Fixing a Mistake

Lathe tailstock alignment is corrected. Making some heavy cuts.

[@terryfromsouthcarolina4601]

Check your gibs on your apron. They may have bedded in and gotten loose. That can give you all sorts of infuriating woes. Also, double-check your level like the fellow in another comment said. Nice little lathe. I need to get one. My 1898 American 16" ×120" has lost a tooth on the back gear and a tooth on the feed drive. Also, the half nut for threading is worn smooth. I hate to scrap her. She's been good to me. Cheers Terry

[@berniejanssen2863]

The better results with the lighter cut would also be because of less pressure on the live center.

[@chuckmayerchak3071]

Very nice lathe and I agree the Tiwan build is better than the Chinese build. I would think 2Hp is more than enough! Enjoy your new lathe!!

[@berniejanssen2863]

You may need to tighten gibs. Try using a solid center. Maybe play in the live center letting the piece deflect while cutting.

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Very nice work sir

[@rjay1674]

If you are getting a taper I believe that means there is some twist in the lathe bed. Recheck the bed for being level end to end and front to back using a precision level. Good luck.

[@woodandmetalshoptime8048]

Already did that in a previous video.

[@charleswelch249]

I had trouble with the cheap Chinese live center on my South Bend. Got a high-quality one and stopped having inconvenience cuts after thinking it was everything but the live center.

[@chuckmayerchak3071]

Did you use a precision level to level the ways level front near the headstock and at the end of the bed. Shim as necessary. Also the tail stock can be off up and down. Also be shure all your gigs are snug. Last resort is to adjust your tail stock to eliminate taper. A good way to check the tailstock is to put your indicator on the chuck, install a dead center in the tailstock and use the indicator to measure around the center. This will show vertical and horizontal alignment.

[@woodandmetalshoptime8048]

The lathe is level. Did that in a previous video.

[@douglasthompson2740]

Taiwan or Chinese one of the first things to do is take the over off the head and check for swarf and grinding dust in the bottom after you drain the oil. Same thing on the cross slide. Seems that none of these factories include cleanup before shipping. You will be surprised how much is left. Clean it up first then again after recommended break in.

[@marvinschleicher5542]

It may be aligned from front to back but is it the same highth from top to bottom? You can mount a dial indicator on the head stock and rotate it around the tail stock to see if it is perfectly in alignment all 360 degrees around the outside. That is the way to check alignment to couple 2 shafts together. Just wondering if top to bottom is same as on head stock.

[@stonevalleyozark475]

How I've always seen it done for alignment is turning between centers. Before removing the chuck you should have faced and center drilled the test piece on both ends. You put the test piece between the centers just like you used the alignment tool, and use a drive dog to drive the the work piece.

[@leosweeney7955]

Hi, so if I'm thinking correctly, with a wood lathe, you cut above center? If so, why not on a metal lathe?

[@markraymond1196]

Frank. Is it possible. The stock is flexing from heat buildup? Giving the varying reading? Maybe cutting with a cooling oil. Might reduce flex

[@arthurchaney4984]

Good Job

[@haroldmcgee8915]

Frank, as a fellow engineer, no one is going to tell me how to do anything. Especially instructions!! Instructions are the absolutely the last resort!!

[@marcuspeters6275]

No Frank always tells you when he makes a mistake

[@nopriors]

You have unfinished stock in a 3 jaw chuck.

[@woodandmetalshoptime8048]

Why does that matter for this test? I'm not measuring any unfinished portion of the stock.

[@gorak9000]

That only matters if you remove the work from the chuck, and want to get it back in concentric. He's never removing it from the chuck, so it doesn't matter at all

[@jasonhull5712]

Instructions are only there as a suggestion.. or at least that’s what gathered by not reading them.. 😁

[@poolmotorrepairguyFL]

Stretchh it out. lol Get a girl yo do it

[@wayneheigl5549]

frank can you use a laser to line up a lathe tailstock.??????