# Lever Tailstock



## cyrusb (May 10, 2011)

Keeping with the adage "There are no stupid questions, just stupid people asking questions" I was wondering if anyone has found or built a lever tailstock for their small asian instrument lathe or the equivalent. It sure would be handy for the small work. Even an old photo would help. (No sense in reinventing the wheel).Thanks.


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## pdentrem (May 10, 2011)

Here you go.


http://www.gadgetbuilder.com/CamLock.html


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## cyrusb (May 10, 2011)

Ah, I should have been more specific. The lever moves the tailstock quill. Fairly common on the small swiss machines. I had a beat up Rivett in the 80's that had one. It's really a worthwhile mod for an instrument lathe, no more of the constant turn-pecking, fast retraction for different length tools.It is a fairly simple arrangement, I'll just take a stab at it.


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## pdentrem (May 10, 2011)

Here is one version that is used when drilling.

http://homemetalshopclub.org/projects/project.html


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## cyrusb (May 11, 2011)

pdentrem- The quick in and out attachment is really clever! It allows you to still have the handwheel capabilities when usung centers etc. My thoughts were to replace the handwheel alltogether but that pattern is perfect. Thanks


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## 8ntsane (May 13, 2011)

Im not seeing much for pics of the lever tail stock mod. I dont have a asian lathe myself either, but this pic might help others that want to do this mod. Its of a myford tailstock modded to lever, and this tail stock retains the handwheel too.

Sir John posted it for a thread I started on HSM to show me a example of how to do this, as I wanted to have both, lever, and handwheel. I though it would be one or the other, but apparently you can have both.




I havnt done this to my Sidney Lathe yet, But Its on my to do list.

Paul 8)


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## cyrusb (May 18, 2011)

That version is even better, and exactly what I was thinking about. Thanks, cyrus


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## 8ntsane (May 18, 2011)

Cyrus

John told me it was just a quill extention, and the screw extension. The rest looks pretty basic. Apparantly no permanent mods were done to that Myford tail stock, so can be put back to stock configuration at anytime.

Normally I only see one or the other, but to have both lever and handwheel,, well thats totally cool. Just lock down the orange handle shown in the pic, and your back to handwheel mode. Im going start mine soon. I think the only thig that might be a pain in the butt, could be the screw ext. Looks very doable though.

Paul 8)


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## cyrusb (May 19, 2011)

8NTSANE -Thanks for the extra data, that is just the ticket. Good project for this summer. I'm rushing to get my small machines in order while I still have my larger stuff. Planning on offing the large machines and focusing on a small instrument shop.(in the house).cyrus


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## 8ntsane (May 19, 2011)

Cyrus

A note on the lever action tailstock mod. I was at my buddys shop a few weeks back, and he had done the lever mod to his tailstock. One major differance in his was he had a bell crank arrangment on his. This put the lever parralell to the ways. I asked why he did it this way. He said when standing in front of the lathe it was easyer to pull the lever towards you, than push it towards the headstock. He said it was originally built as most are, but caused him a sore wrist, and shoulder.

Just somthing to concider in the design, when you are building this. I think Im going to set mine up the same as his. He did mention that the lever setup does take a fair bit of force, arm work. So the lever arrangment, and leverage ratio be looked carefully. So carefull planing can avoid extra long handles 
Paul


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## 7mag (May 30, 2011)

I have a work in progress. This one I am building and using as I go.


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## 8ntsane (May 30, 2011)

7mag

That seems like another way to go. Did you make this one up your self? I thought of adding a small T/S with a lever to my lathe, but wondered about weight.

Looks like cool piece your building there.

Paul


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## 7mag (May 30, 2011)

Yes, I'm building this myself. I needed a tailstock to drill and tap threaded bushings, 0-80, 2-56, and 4-40. I was lucky that the bed on the little Schaublin has a square shape. I milled and ground a base of cast iron to fit the bed. Bolted and pinned a piece of cold rolled 1018 to the base. I then used progressively larger drills in the headstock and pushed the tailstock into them to get the center. I will bore the tailstock out larger at a later time and put bronze bushings in it. It is working pretty good now.


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## GadgetBuilder (Jan 14, 2016)

I built Chris Heapy's version for my 7x12: 

http://www.gadgetbuilder.com/DrillSharp.html#Lever_Drill


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## Johnwright (Jan 14, 2016)

I don't know how small the lathe is you are referring to, but here is mine which is a 9X20 Jet.  Pretty easy! There is more info under my content.


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