Baby's first taper

[Cadillac]

Yes that is exactly what I had in mind. Technically for the newbie your statement BETWEEN centers was not clear. You’d drive off a center and use a steady rest to support.

 

[SLK001]

I bought a boring head without an MT3 adapter to use on the lathe or mill. So, I made one last night. After turning the 7/8-20 threads to a tight fit on the boring head, I mounted it between centers. First though, I mounted an MT3 taper reamer between the centers, and used the tailstock lateral adjustment to remove the longitudinal run-out on one face of the reamer. This was the first time I'd ever cut a taper. Colored the shank with a sharpie and tested the fit on the lathe by pushing it in. After using the dead blow hammer to get it out, the tells on the sharpie mark showed it was a perfect fit all the way down.

Good job! Just remember that when you set up to cut a taper like you did, the taper angle will be correct only for a part exactly the same length as your reamer. As your tailstock moves toward or away from the headstock, the angles get steeper and shallower respectively.

 

[Technical Ted]

Good job! Just remember that when you set up to cut a taper like you did, the taper angle will be correct only for a part exactly the same length as your reamer. As your tailstock moves toward or away from the headstock, the angles get steeper and shallower respectively.

Excellent point! That's one advantage of using your compound (if it has enough travel) or taper attachment (if you have one) over the tail stock off set method.

Good catch!
Ted

 

[Jim F]

Plus it is a royal pain to get the tail stock back in line.

 

[Shotgun]

Good job! Just remember that when you set up to cut a taper like you did, the taper angle will be correct only for a part exactly the same length as your reamer. As your tailstock moves toward or away from the headstock, the angles get steeper and shallower respectively.

I kept that in mind. The part is maybe a 1/2" too long, because I chose the length to match the reamer
Jim, I don't find it very painful at all. I use a thin strip of metal held between center points to dial it right back in.

 

[SLK001]

I use a thin strip of metal held between center points to dial it right back in.

That can get you within a couple of thousandths. The best way is to mount a piece of precision ground stock between centers and use a dial indicator mounted on your carriage - just like you set the angle for the taper. This way can get you within a couple of tenths.

 

[Technical Ted]

Just for the sake of sharing information and different ways to skin a cat, here's a good video on a way I have used in the past to very accurately set up a taper using my compound.

Ted

 

[Shotgun]

Just for the sake of sharing information and different ways to skin a cat, here's a good video on a way I have used in the past to very accurately set up a taper using my compound.

Ted

Searching more videos, I think tubalcain has an even easier way.