# Tail stock adjustment metal lathe



## Daniel (Dec 16, 2008)

I have been trying to adjust the tail stock on my mini metal lathe all night. it is a Homier Speedway 7X12. (same thing as the HF mini metal lathe)
the tail stock is two piece with a screw underneath that I can only get to by removing the tail stock from the lathe. there is also a small set screw on the back side of the tail stock. once both of these screws are loosened that tail stock can slide from side to side for aligning. My problem is I adjust it and after jsut a few minutes of turnign it is out of alignment again. I also do not see how you are supposed to adjust it to within a thousandth of an inch when it is not even installed on the lathe. I have sort of been guessing at this so far but it is starting to get frustrating. So if anyone know the actual prosedure to get the tail stock adjusted I would appreciate some pointers.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Dec 17, 2008)

Here is an invaluable site that can help: http://www.mini-lathe.com/

It is buried in there somewhere.


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## rherrell (Dec 17, 2008)

Try this Daniel, it may not be your EXACT machine but the concepts are universal. http://tinyurl.com/55okfq
I found this when adjusting mine and at first I thought, oh boy, this is way over my head, but I just kept reading and reading and it finally sunk in.
Take a look at EVERYTHING this guy has on his site, it's all pretty interesting.


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## Daniel (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks, there is a ton to read just in those two. that should keep me busy for a while.


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## Firefyter-emt (Dec 18, 2008)

I have always used a metal ruler held between the centers to indicate how true the points are.  All you need to do is to see which way the ruler is tilted to see which way the tailstock needs to go.  

Do you keep tension on both bolts once the true center has been found?

PS, the ruler trick works to see how close to the center line of the metal stock your cutting bit is as well.


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## bad (Dec 18, 2008)

Daniel, I had the same problem with my mini lathe. I talked to the machinist at work who told me how he would solve the problem. Take a cheap piece of round stock (available at some hardware stores), mount it in the chuck and take a couple of thou. off. Use a micrometer to determine if you get an even cut. If not remove the tailstock and make a very tiny adjustment in the alignment and try again. If you're careful enough you will eventually get your lathe to within a thou or two over the 10 or 14 inches of the travel. I know it's a little time consuming but it works. Best of luck.


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## RHossack (Dec 18, 2008)

Daniel, welcome to the weak link of these mini lathes.  They do not have positive adjustment screws on the tail stock.  This is about the only thing I can find fault with but it a major pain.

I have one of those tailstocks that will not stay in alignment.

What I did was put a dead center in the headstock and also the TS.

Bring the points close together and place a small metal ruler between the points.  You can see which way the ruler tilts and adjust accordingly.

Another method. If you don't have a dial indicator set up, put a tool bit in the tool holder and with the cross slide move it up to the drill rod as you turn the chuck.

The tool bit will touch the drill rod at the point nearest you, adjust as above till the tool bit point touches the drill rod even, all the way around.

After each try, you should move the tool bit to a new location on the drill rod.

Here is what I did to line the tail stock up. Removed the tail stock and just snugged the bottom screw, not tight.

Put the tail stock back on the lathe and did the same with the two screws on the end of the tail stock.

With soft mallet, tap the tail stock at the base, away from you. Lock the nut back down.

I got tired of this and made a tailstock adjuster so I don't have to pull the TS everytime to adjust it.  I don't remember where I got the pdf file showing how to make this but I can send it to you if you'd like it.


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## Daniel (Dec 19, 2008)

I tested the head stock alignment according to one of the links above. it shows it to be 4 thousandths out at about 10 inches from the head stock. this I can live with for now due to what it takes to correct. so now the tail stock is off my about 1 hundredth. this always creats an annoying taper to my turnings. I will go back out tonight and try some of these other ides on adjusting it.
Ron, I've seen one idea for a tail stock adjustment. basically a bar that spans across the two pieces in the tail stock. and you use shims to adjust. I think I might do that. If the design of the one you have is not the same I woudl be interested in seeing it.


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## bad (Dec 19, 2008)

Daniel, after reading your last post I'm reminded of somehting else that I learned when I got my lathe. The lathe bed has to be as close to level as you can get it. If it's not level then the bed itself will get worn out fairly quickly. To level it simply use a small level and measure both sides of the bed and then measure across the bed at both ends. Use shims to get it level. I simply took a cheap set of feeler gauges apart and used a couple of the feelers as shims. You should also take both cross slides apart, clean and repack them. This link might help http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Setup/setup.htm


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## Blind_Squirrel (Dec 19, 2008)

I have thought about getting the tail stock aligned, then drilling one or two holes that go through the two parts into the tail stock to either fit a rod or tap it and put screw(s) in to keep it in alignment.  

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions about my idea?


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## Daniel (Dec 19, 2008)

Scott the tail stock alignment mod I saw looks a lot like what you are describing.
here is a link to it
http://www.gadgetbuilder.com/MiniMods.html#Tailstock_Adjuster
read about how it works because it sound like it could be very accurate.


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## Daniel (Dec 19, 2008)

Bruce, I've pretty much gone through the entire list on the site you point to. until you get to the headstock alignment. I have sort of suspected my problem is the tail stock and probably verified that the head stock was close when I first got the lathe. Anyway I have torn everything down. lapped all the mating surfaces and re greased the lathe ( I need to do it again). even all the links above point out that the tail stock adjustment is difficult at best. I'm not sure it can even really be done well with out the adjusting bar from the link in my post above. tearing something apart in order to make adjustments of a couple of thousandths of an inch just seems counter productive to me.


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## RHossack (Dec 20, 2008)

Daniel said:


> I tested the head stock alignment according to one of the links above. it shows it to be 4 thousandths out at about 10 inches from the head stock. this I can live with for now due to what it takes to correct. so now the tail stock is off my about 1 hundredth.


Is this tested with the chuck on or the MT?

The first thing is to check the chuck for run out and it's easily adjusted.

I know there are other ways to do this, but I just do it the way it works for me.

Note, all right or left readings are FACING the indicator.

Put a short length of drill rod (I like 3/8 or 1/2") in the chuck. You only need a couple of inches out beyond the chuck jaws. Set up a dial indicator, set the indicator to zero on the stock and rotate the chuck by hand. This will tell you if the chuck is off.

When turning the chuck, if the indicator reads more than .0005 deflection you need to take care of this first.

Rotate the chuck by hand till you get the highest deflection.

Reset the indicator to zero. Now rotate the chuck slow by hand. If the indicator needle moves to the left of zero that means the stock in the chuck is moving away from you, if to the right of zero, that means the stock is moving closer to you.

This can be corrected by a couple of different ways. What you are trying to do here is get the stock so that there is no deflection.

If the stock is closer to you ( indicator reading to the right of zero) the stock needs to be moved away from you.

That can be done by cocking the chuck.

Lots of times cocking the chuck,  can be done by just tightening or loosening  the chuck attach screw on the opposite side.

If you want the stock to move away from you, tighten the screw(s) on the far side of the chuck or back off on the screw(s) on the near side. The tightening or loosening is just a touch. Just a slight bit can make a difference.

On my Cummins, I shimmed the chuck with a slip of paper from a Band Aid wrapper.

The shim will be put between the chuck and face plate to **** the chuck away from you. I hope this is clear enough.


> Ron, I've seen one idea for a tail stock adjustment. basically a bar that spans across the two pieces in the tail stock. and you use shims to adjust. I think I might do that. If the design of the one you have is not the same I woudl be interested in seeing it.


No, I have a couple of diferent ones and none need shims.  One uses a 10-32 screw and the other is a 1/4x28 bolt.

I made one out of a piece of 1/2 x 1/2 keystock.  I don't have a mill nor know anyone that does so I spent many a nights using an end mill in my drill press to make it.

Because my TS was so far out Johnny CNC actually turned the brass piece for me and now I can use my lathe.

The other one is simplier and easier to make ... I'll see if I can find the pics and instructions.


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## randyrls (Dec 21, 2008)

Daniel said:


> I have been trying to adjust the tail stock on my mini metal lathe all night. It is a Homier Speedway 7X12. (same thing as the HF mini metal lathe)



Daniel;  My 9x20 has two set screws opposed on the front and back of the tail stock.  There is a very active 7x12minilathe Group on YAHOO.  I'm sure a question there would get you very detailed responses.

I also found this link from the Mini-lathe site.

http://warhammer.mcc.virginia.edu/ty/7x10/vault/Members/RickKruger/Tailstock/SetOver/index.html


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## BRobbins629 (Dec 21, 2008)

Somewhere I saw a mod where the screw was on top so you would have to take the tailstock off to make a slight adjustment.  I was going to try that then instead I took a piece of a steel rule and glued it to one piece and scribed a line on the other.  Now at least I know which way to move it and how far before I replace it on  the lathe.  Made the job a whole lot easier.  It was my biggest frustration with the metal lathe.


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## Daniel (Dec 21, 2008)

Thanks Ron, got your drawing and photo for the tail stock adjuster. I like the looks of this one better than the other one I saw.

In one of the two links above you will find a method of measuring alignment of the head stock with the ways that eliminates any run of the chuck or even if the rod is not straight. the only thing that matters is the actual diameter of the rod at the point you take the measurements. The math makes it so that you are measuring to the center of the rod or the point at which it is turning. Pretty neat but I had to think about it a while to realize just how it is working.


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## RHossack (Dec 21, 2008)

Daniel said:


> Thanks Ron, got your drawing and photo for the tail stock adjuster. I like the looks of this one better than the other one I saw.


You are welcome ...


> In one of the two links above you will find a method of measuring alignment of the head stock with the ways that eliminates any run of the chuck or even if the rod is not straight.


I've read that before but my 'pea-brain' refuses to acknowledge how that would work.
I'm not a machinist (just play one via email).

I found it took less than 5 minutes to get the chuck to run true and then I knew I had some sold base to work from.

I found the other one I told you about that uses a steel mending plate and a coupler, Ward Miller sent me a pic and I sent it your way.


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## Daniel (Dec 21, 2008)

Ron, That one make a lot more Immediate since as to how it works.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Dec 21, 2008)

Daniel said:


> Thanks Ron, got your drawing and photo for the tail stock adjuster. I like the looks of this one better than the other one I saw.


 
The two of you aren't going to share with the rest of us?!?  :frown:


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## RHossack (Dec 22, 2008)

Blind_Squirrel said:


> The two of you aren't going to share with the rest of us?!?  :frown:


Scott, I'd be happy to send you the pdf file if you want it ... send me your email and I'll have it on it's way.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Dec 26, 2008)

RHossack said:


> Scott, I'd be happy to send you the pdf file if you want it ... send me your email and I'll have it on it's way.




Thanks Ron!  

With Ron's permission I have placed a copy of the .pdf on my web site for others to download. http://www.blindsquirrel.us/Scott/WardTSadjuster.pdf


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## bad (Dec 26, 2008)

Thank you to both Ron and Scott. I've just found a new winter project.


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## bitshird (Dec 26, 2008)

bad said:


> Thank you to both Ron and Scott. I've just found a new winter project.



I've been watching this thread and to my way of thinking this is about the best I've seen for the 7 X series lathes, More inline with what I'm used to dealing with on big lathes, I don't sweat any thing until I get worse than .001 at 15 inches on my 9x20, I hardly ever turn any thing over 12 in any way, I think the little machine shop offers a better tail stock, one with a cam lock handle, I looked, and it has the same strange screw in bottom to align it. I like the nice beefy one that's in the PDF that Scott posted, using fine thread screws would be a good thing.


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## RHossack (Dec 26, 2008)

bad said:


> Thank you to both Ron and Scott. I've just found a new winter project.


Good ... it'll help


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