Shopsmith Forums

I have an older version tailstock with only one set screw holding in the eccentric socket. I noticed yesterday as I was doing some turning that Eccentric was getting grooved from the set screw and starting to move around while turning. I'm thinking about applying a little JB Weld to the grove to fill it out, and adding a second set screw to the back side of the tailstock.
Has anyone done this and are there any "gotchas" lurking in this move?

Jim,

I haven't done this but the thought has crossed my mind. Let us know how it works out!

OK, I did it. Was relatively easy. Clamped tailstock to Table with Drill press vise. Eyeball marked and punched site. Easy drilling and tapping as it is cast aluminum. Got matching setscrew from parts bin. In very easy. Seems secure. Rethinking the drilling, I probably should have used the horizontal mode and used a handscrew to hold it flat to the table. Would have been even more stable.
Used some JB Weld on the divots in the Eccentric mount. Probably need to redo it as the deepest one didn't completely fill. Used a coarse file to remove excess after it set. Worked very well if I tightened the new backside screw first. Tightening the front one first caused it to shift a little; even doing the mechanic's thing of snugging up one then the other and then actually tightening. That's what makes me think I need to redo the divots.
Turned a scrap of maple into a short kirtle. I could feel the difference in the way the live center felt. There was a firmness that wasn't there before. No wobbles, no pressure give even sanding hard from the back side of the turning.