lathe alignment

[mikec]

I remember seeing somewhere on the Web a metal rod that had a 1MT on each end. It went into the head and tailstock of a swivel head lathe as an alignment aid when re-aligning the centres.

Does anybody remember seeing something similar or know where I can get one :?:

Mike C

 

[CHJ]

Sorry I can't help on the morse taper alignment tool supply but a very close approximation can be had if you have a self centering (scroll) chuck and a 'jacobs' style chuck to suit your tailstock.

Clamp a piece of straight steel 10-13mm* diameter bar between the two. (*dependant on your JC size)

 

[loz]

This help Mike ?

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Mer...creen=PROD&Product_Code=113124&Category_Code=

 

[cornucopia]

am i missing somthing (stop sniggering at the back!!) i always put a drive centre in the headstock a tail centre in the tail end and do the "kiss" test :wink:
whats the advantage of this gadget?

 

[davegw]

am i missing somthing (stop sniggering at the back!!) i always put a drive centre in the headstock a tail centre in the tail end and do the "kiss" test :wink:
whats the advantage of this gadget?

I do the same - so maybe we are both missing something?

 

[CHJ]

am i missing somthing (stop sniggering at the back!!) i always put a drive centre in the headstock a tail centre in the tail end and do the "kiss" test :wink:
whats the advantage of this gadget?

With your high end quality lathe then you are probably getting a true co-planar axis alignment of the spindle and tailstock centre lines. Hopefully in both vertical and horizontal axis.

However it is possible to do a kiss test ,which is by its very nature close to the headstock and still have the tailstock centre line skewed.

This will present itself as a problem if you then (on a lathe fitted with a long bed) move the tailstock down the bed and drill a hole as the drill bit which is now extend forward of the centre point used for checking will be off centre and will continue trying to go further off line as you advance the tailstock quill.

This is why many people drill small centre holes with a hand held chuck as the natural dynamics of the spinning work centralize the drill.

The morse taper tool, actually sets the alignment of the two axis, there is still a chance, quite a good one in fact, that on a cheaper lathe the tailstock will be out of alignment if you move it further up the bed but of course it is of little consequence then because a spindle will quite happily spin on miss-aligned centres.

 

[mikec]

Thanks Chas, thats the item I was looking for.

I am well aware of the kiss test and use that at present but there are a few problems with that. The major one is failing eyesight, :shock: the second is the shift in the position of the headstock when the final tightening of the clamp is done. :?

I thought that an alignment bar would help overcome these problems.

Thanks for all the replies.

Happy Turning

Mike C

 

[mikec]

Sorry, I forgot to thank Loz, got the names mixed up.

Mike C

 

[Mark Hancock]

For those interested Nova do a 2MT version. I use it a lot as I find it quicker and easier particularly with swivel headstock lathes.

 

[davegw]

My Lathe has 1MT at the headstock and 2MT at the tail stock... I assume I'd have to get a 2MT to 1MT reduction?

Could I make a wooden alignment tool to fit?

Even if I could purchase one of these options, the don't seem very long, so I'm still not entirely sure what difference is between this an a kiss test?

Sorry if these are stupid questions.

Dave

 

[CHJ]

.....so I'm still not entirely sure what difference is between this an a kiss test?

A kiss test can result in the two axis still being way out of alignment.

This is extreme but illustrates the point I think:

 

[cornucopia]

ahhhhh i seeee \/ what you mean now #-o

 

[davegw]

Thanks Chas - it all becomes clear

 

[Richard Findley]

You can make your own double ended morse taper to line up your head and tail. Or even simpler, if you have a largeish revolving centre:

You can simply loosen your headstock, bring up the point into the open space of the morse taper with a little pressure and re-lock your headstock, this should align them perfectly!!

Hope this makes sense,

Richard