I don't work with plastics, as a rule, but I understand their properties well enough to know that you have a very ingenious solution to the problem.

Good work!


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## Cadillac STS (Dec 14, 2014)

That is HPDE plastic, like milk bottles are made of.  Hard and the surface feels waxy.  Machines very easily and I thought it would slide well and not mar up my ways.  I though getting it to match the triangle way and sit right would be challenging but it was easy, just a band saw cut and it fit perfect.  Worked great.


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## Karl_T (Dec 15, 2014)

One KEWL solution. Thanks for sharing


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## Joe in Oz (Dec 15, 2014)

I'm still stumped by the bonus question.... any more hints?
Brilliant adaptation. Thanks for sharing!
Joe


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## Micke S (Dec 15, 2014)

The part looks like an old ring wrench or possibly a B&S connecting rod )


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## Cadillac STS (Dec 15, 2014)

Joe in Oz said:


> I'm still stumped by the bonus question.... any more hints?
> Brilliant adaptation. Thanks for sharing!
> Joe




From an older manual lathe.  Which one?


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## hman (Dec 15, 2014)

Cadillac STS said:


> From an older manual lathe.  Which one?



All I can think of is a turret lathe.


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## Cadillac STS (Dec 15, 2014)

The linkage was part of the motor belt tensioning system...


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## Mark_f (Dec 15, 2014)

Thanks for posting that. Very clever!

I think that would work well drilling aluminum, I constantly have to loosen the tail stock and drag it out by hand and push it back in and tighten again to clean the chips out. This would make that job easier.


Mark Frazier


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## Andre (Dec 16, 2014)

Cadillac STS said:


> The linkage was part of the motor belt tensioning system...




I'm guessing somewhere along those lines, a countershaft engagement/disengagement linkage for an Atlas 10"?


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## bpratl (Dec 16, 2014)

Thanks for sharing, that's a very cleaver idea. Bob


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## Cadillac STS (Dec 16, 2014)

Andre said:


> I'm guessing somewhere along those lines, a countershaft engagement/disengagement linkage for an Atlas 10"?




BING BING BING We have a winner!!

I found the lever and link with bushings on ebay and it did what I wanted it to do.


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## Cadillac STS (Dec 16, 2014)

mark_f said:


> Thanks for posting that. Very clever!
> 
> I think that would work well drilling aluminum, I constantly have to loosen the tail stock and drag it out by hand and push it back in and tighten again to clean the chips out. This would make that job easier.
> 
> ...




If you need to loosen the tailstock by getting a wrench out and loosening the nut, move it back, get the wrench and tighten the nut you might think about making one of those lever nuts you see there in the picture.  It is like having a camlock tailstock and all you do is move the lever a quarter turn or so to loosen then pull it back, clear chips move it back and lever it tight.  

To make one first drill and tap the metal cylinder THEN put the cylinder on and find out where the handle needs to go in (To make it tight when the handle is where it needs to be), mark the place then drill and tap the place to have the handle come out.  I used 6 inch stainless steel bolts with for the handles and cut the head off and threaded it for strong handle shaft.


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## Mark_f (Dec 16, 2014)

Cadillac STS said:


> If you need to loosen the tailstock by getting a wrench out and loosening the nut, move it back, get the wrench and tighten the nut you might think about making one of those lever nuts you see there in the picture.  It is like having a camlock tailstock and all you do is move the lever a quarter turn or so to loosen then pull it back, clear chips move it back and lever it tight.
> 
> To make one first drill and tap the metal cylinder THEN put the cylinder on and find out where the handle needs to go in (To make it tight when the handle is where it needs to be), mark the place then drill and tap the place to have the handle come out.  I used 6 inch stainless steel bolts with for the handles and cut the head off and threaded it for strong handle shaft.



Yes, I definitely need to make one of these. I have to loosen the tail stock with the wrench ( but it is only a quarter turn) The hard part is dragging it back to yank the chips out and shoving it back in again. I think this will make my deep hole drilling (up to 3") easier for my arthritic old hands.

Thanks ,
Mark Frazier )


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## Cadillac STS (Dec 16, 2014)

mark_f said:


> Yes, I definitely need to make one of these. I have to loosen the tail stock with the wrench *( but it is only a quarter turn)* The hard part is dragging it back to yank the chips out and shoving it back in again. I think this will make my deep hole drilling (up to 3") easier for my arthritic old hands.
> 
> Thanks ,
> Mark Frazier )



That quarter turn is the key to how the lever nut works.  If it needed to be further it wouldn't work.  Go for it.  A nice short and useful project.


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