The Shop > Tools

All squared away.

(1/7) > >>

DavidA:
The headstock on my red lathe can be removed. and it is located by a pivot bolt at the gear end and a clamp bolt at the chuck end. As it can swivel on the gear end bolt there is a pair of coinciding parks at eh front to assist in re-aligning it.

But let's assume there is some doubt about the marks.

How would the members ensure that the head is truly concentric with the lathe centre line.  If it isn't the chucks and face plate will not be square to the axis.

To add to the interest let us assume that you don't already have a face plate to assist in this operation.

I know how I would do it,  but am curious as to how others see the problem.

Dave.

chipenter:
Test bar http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Measurement/Parallels-Angle-Blocks-Test-Bars and a dial guage in the toolpost , or iff the tailstock is spot on a bar between centres .

RussellT:
If you put a round bar in the chuck and then take average readings with a dial gauge it should be possible to align it without having to buy an expensive test bar.

Russell

Arbalist:
Does this help?

http://igor.chudov.com/manuals/Rollies-Dads-Method-of-Lathe-Alignment.pdf

steampunkpete:
If I had them, I'd use a round bar in a collet rather than a chuck.

I'd use the longest bar that I had, as the longer the bar, the more accurate the achievable alignment. If I had some straight tube I'd use that for preference, but it would have to be closely round tube, not oval.

I'd then mount a dial gauge on the saddle. I'd then check that the bar was straight by setting the dial gauge at the end of the bar furthest from the headstock and rotating the chuck by hand. I'd also check at a couple of intermediate points in case in case the first reading was at a null point  on a banana shaped bar.

If then the bar proved to be straight, I'd take dial gauge readings along the bar by traversing the saddle.

Adjustment to the headstock by splitting the difference in traditional form. The headstock to be bolted down to a known torque between adjustments.

This all assumes that the mis-alignment is only in the horizontal plane. Given the risk of dirt trapped beneath the headstock, distortion etc. I'd also check alignment in the vertical plane by setting the dial gauge on top of the bar and repeating the alignment check along its length. If there was a problem there, I'd weep and then bang my head on the headstock until one of them was properly aligned.

By this time I'd be in need of a cuppa or a beer.

What have I missed?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page