I made a reply to a thread where it was said that a Vevor tailstock set on an angle, so I wrote this. Vevor tailstocks and headstocks sit on a very slight angle where the V-Way holds up the "V-Way side of tailstocks and headstocks. Both set a little higher on the V-Way side in order for the clamping and bolting of each stock to put pressure on the V-Way, thus keeping both stocks tight and straight. The factory has supposedly precision machined them, so that when the headstock is bolted tight, and the tailstock clamped tight, they are each at the same height and plane. That is, "supposedly"... If necessary, vertical adjustment can be achieved with 1 or more individual feeler gauge leafs. But what if the headstock is not set on the same horizontal plane as the carriage? Only the tailstock can be adjusted back and forth and not the headstock. To fix the alignment problem, take two 3/4 inch pieces of A-36 steel, and cut a V-Way into the bottom of them. 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 3/4" for the Headstock and 4-5/16 x 2-3/4 x 3/4 for the Tailstock, and 4→ 31/64" x 3/8" shoulders, 2 for each stock.
I've bought a lot of metal at Speedymetals.com. The 3-1/2 inch wide headstock, requires a 1 inch wider piece of steel so that it is 1/2 of an inch wider on each side. Each side of that 1/2 inch overhang gets a 31/64" x 3/8" "Shoulder" bolted on top of it, with 4 horizontal bolts, and 4 vertical bolts, which are slightly adjustable due to the holes being a few thousandths of an inch larger than the bolts. It only has to move a millimeter at most. Same thing for the tailstock. 31/64" is 1/64" smaller than 1/2 inch, for adjustment room, which actualy needs to be less than 1mm and not the entire 1/64". Anyway, this is one of many different methods to make the headstock and tailstock "rotational" adjustable. Incidentally, common sense tells us to first check the lathe bed for warpage with a straight edge and feeler gauge. We check cylinder heads the same way. Anyway, I was lucky, the bed was straight and flat. I was also impressed with the spindle as it was spinning, when the dial indicator stayed on Zero. Another good idea is to mount the feet of the lathe bed to a block of steel or cast iron. Even concrete or a piece of a railroad track. But not wood for stiffening though. You can also epoxy the bed. I have a circle track, Small Block stock car engine that I "Low-Filed" the water jackets with epoxy for strength, a common engine block strengthening technique. Showing that Epoxy can strengthen cast iron.
I think anyone who works with shop machinery understands the adjustment concept because it is so simple.
I've bought a lot of metal at Speedymetals.com. The 3-1/2 inch wide headstock, requires a 1 inch wider piece of steel so that it is 1/2 of an inch wider on each side. Each side of that 1/2 inch overhang gets a 31/64" x 3/8" "Shoulder" bolted on top of it, with 4 horizontal bolts, and 4 vertical bolts, which are slightly adjustable due to the holes being a few thousandths of an inch larger than the bolts. It only has to move a millimeter at most. Same thing for the tailstock. 31/64" is 1/64" smaller than 1/2 inch, for adjustment room, which actualy needs to be less than 1mm and not the entire 1/64". Anyway, this is one of many different methods to make the headstock and tailstock "rotational" adjustable. Incidentally, common sense tells us to first check the lathe bed for warpage with a straight edge and feeler gauge. We check cylinder heads the same way. Anyway, I was lucky, the bed was straight and flat. I was also impressed with the spindle as it was spinning, when the dial indicator stayed on Zero. Another good idea is to mount the feet of the lathe bed to a block of steel or cast iron. Even concrete or a piece of a railroad track. But not wood for stiffening though. You can also epoxy the bed. I have a circle track, Small Block stock car engine that I "Low-Filed" the water jackets with epoxy for strength, a common engine block strengthening technique. Showing that Epoxy can strengthen cast iron.
I think anyone who works with shop machinery understands the adjustment concept because it is so simple.
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