Subject: Headstock allignment techniques anyone?

From: [email-masked] (William J. Ward)
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 18:42:27

I recenlty purchased one of those Taiwanese 9"X20" lathes (from Grizzley).  
Well, I know it's not a Myford, but it seems to have posibilities, especially 
at the price Grizzley is selling it at.

Anyway, while trying to build some foolish thing, I bored out what I thought 
was a 1-inch hole about 2.5" deep.  Turns out that the headstock was out of 
allignment by about 0.0025/inch.  It is possible to adjust the headstock on 
this lathe, but I haven't figured out a good way to do this.  I need to 
measure both allignment with the ways AND perpendicularity.  I have dial 
micrometer indicators.  I thought about using a short piece of 1/2 inch drill 
rod in a Morse taper #3 collet, and taking measurments with an indicator 
fastened to the cross slide.  (Bad part is, to get at the headstock adjustment 
screws, I have to practically disassemble the entire thing.)

Any suggestions for how to allign a headstock in general, or this type of 
lathe in particular would be most appreciated.

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From: Robert Bickers <[email-masked]>
Date: 3 Jul 1996 04:00:19 GMT

>lathe in particular would be most appreciated. 
Will, have you trued your lathe? IE place a 3" round stock about 8" long in chuck, do NOT 
support end with center, let it hang. Take light cut [.002"], measure for taper. If present 
adjust one foot, you'll have think this out as to which way to go, recheck, recut, adjust, 
etc. I got mine to within .0002 taper in 6". Good luck Bob

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From: [email-masked] (ErnieLeim)
Date: 3 Jul 1996 02:51:13 -0400

[email-masked] (William J. Ward) asked about truing up a tailstock on a
lathe: 

At gunsmithing school we had a truing bar. This was a 2 foot length of 1
inch diameter polished drill rod . It was center-drilled at each end.
The rod was placed in the lathe between centers, and was set spinning at a
fair RPM.
The dial indicator was atached to the tool rest and it was zeroed against
the bar at the head stock end.
The indicator was then moved to the tailstock end of the bar, and the
runout was then obvious. The tailstock was then adjusted a bit.
 It usually took about 5 or 6 adjustments to get it right , but it always
worked.
We were required to true our lathes everyday before we started so we got
pretty good at it, but we had Southbend lathes to start with.
The instructors would ocassionally tweak the lathes out of wack just to
see if we were paying attention.

Best of luck

@}---------------------------------------------------{@
                    Ernie Leimkuhler                                      

                  Stagesmith Productions                                  
                                          
                 Custom Metal Fabrication                                 
               
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From: [email-masked] (philip evans)
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 1996 16:37:51 GMT

>see if we were paying attention.

My dad put a razor blade between two centres and watched which way it bent.

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From: [email-masked] (Richard W. Klopp)
Date: 3 Jul 1996 16:45:40 GMT

I went through this operation on my 12" Jet lathe. I used a master
precision level, a dial indicator, and a 2-3" mike. First I levelled the
bed using a master precision level. Then, I chucked up a piece of 2-1/2"
aluminum in the 3-jaw with about 10" hanging out. Crucially, I did *not*
support the outer end with the tailstock! I turned down the mid-length
region of the bar to leave two narrow (1/2" wide) collars about 8" apart,
one close to the chuck jaws and one out at the end. I finish turned these
collars to the same, arbitrary diameter within a couple of tenths. Then,
without disturbing the chuck, I put an indicator on the saddle and set it
to center height and traversed across the collars. I moved the headstock
around until I got the same reading on each collar. Now I was roughly
aligned, so I removed the indicator and took a light cut on the collars
and miked them. They were off a little, so I tweaked the headstock some
more, took another light cut, etc. I was finally able to get it so it
turns less than 0.0001" taper in 8"! I doubt it will stay that way after I
sneeze once or twice, but it's as good as it's going to get.

You're right about getting at those screws. I had to take the dang motor
off to get at them, and that Taiwanese motor weighs a bloody TON.

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (William J.

-- 
Rich Klopp                      Do your parents know you're in here?
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 6 Jul 1996 05:46:23 GMT

>screws, I have to practically disassemble the entire thing.)

You have the right idea.  Place a hardened and ground shaft of known
straightness in the chuck or collet.  rotate the collet and use a dial
indicator to make sure it has no runout or wobble.  Re-chuck it until it
runs true (this isn't necessary, but it makes the job easier and more
foolproof).

Now run the carriage back and forth across the bar, and read the error.
Adjust the headstock until you get no movement of the indicator when
moving the carriage back and forth.  While you're at it, check for up/down
tilt in the headstock.

Oh, Yes.  before doing any horrible things to your lathe, make sure it is
absolutely level!  Use a 'Master Precision Level' with a resolution of
.0005"/foot or better for this task.  Yes, they are expensive, but
necessary.  I couldn't believe how far off my lathe was when I first got
my master level.

Adjusting the headstock when the problem is twist in the bed will give
you a false sense of security.  If you don't beleive me, you will find
out that you can put the indicator on the left of the carriage, adjust the
headstock for zero error, and then move the indicator to the right of the
headstock, and IT WON'T RUN TRUE!  If the bed is twisted, the only way to
fix it is spotting with a precision straightedge, or leveling with a
master level.  The level is a WHOLE lot easier!

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From: Robert Bickers <[email-masked]>
Date: 6 Jul 1996 14:32:36 GMT

>master level.  The level is a WHOLE lot easier!

Jonathan, not to pick an argumant with you, but how would your method work on a ship?. Maybe 
there is a better way? I have found that the lathe will tell me whatever I need to know as to 
its alignment without resorting to spending money other than buying a mandrel[$20] and some 
stout round stock [$10] not a $100+ for a level.A level will only tell you that the tops of 
the ways are level, not what the saddle is doing. Other than keeping oil in the head stock and 
preventing tools from rolling around, the lathe couldn't care less if it's level, whats 
important is that it be "true". Cheers Bob