Inserting a live center T2 into the Tail Stock

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rfresh747

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I just got my Harbor Freight 7x12 mini-lathe. It came with a live center T2 tail stock tool.

I crank out the quill so it stickls out about an inch and then 'slap' in the live center, but it doesn't 'lock' in. Is it supposed to? I can just pull it out by hand. I thought it would lock in somehow. But maybe not?

Thanks...
 
Hi rfresh747,
congratulations on the lathe come up!
sometimes you need to extend the tailstock quill out a few turns before you try to set the live center
when you retract the tailstock quill, the live center or other tools will auto eject.

if you have the quill extended more than a couple inches and you still have the same problem,
i'd suspect there was a problem with the taper.
a visual inspection as well as thorough cleaning of the tool and tailstock taper may be in order.
sometimes new machines have cosmoline that gets into operating areas and causes problems with tool grip and hydraulic lock.

you can mark the taper of the live center with a sharpie marker all over the taper and try to drive it home with the quill extended, then retract the quill and look at the pattern on the live center taper

i hope the information is useful to you :)
 
Try winding the quill out a bit further as the tapper maybe slightly to long and butt up inside the tail stock ,I know on my lathe depending which morse tapper I want to fit some ill have to have the quill out further than others ,Also does the tapper have a drive tag on the end as if so it will need to be in line with the slot in the end of the quill you cannot see.
 
I've turned the quill out 1 1/2 inches (almost it's maximum) and the live center still doesn't 'lock in'. I can easily remove it anytime I want regardless of where the quill is positioned to. Photo of the live center attached.

2018-01-07_200522.png
 
I just measured it. 15.5mm at the end and 17.5mm at the live center end. It's supposed to be a MT2.
 
rfresh747 said:
I've turned the quill out 1 1/2 inches (almost it's maximum) and the live center still doesn't 'lock in'. I can easily remove it anytime I want regardless of where the quill is positioned to. Photo of the live center attached.
Click to expand...
The tailstock quill has a morse taper#2 and will not hold a tool with a straight shank .
 
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