# Article for a  Rack and pinion tailstock on a 7x?



## steamer (Mar 26, 2011)

Didn't someone publish and article on building one of these conversions?

Any help would be appreciated!

Dave


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## gmac (Mar 26, 2011)

Dave;
Like you I know Ive seen an article - not specifically on the 7x - I will sift thru the pdf files on the hard drive tonight. Martin Cleave shows photos of his personal Myford with a rack tailstock mod in the Workshop series of books - Screwcutting on the lathe. No details on the mod however....
Cheers
Garry


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## New_Guy (Mar 26, 2011)

I have an engineering workshop magazine where someone details the instillation of such a tailstock on a Myford it was said to be a very worth while modification. The kits was off the shelf tho and you needed to replace the tailstock ram/barrel


I think with a bit of ingenuity it wouldn't be to hard to make this modification, have you thought of a simple leaver instead of using a rack?


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## marcel (Mar 26, 2011)




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## rleete (Mar 26, 2011)

Forgive my ignorance, but why? What does this do that a standard screw TS doesn't?


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## steamer (Mar 26, 2011)

Well for a starters...it gives you access thru the spindle from behind.  A lever action spindle would do the same I suppose and would be easier to build. so I'm looking at them both.


I have an idea swimming around in the vast expanse that is my little bird brain..when it germinates...I'll share :


Dave


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## steamer (Mar 26, 2011)

and oh by the way Marcel....is that your Myford?  Sweeeeeet!
Dave


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## steamer (Mar 26, 2011)

Ahh the lock nut on the rack barrel is there so you can position the rack in any angular position desired....Oh I like that.....hmmmm. ;D

Dave


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## New_Guy (Mar 28, 2011)

I have an Idea Dave ill try and explain it

On the Myford lathes (and I assume the 7" clones) a threaded nut secures the hand wheel into the the tailstock casting and thats also where the Rack and pinion attachment threads into right..... The RP attachment needs a new barrel with a rack cut into it right well what if you use the existing barrel and screw in a round profile rack. The new "round rack" is just that a simple rack gear profile machined on a spindle and once you make that you can make a hob to cut a simple worm gear to mate with.

The hardest part would be making a housing to make it all mesh, I think it would probably look just like the Myford one 

Anyway food for thought


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