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Tailstock-Heardstock allignment / cast iron bed

I have read in several posts that cast iron beds can twist if the lathe is not correctly "set up" in a level and "true" fashion.

I know my gap bed lathe isn't excatly "true" when I move the tailstock centre up to a drive centre. It has a 4 foot cast iron ways (including an 8" gap) and a fixed headstock. The headstock shows no sign of ever having moved from its original position and the tailstock is certainly too solid to have deformed in any way. There is no adjustment on the tailstock to permit it to be adjusted sideways.

When I set up the lathe about a year ago, I endeavoured to eliminate any rocking by the use of shims under the legs of the stand, though did not use a level to pack it horizontal side to side and front to back.

Could a bed of this length be out of allignment as a result of a poor set up? I suppose I assumed the cast Iron bed would not deform and hence perhaps didn't spend the necessary time when I first set it in place.

Many thanks, Alan

Reply to
Alan
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Hi Alan

Alan this is not a metal lathe where the carriage rides along the bed and holds the tool, then a twist in the bed will be a problem, in a wood lathe unless it's out a lot, like 1/16" or so I would not worry. If you want to check your lathe for twist, beg borrow or steal a precision level, check your ways across the ways and do so from one end to the other, if there is a difference from one end to the other loosen the appropriate bolts, shim and check till your satisfied. If your tailstock is still out of line, you can get some brass shimming stock, and get your tailstock aligned by shimming the tailstock, to keep the shim in place I would make the shim long enough so that you can bend the ends over and then fasten with a rivet, screw or glued in pin.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Alan wrote:

Reply to
Leo Van Der Loo

For a quick check, put a drive center in the head stock and a center in the tail stock. Move the tailstock center up to almost touching the drive center and observe any misalighment. It will generally be horizontal rather than vertical misalignment. If the centers don't align by more than a

Reply to
Jim Pugh

Leo and Jim, Many thanks for the advice. The misallignment is predominantly horizontal so adjustment would seem possible. I will plan my attack and hopefully post positive results very soon. Best regards, Alan

Reply to
Alan

The biggest problem is when the alignment is perfect say at the headstock and then moves around at varying positions down the bed. I think, the biggest effect on turning problems would be misaligment at the headstock end since misalignment over a long length wouldn't be as drastic. Have a look at your headstock and see if adjustment screws or whatever exist for it. My General has the headstock bolted to the bed but there are set-screws at each of the 4 corners for aligning. If you are aligning headstock center point to a center point in the tailstock make sure the points are true. Live center points can easily be bent the amount you are worrying about. Billh

Reply to
billh

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