# Taper Attachment 100 MK3



## rock_breaker (Aug 11, 2018)

I have part of a rear mount taper attachment that I ultimately would like to put on my lathe. Not having any exposure to these tools there are  a lot of questions. the first of which is "how wide to make the carriage that supports the free end of the taper attachment?  Second is; there are no dovetails so should a bracket be made to keep the sliding parts from disengaging?
The attached picture shows the bottom side of the home made attachment behind the lathe. Two cap screws parallel to the cross side are how I intend to fasten the taper attachment to the carriage. There is a machined flat on the left side of the carriage but no bolts or hole. At this point in time I think if the parts are steel and in general 1/2 to 3/4 inch I won't have to drill a hole in the carriage. 
Would appreciate comments from Clausing owners that have or used taper taper attachments.
Ray


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## wa5cab (Aug 12, 2018)

From looking at the photo, there should be a dovetail under the chip cover on the back side of the cross slide.  I'm not sure how the original Clausing taper attachment worked but on the Atlas, to hook up the taper attachment you remove that cover, crank the cross feed nut off of the cross feed screw and remove the nut, mount a guide to the rear of the dovetail, and attach to the cross slide at the hole left when you removed the nut.  No new holes are required in carriage or cross slide.

The Logan is quite different in that you change out the entire cross slide.


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## rock_breaker (Aug 12, 2018)

wa5cab said:


> From looking at the photo, there should be a dovetail under the chip cover on the back side of the cross slide.  I'm not sure how the original Clausing taper attachment worked but on the Atlas, to hook up the taper attachment you remove that cover, crank the cross feed nut off of the cross feed screw and remove the nut, mount a guide to the rear of the dovetail, and attach to the cross slide at the hole left when you removed the nut.  No new holes are required in carriage or cross slide.
> 
> The Logan is quite different in that you change out the entire cross slide.


Thanks Wa5cab,
I have noticed that cover on other machines but this lathe does not have it. My current thinking is to remove that piece  from the dovetails dress up the end vertically then drill & tap 2 holes in the cover (the casting has a small round on top also) then make a piece that bolts to the taper following block. There is a bolt holding the nut for the cross feed about 4"  from the end. It may have to be done the way you describe. Another concern is getting the taper assembly mounted at the right height and parallel to the ways. Lots of things to consider.
Have a good day
Ray


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## wa5cab (Aug 12, 2018)

I just located and uploaded a 1953 Clausing catalog covering the 4800 Series (post Atlas purchase).  Download it and look at Page 7 (File Page 4).  At the bottom of the right side are two photographs of the 7515 Taper Attachment.  The left photo shows the attachment installed on either a 4800 or a modified 100 MK3a.  The text says that the attachment will fit all Clausing 12" lathes (not to be confused with Colchester or later Clausing 12").  But that early models will require modifying the cross slide so that you could install the short DL-728 Chip Guard.  This involves a milling cut across the top of the back end of the cross slide.  And drilling and tapping four holes.  Two are into the milled area of the cross slide to attach either the chip guard or the taper attachment draw bar.  The other two aren't specifically mentioned but I can't think of any other reason why they would already be there.  In any case, I finally figured out that there is a male dovetail cut on the bottom of the support bar for the angle guide bar.  There is a piece of roughly channel-bar shaped steel or cast iron bolted to the rear face of the carriage saddle.  It has a female dovetail cut into it.  And the gib adjust screws are visible in the photo.

The catalog text goes on to say that once you install the taper attachment, you never need to remove it.  And that loosening one nut and tightening two more converts the lathe from straight turning and facing to taper turning.  One of the nuts to tighten is obviously the nut on top of the guide bar slide.  But I have no idea what the other two nuts could be.  Attached below is a photo of the page from the 4800 parts manual showing the saddle and cross slide with the short chip guard and two attaching screws.  Unfortunately we do not have a similar parts drawing of the taper attachment.


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## 34_40 (Aug 13, 2018)

rock_breaker said:


> I have part of a rear mount taper attachment that I ultimately would like to put on my lathe.
> Would appreciate comments from Clausing owners that have or used taper taper attachments.
> Ray
> 
> ...



There are a few of us who would like to see / learn about the "elusive" 100 series Taper Attachment.   

I cannot say I've ever seen a complete one and I've searched and kept an eye open for at least 10 years.  So I'll be watching this thread!


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## rock_breaker (Aug 13, 2018)

Good evening 3040,.
The elusive "100 series taper attachment" may be so elusive that it never existed. My apologies if someone interpreted what I said meant there was a manufactured assembly available. I have no knowledge of what might be available. 
I examined my lathe today and could not find any indication for mounting a taper attachment other than two cap screws on the right side of the cross slide. These are  visible in the picture. My lathe does not have the removable shield that Wa5cab has discussed. 
I do have another taper attachment that I believe is factory made but do not know what machine it was made for and getting it mounted starts at the same place. It is so built that the top and bottom slides are in a cast housing so that answers one of my questions. 
Like you, I have watched to no avail on finding a complete attachment. Don't hold your breath on discovering anything new soon from my shop as I want to install a DRO on the mill/drill then finish a home made indexer.       
You have told me  what I was curious about " there is not a lot of activity as far as taper attachments go".
Have a good day
Ray


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## 34_40 (Aug 14, 2018)

The shop my lathe came out of was the original purchaser.  The machinist who made arrangements for me to get the lathe swore it had a taper attachment when purchased but no amount of searching could locate it.  Even when they finally did shut down and emptied the shop completely, it never turned up.  Maybe it was mixed in with other "Stuff" and scrapped or maybe it never existed. We'll never know now. 

The documents hint of one being available..  but as you know.. it's like finding bigfoot! LOL..


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## wa5cab (Aug 14, 2018)

Well, you are a little better off than if you had a Logan.   With one of those, the factory taper attachment included a replacement carriage, as they did not choose to build the cross-feed bar as a separate part as was done by both Atlas and Clausing.  How many of the taper attachments were actually built and sold, I don't know.  All that I do know is that they were in their catalogs, so they must have built at least a few.  You might call Clausing and ask.  You might at least be able to get either PDF's or TIF's of the drawings and parts manuals.  I don't think that I have ever asked them for any of either for the early Clausing machines, but they do still have most of them for the equivalent Atlas machines.


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## 34_40 (Aug 14, 2018)

Looking at the catalog that you posted Robert, I was reminded of a South Bend T.A.,  My collet closer is actually a South Bend piece.  and many of the 3-C collets are also.  I also have a S.B. micrometer/carriage stop that fits perfectly as well.  And I think the Taper Attachment would fit as well.
but some adaptation would be required for the cross slide for sure.


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## wa5cab (Aug 14, 2018)

OK.


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## WEL0058 (Jun 19, 2019)

Found!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233260881148?ul_noapp=true!

Enjoy - Always wonder how the attachment connected and how it works.

Bob G.


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## wa5cab (Jun 19, 2019)

The photos above are of an Atlas 6822.  Whether it could be adapted to a 100-3 or not, I have no idea.


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Jun 19, 2019)

Ive had my eyes out forthe oem taper attachment (TA) made specifically for the pre atlas clausing mk3 model lathe for almost 2 years and I have yet to see a Confirmed factory oem TA setup in its complete form!  I have been told they do exist only they seem to be as common as a truthful politician which Im also told also exist but then again that could just be fake news! Lol and good luck on the hunt.

If the one posted above by WELL0058 could be easily made to fit and work correctly then reproducing one would be very easily made and probably the best route for adding one to your toolbox.


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## 34_40 (Jun 19, 2019)

I've been looking / watching for maybe 20 years.  I'm also told they were produced, but no-one I know has seen one.


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## john.k (Jun 19, 2019)

The unit in #11 seems incredibly flimsy to me......personally,I set no value in them,and left the one for my lathe sitting on the floor in the previous owners workshop......However ,in general there seem to be two types......one type pulls the feed screw across,so needs a telescoping arrangement of the handwheel....the other type is called" Plain Type",and has a short topslide which connects to the crosshead that runs on the taper slide............Have a look at the Le Blond Regal book......both sorts are pictured......in my case ,the feed screw had been cut off ,so I didnt bother with the unit......its a lot of weight hanging off the saddle .


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