Tool Rest Not Level? Why?

[Kelly Johnson]

I am completely new to woodturning. I got a old 12 inch craftsman lathe and got it set up and one of the first things I noticed is the tool rest was at an angle. I moved the foodstock up and it lines up perfectly with the headstock. The foot end of the toolrest is probably an inch lower. I rotated the tool rest 180 degrees and the foot end is still lower. I removed the tool rest and banjo and it seems the main part on the beam is unlevel. There is no slop to it. I measured foot side compared to the head and there is probably an 1/8 inch difference in height. The only thing I can think of is it was a bad casting from the factory or craftsman put this angle on it for some reason. My best solution is to grind it down and file it flat. Am I missing something here?

 

[robo hippy]

Well, the platform the tool rest sits on is way out of whack. Not sure if you can shim that up on the right side or not. Best guess is that some one had a huge catch, and that is why it is bent off to that side. Maybe loosen the handle and see if it will tilt back the other way. If not, you may want to replace or repair the old one. You could learn to work with it as is, but it would drive me nuts... Well, nuttier than I already am...

robo hippy

 

[Kelly Johnson]

Well, the platform the tool rest sits on is way out of whack. Not sure if you can shim that up on the right side or not. Best guess is that some one had a huge catch, and that is why it is bent off to that side. Maybe loosen the handle and see if it will tilt back the other way. If not, you may want to replace or repair the old one. You could learn to work with it as is, but it would drive me nuts... Well, nuttier than I already am...

robo hippy

Thank you for your reply. Since I am brand new at this I wanted to make sure I wasnt about to tear something up. I do have experience with a metal lathe so as far as the mechanics of it I understand. The tool platform does not have any play or slop to it. Both head and foot sides are sitting flat down on the beam. Everything looks egual on the underside. I have already broke it loose and moved it all around with no change. I believe this was bored at an angle from the factory. The tell tale sign is that the thickness of the metal on the head side of the platform to the beam is about 1/8 inch thicker then the foot side. There is no telling how old this lathe is. I will look around and see if I can find a replacement. If not I think I have three options. Grind one side down and file it flat, build one side up and grind it flat, or make a "cap" to fit down over the whole thing and file it flat.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Check to see if there is a gib screw on the bottom of the collar that goes around the tube. There also might be gib screws on the top side.

 

[Kelly Johnson]

Check to see if there is a gib screw on the bottom of the collar that goes around the tube. There also might be gib screws on the top side.

I visually checked under the bottom, on both sides and the top. I also looked down into the wholes where the tool rests bolts on. No screws. I found the original manual online and downloaded it. The parts diagram does not show any screws either. There is practically zero clearance between the beam hole in the platform and the beam. I dont think I could get that much adjustment out of it even if there were gib screws. Sears no longer makes this part of course. There is the part number stamped on it and there was a second number in the manual. I have got them as saved searches on ebay. Nothing has been listed or sold in the last 6 months. Maybe I will get lucky. I think I will start by making a "cap" to drop down over it that is higher on one side then the other. That way I wont have to modify the original piece.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Sears lathes weren't exactly famous for high quality so I think that your comment about bad machining is probably spot on. Maybe the easiest fix would be to shim the low side at least as a temporary fix.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I suspect the base was made that way for a reason however murky it is. I also suspect the part holding the toolrest on top of the base is not what it came with. Original part likely was made with a matching angle so the toolrest would sit straight.

 

[john lucas]

I'm at a loss. Never seen anything like that unless it was a faulty part. If there isn't any way to adjust it either around the tube or the flat part on the upper part then I just don't know. I've seen a number of old Craftsman lathes and don't ever remember the banjo being tilted like that. Not sure what to suggest short of paying a machinist to try and flatten the top.

 

[John Torchick]

I'm at a loss. Never seen anything like that unless it was a faulty part. If there isn't any way to adjust it either around the tube or the flat part on the upper part then I just don't know. I've seen a number of old Craftsman lathes and don't ever remember the banjo being tilted like that. Not sure what to suggest short of paying a machinist to try and flatten the top.

Or start saving up for a good used lathe or a new one. Good luck in solving the tilt.

 

[Michael Mills]

Going around the elbow .... and you are use to working with metal.
Get some new bar for a post and some heavy angle iron/round bar,... Weld the new rest on to the new post at an angle to correct the banjo defect.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Going around the elbow .... and you are use to working with metal.
Get some new bar for a post and some heavy angle iron/round bar,... Weld the new rest on to the new post at an angle to correct the banjo defect.

That wouldnt work for anything but a spindle dead parallel to the bed. Turn it any and it gets even worse out of level than it is now. Would be easier to make a new banjo base.

 

[Bill Boehme]

That wouldnt work for anything but a spindle dead parallel to the bed. Turn it any and it gets even worse out of level than it is now. Would be easier to make a new banjo base.

You beat me to it.

 

[Peter Bergquist]

Another thought would be to weld some plate over the holes where the misalignment is, then bore new (aligned!) holes through the banjo.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Does the hole in banjo go all the way thru ? Pic 1 looks like it is a plate under the banjo. Is that the case? If so maybe the plate had a spacer which someone removed to lower the toolrest.

 

[john lucas]

It's been a long time since I've seen one of those. Perhaps you could do a more detailed view of the bottom of the banjo. I looks like there is a slot and possibly a screw that goes through the banjo into the slot to keep it so it won't rotate somewhat similar to how the Quill feed works on the tailstock. Could something be jammed into the bottom of the bracket to keep it from sitting flat on the tube.

 

[Bill Boehme]

It's been a long time since I've seen one of those. Perhaps you could do a more detailed view of the bottom of the banjo. I looks like there is a slot and possibly a screw that goes through the banjo into the slot to keep it so it won't rotate somewhat similar to how the Quill feed works on the tailstock. Could something be jammed into the bottom of the bracket to keep it from sitting flat on the tube.

It's all one solid casting with a hole for the tube.