The tail stock on my lathe is different than I'm used to. not only does move side to side there is a set screw in the very back that pivots it making it impossible to get it straight and on center. Does anyone know of a trick to getting all 3 axes at the same time?
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Help with a stupid tail stock.
- Thread starter sundown57
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Brand? Model? Usually using two centers, one in spindle and one in tail is how you adjust it- for vertical error you need to use shims to raise or scrape the base to lower
For co-axial (horizontal) error, there are a couple ways to do it. Indicating the quill is one way, or a morse taper arbor with a straight shank or straight shaft in chuck and indicating that
-Mark
For co-axial (horizontal) error, there are a couple ways to do it. Indicating the quill is one way, or a morse taper arbor with a straight shank or straight shaft in chuck and indicating that
-Mark
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the lathe is a Harrison that I bought used years ago. I don't think it's the original tail stock. I can line up the 2 centers ok. and i can use an indicator to make it straight the full length if the material but then when i run the indicator along the quill it's off and if i get the quill straight the centers are off
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It sounds like your tailstock is offset front-to-back some. That's not unusual, most tailstocks have that capability so you can turn long tapers.
Lots of "degrees of freedom" need to be considered when adjusting a tailstock. But, based on your latest comment, it appears you are pretty close to getting it sorted out.
Running a DTI along the quill will tell you if the tailstock has nod or rotation but it won't tell you anything about a height problem or if the tailstock is offset front to back. So you need to test with the centers AND a DTI.
Lots of "degrees of freedom" need to be considered when adjusting a tailstock. But, based on your latest comment, it appears you are pretty close to getting it sorted out.
Running a DTI along the quill will tell you if the tailstock has nod or rotation but it won't tell you anything about a height problem or if the tailstock is offset front to back. So you need to test with the centers AND a DTI.
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Picture?
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It's possible that the quill bore and the outside of the quill are not co-axial- not much you can do to correct it. It would be a rare case though- does that sound like it could be the case?
Is this a Harrison tailstock or another brand of tailstock?
Is this a Harrison tailstock or another brand of tailstock?
yeah, I'm kinda learning thats how i need to do it. I ran the quill all the way out and then clamped it in the chuck with everything loose. that got it pretty close as far as straight goes, now i, working on side to side.
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Height differences between headstock and tailstock can be easily detected by holding a dial indicator in the chuck and indicating around the tailstock quill, taking care to use a lightweight indicator and a sturdy short setup to avoid droop of the indicator causing inaccuracy of the reading.
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Not a bad approach for getting close. I've done something similar to quickly get a workpiece roughly centered in my independent 4-jaw chuck, but in that case I knew my TS was aligned pretty good.
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