tailstock sliding

[Charlie Knighton]

new lathe, cleaned ways with mineral oil, have turned outside of vase between centers, no problem, reversed the vase and trying to drill pilot hole thru top of vase with jacobs chuck and bit, the tailstock slides 3 or 4 inches to the right while the tailstock center slides out, the hand wheel spins,

seems this was discussed before but could not find in search mode
the tech rep suggested baby powder on ways and tighten the bolt, i have hand tighten the lever to where it is in 11 oclock position

any and all suggestions appreiated 😀

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Is the pointy end of the drill bit pointing towards the wood (rather than into the chuck)? 🙂D Sorry, had to ask.)

Is the lathe running in forward rather than reverse? 🙂D😀 Sorry again.)

Remove the tailstock and wipe everything down with mineral spirits (ways (both top and bottom), bottom of tailstock (where it meets ways) and the clamping mechanism that engages against the bottom of the ways.) You might have excess oil under the ways preventing a secure clamp.

You could try using a pipe or something to get extra leverage on the clamping lever, being really really careful not to break it off. I don't see why you would need to do that while drilling though. Maybe your drill bit needs to be sharpened.

Ed

 

[john lucas]

Charlie Generally there are several factors that affect when a tailstock slips. One is lubricant on the ways. I would get rid of the mineral spirits. I use Johnsons paste wax if anything at all.
The leverage the locking mechanism produces, how flat the tailstock base is compared to the ways, and how large of a surface area the tailstock clamping plate has. You can fix 2 of the 3 fairly easily. One is to check and see if the tailstock clamp lever actually engages all the way. Some have a nut on the bottom that can be adjusted. check this. If that's good you might try adding an extension to the handle although you do risk breaking the handle if you apply too much force.
I find replacing the bottom locking plate with something that has more surface area is one of the best fixes. That may require finding a machinist. Flattening the bottom of the tailstock is probably best left to the professionals.
Some people have advocated letting the lathe bed rust a little. It has more bite and less slip when you do this. Of course sliding the tailstock becomes more difficult as well and personally I just don't like rust.

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

.... I would get rid of the mineral spirits. ...

John - Did you mean mineral "oil" or "spirits". Charlie used mineral oil. I suggested spirits to remove the oil. I've never notice mineral spirits leaving any kind of residue, but maybe I'm missing something...............


Ed

 

[Jake Debski]

Charlie, good advice above. My lathe, new, had all sorts of gunk on the underside of the ways. I cleaned it up(mineral spirits) and it would only slip a little during green rough-outs. I took a damp, not wet, rag and wiped the underside that I had cleaned before. Next day it showed a slight bloom of rust and no more slip. I keep the top of the ways and bottom of tailstock and banjo waxed with Johnson's floor-wax.

 

[john lucas]

I meant to say mineral spirits. You need to remove the oil and/or old wax. My brain works better than my fingers although some question that.

 

[john lucas]

Make that, use mineral spirits to get rid of the mineral oil. Wow, I must be on drugs today.

 

[Steve Worcester]

, the tailstock slides 3 or 4 inches to the right while the tailstock center slides out, the hand wheel spins,😀

When you say it slides to the right, do you mean back or off center (parallel to the bed)?

Clamped down properly, it should not slide out of parallel, off center.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

Is the pointy end of the drill bit pointing towards the wood (rather than into the chuck)? ( Sorry, had to ask.)

Is the lathe running in forward rather than reverse? ( Sorry again.)

yes to both, and some of the easy things need asking 😱

back or off center (parallel to the bed)?

it moves parallel to bed, the drill bit is stuck in the wood, it probably stuck at about 4" and that is when the tail stock took off to the right, it moved as far to the right as the cylinder would allow it

i meant to say minineal spirits instead of minineal oil

 

[Steve Worcester]

Moving back and forth, parallel, is the locking mechanisms, perpendicular would be a huge issue.

What lathe is it?

 

[Charlie Knighton]

jet 1642 evs, i believe now that when the bit locked up in the wood, the more powerful motor torque made the cylinder unwind and move the tailstock body to the right, learn as we go

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Charilie - If I understand, you are saying that the quill spun freely in the tailstock and unthreaded from the lead screw.

Did you shear off the end of the quill locking screw or did you have the locking screw so loose that it didn't engage the groove in the quill? I think if you had the lock so loose that it didn't engage the groove that the quill would have started spinning before the bit got stuck. You might want to check the end of the screw and see if it looks like there might be a piece missing (and inside the tailstock somewhere).

Edit: The screw to check is the locking screw that goes in the side of the tailstock, not the lead screw that moves the quill in and out.

Ed

 

[Charlie Knighton]

Edit: The screw to check is the locking screw that goes in the side of the tailstock, not the lead screw that moves the quill in and out.

i did not see a screw that goes in the side of the tailstock, will look again, it seems the there is a long screw that might have a reverse thread that goes the lenght of the cylinder, i took this apart to look at after 1st attempt

another problem is i might have the speed set to high for drilling with larger motor, i set it at 500 rpm as that is the slowest speed of the delta, maybe about 200 rpm might be a better speed with the jets .... 1 1/2 hp motor

what speed do yall recommend to drill 3/8 hole about 6 or 7 inches??????😀😱

there appears in the diaagram of tailstock a screw that holds the wheel onto the lead screw, there also is a piece #19 which is called a stud

the stud was in my parts bag i believe, and i thought it was part of the indexing wheel setup
that stud which is setting in a bowl on my bookshelf might need to put in place

i will relook at the tailstock for a hole on the back side of the tailstock for the stud,

 

[pfduffy]

slipping tail stock

Charlie, I found that replacing the locking washer under the tailstock solved all my problems in a minute. A guy in VT made it for me. If you decide to go that way, send me a PM. Phil

 

[MichaelMouse]

i did not see a screw that goes in the side of the tailstock, will look again, it seems the there is a long screw that might have a reverse thread that goes the lenght of the cylinder, i took this apart to look at after 1st attempt

another problem is i might have the speed set to high for drilling with larger motor, i set it at 500 rpm as that is the slowest speed of the delta, maybe about 200 rpm might be a better speed with the jets .... 1 1/2 hp motor

what speed do yall recommend to drill 3/8 hole about 6 or 7 inches??????😀😱

there appears in the diaagram of tailstock a screw that holds the wheel onto the lead screw, there also is a piece #19 which is called a stud

the stud was in my parts bag i believe, and i thought it was part of the indexing wheel setup
that stud which is setting in a bowl on my bookshelf might need to put in place

i will relook at the tailstock for a hole on the back side of the tailstock for the stud,

That piece is threaded left on one end, right on the other, and if you don't lock the adjusting wheel tight it will unthread. Did it a few times on the old Delta up at school. Kids used to lock the quill and then keep cranking the handle until the setscrew on the handle started to slip.

Since drillpresses are seldom more than 1 HP, and hand drills less, it's the operator, not the tool. Clear the shavings often and 450 is as slow as you go, so it will have to do. Should, too.

Other thing to remember when boring from the tail is to stage your way to depth. Since the taper will eject automatically, take a small bite, clear, move up. Don't eject the taper or the drill will slip sideways and jam.

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Maybe some pictures will help.

In the first picture of the tail stock I labelled the quill and the handle of the locking screw that goes into the side of the tailstock (and into the groove on the quill to lock it).

If that screw is screwed in far enough there is no way that the quill can rotate in the tailstock. IF you screw it in far enough you lock the taistock, but one revolution to loosen will allow the tailstock to move for drilling and still keep the quill from rotating (and uncscrewing from the lead screw).


The second picture is a drawing of the tailstock assembly. Part 25 is the quill (the cylincer with the MT2 taper). Part 24 is the lead screw which drives the quill in and out when you turn the handle. Part 23 is the quill locking screw that screws through the side of the tail stock and locks the quill.

If Part 23 (locking screw) is screwed in far enough then you should not be able to rotate the quill unless you do something so severe that you shear off the end of the locking screw. I would expect the MT to slip before you would break something in the lathe, but who knows. "Far enough" is so that the end of the locking screw engages the groove that is milled on the side of the quill, but not so far that it locks the quill.

Part 19 screws into the hole in the bed of the lathe between the ways at each end of the lathe. It stops the tailstock (should be one for the headstock side as well) from accidentally sliding off the bed. Up to you whether you use it or not. It's a nice safety measure, but it adds another step to removing the tailstock. I use mine.

I tend towards lower speeds for drilling becuase it generates less heat. I recall the "recommended" speed for a 3/8 bit in hardwood being around 1500 rpm. I personally run a couple hundred, but that's just me. As Michael pointed out you need to pull out frequently to clear dust / chips. If you try to go 6 or 7 inches one pass you'll jam the bit for sure.


Ed

 

[Charlie Knighton]

indian name

If that screw is screwed in far enough there is no way that the quill can rotate in the tailstock. IF you screw it in far enough you lock the taistock, but one revolution to loosen will allow the tailstock to move for drilling and still keep the quill from rotating (and uncscrewing from the lead screw).

i had screwed most of the way out P the locking screw, i guess that just one revolution to let it rotate is the correct way of doing it

the delta i screwed it most of the way out, just a little bit different, the stud on the side is just for the tailstock lockdown to rest on

i guress i do have a index wheel stop that was in the parts bag, 3 holes are drilled around the headstock and the stop will fit in all of them, i also have 2 set screws extra which i guess go to the faceplate in case i lose when unloosing the faceplate must be tighten down if running in reverse

the electrians were here this morning, had to have dedicated line for lathe, my other line had two 4 foot florescent lights on it and would occasionally kick the breaker off when stopping the lathe to move the tool rest, very annoying

i changed my board name from baitbegger to charlie knighton but am thinking i may need to change it to an indian name meaning "one who breaks drill bits off in hollow forms" can anybody give me the translation