Aligning the tailstock on a 9x20 lathe.

[Kmot]

I'm having trouble understanding how the marks on a coax gauge can be assigned an absolute size. Won't the displacement indicated on the dial depend on the effective lever arm of the tip used on the coax?

I have an answer now to your question, given to me from a trusted source.

Yup. Thing is, since the coax unit is designed basically for centering stock, it doesn't really
matter much.

 

[AlanHaisley]

Kmot,

I'm surprised that the tailstock offset index is riveted like that. It would make more sense if the top plate were held by screws in slots so that you could line it up once you had lined up the tailstock.

I understand though that these offset plates are only meant to get the tailstock close, so maybe it doesn't really matter.

Alan

 

[Kmot]

Hi Alan,

I do not know why the mfg'r did it that way, maybe to save on labor and production costs?

 

[G-Force]

I have an old logan 820 lathe that i got off of a friends father that had it laying outside for years. He was going to scrap it so i snaged it off him for 25$ what a deal of a life time. it needed a lot of work when it was all said and done it would still cut a taper no mater how the tail stock was set. I found that if it has 4 independent legs they must be leveled just right or it will twist the bed. Im no expert machinist but i got it as close as i need it. this link was a big help http://www.cartertools.com/tgtest.html