10E Lathe, spindle & tailstock alignment?

skou · Post by **skou** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 4:20 am

Even if you don't use it as a table saw extension, it'd still be useful for something.

Oh, if you do have the plywood E model extension table and tailstock, they are STILL useful. Replace and SAVE the E model table, and drill holes in the replacement piece, to hold your lathe chisels, while turning. Don't damage the 65+ year old piece, just replace it. Mount it on the left end, using your E model tailstock, which is warped, and useless for anything else. (Unless you decide to re-align it.)

If you still have the bolts, spacers and wingnuts that held the E model fence, hang on to them, too. They'll be worth something, sometime. So will the original plywood extension table.

As far as the tilting table, versus the tilting arbor, the tilting table is VASTLY superior in ripping a long angled (not 90 degrees to the base) cut. The tilting arbor is better at crosscutting something off angle. They BOTH have their place!

steve

Cavediver · Post by **Cavediver** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:22 am

Most of that stuff is missing

I have the original table posts and trunnion (sp?) assembly, but the top is MDF. No extension table bracket, fence, etc. It was a pretty bare-bones affair I picked up for $50, and that's only because I wanted the chuck and other small add-ons like the lathe centers, sanding drum, etc. (I have a mid 50's greenie as well). The PO had it set up as a drill press, and based on the way-tube rust patterns, I'd guess it'd been that way for a long, long time.

I've decided to pick up a 10ER tailstock, and I'll keep an eye out for a 10E table bracket as well.

jbooher · Post by **jbooher** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 6:14 pm

The website Vintage Machinery has a lot of information on SS 10E. One is the Shopsmith Adjustments which is a section on centering the tailstock . You can find it at http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/338/2701.pdf

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 8:46 pm

jbooher wrote:The website Vintage Machinery has a lot of information on SS 10E. One is the Shopsmith Adjustments which is a section on centering the tailstock . You can find it at www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/338/2701.pdf

Good for an ER, not a 10E.

skou · Post by **skou** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 11:58 pm

I just thought of something. Put the spur drive center on the spindle, but don't tighten the screw. Put the dead center LOOSELY in the tailstock. Now, turn each one, and see if there is any wobble from either one.

It could be a bent center, instead of the tailstock.

steve

Cavediver · Post by **Cavediver** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 10:09 am

skou wrote:I just thought of something. Put the spur drive center on the spindle, but don't tighten the screw. Put the dead center LOOSELY in the tailstock. Now, turn each one, and see if there is any wobble from either one.

It could be a bent center, instead of the tailstock.

steve

I checked the drive center with a digital indicator. Unfortunately, it's not the problem. That would have been a pretty easy fix!

I also colored the end of the spindle with a blue sharpie, and gently bumped it up to two different tailstock centers. Both of them left a circle on the spindle. The longer of the two left a larger circle, indicating (in my mind) that it's all tailstock alignment.

I'm going to try adding a few shims between the tailstock and that end of the shopsmith. Maybe when I tighten the mounting screw (whatever the heck that one's called), it'll pull things into alignment.

Of course, the challenge of getting the tailstock and drive center points to meet is not the whole story. Getting the point of a forstner bit in a chuck on an MT#2 adapter to line up (and stay in position while drilling) will be the real challenge.

I may have to see if I can find the appropriate forstner bits on MT shanks, just to eliminate the chuck and the added distance from the equation.

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 12:15 pm

A thought......You might be able to rack the frame a little to make up some of the misalignment. Loosen the set screws in the tie bar and the base arm and try shimming under the tie bar to see if it affects the alignment. If it works you could then try shimming under the headrest for a more 'permanent' solution.

Cavediver · Post by **Cavediver** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 12:41 pm

SDSSmith wrote:A thought......You might be able to rack the frame a little to make up some of the misalignment. Loosen the set screws in the tie bar and the base arm and try shimming under the tie bar to see if it affects the alignment. If it works you could then try shimming under the headrest for a more 'permanent' solution.

I'll give this a try.

Headrest? (or headstock?)
If I shim the headstock, what would keep those shims in place when sliding on the way tubes?

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 1:25 pm

Cavediver wrote:I'll give this a try.

Headrest? (or headstock?)
If I shim the headstock, what would keep those shims in place when sliding on the way tubes?

Head rest (left side machine support).

skou · Post by **skou** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 1:30 pm

Cavediver wrote:I'll give this a try.

Headrest? (or headstock?)
If I shim the headstock, what would keep those shims in place when sliding on the way tubes?

The headrest is the horseshoe shaped thing at the head end of the ER. You can put shims under that, where it bolts to the bench.

First thing I'd do, is to lay a level across the way tubes, at different points along the tubes. Check to see that they are level, (or not level in the same amount) which would tell you the way tubes aren't racked. Lay the level, across (90 degrees to the tubes) not aligned with the tubes. If they are all 1/4 bubble off, all along the length, they're OK. If one end is different than the other end, you've got racked tubes.

If you have racked tubes, fix as Rob suggested. You can't shim the headstock.

steve