Aligning the Tailstock of a Myford ML10 and ML7

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I really should know how to do this, but I don't! I suppose that one could turn a bar between centres and adjust for constant diameter?

However the first thing you see in the Myford manual is to make sure that the lathe bed is level by doing the above! So I have a chicken and egg situation here!

The engraving marks on the tailstock are very crude and could not possibly used for accurate alignment, or am I missing something here?

I suppose you could always use a couple of 2MT dead centres and see if the points align? I doubt if my eye sight is up to that suggestion!

So how is it done, please!

Regards,

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Andrew

For a "quick and "dirty" check just put centres in both headstock and tail stock, advance the tail stock and trap a 6" rule between the points of the centres. The deviation of the rule should give you a good indication of how good the alignment is.

Norman

Edited By NJH on 14/11/2016 22:38:56

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Hello Norman,

Thanks for that tip, thinking about it, looks pretty accurate to me. Having raised the question is it the bed not level and causing the problem or is it the tailstock out of alignment. I suppose you level the bed using an engineers level. Then you align the tailstock.

So why are you told to turn a rod between centres to determine if the bed is level? I am sure that is the advice either in The ML7 Handbook or the Myford ML7 Booklet. It could be the tailstock out of alignment!

Still confused,

Andrew.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Andrew Tinsley on 14/11/2016 23:12:03:

So why are you told to turn a rod between centres to determine if the bed is level? I am sure that is the advice either in The ML7 Handbook or the Myford ML7 Booklet. It could be the tailstock out of alignment!

Still confused,

Andrew.

Reread your manual. To check the bed for level you turn a sample bar held in the three jaw chuck with no tailstock centre. Then by jacking up various feet on the bed, the bed is bought into level until the daimter turned is consistent the full length of the test piece (nominally a piece of 1" bar 6" long.

Once that's set, you can then turn a test piece between centres and adjust tailstock until it turns nice and parallel.

If you are already happy with how your lathe turns pieces held in the chuck without a centre, no need for levelling at all. Just turn a piece between centres and adjust tailstock until you get a parellel result.

[Brian OldfordParticipant @brianoldford70365]

Posted by Hopper on 15/11/2016 06:18:42:

Reread your manual. To check the bed for level you turn a sample bar held in the three jaw chuck with no tailstock centre. Then by jacking up various feet on the bed, the bed is bought into level until the daimter turned is consistent the full length of the test piece (nominally a piece of 1" bar 6" long.

Once that's set, you can then turn a test piece between centres and adjust tailstock until it turns nice and parallel.

If you are already happy with how your lathe turns pieces held in the chuck without a centre, no need for levelling at all. Just turn a piece between centres and adjust tailstock until you get a parellel result.

That's pretty much the same instructions that came with my very first lathe. A Flexispeed Meteor II in kit form. Before the process above it was also necessary to set the headstock to "aim" straight down the bed.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thank you gentleman! It seems my memory is not as good as I thought, So what is new there! All quite obvious if you think about it.

Just one thing is niggling my addled brain. Turning a 6 inch bar (without using the tailstock) to see if the bed is level (not distorted), is this not dependent on the accuracy of the chuck to hold the bar on centre? It is early morning for me and the brain is not yet in gear. I think I see the logic of this operation, but there are a few doubts flying around. Please reassure me that I have got this one right!

Andrew.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Andrew Tinsley on 15/11/2016 09:36:51:

Just one thing is niggling my addled brain. Turning a 6 inch bar (without using the tailstock) to see if the bed is level (not distorted), is this not dependent on the accuracy of the chuck to hold the bar on centre?

.

It matters not, Andrew

The chuck must hold the work securely … but neither its radial, or angular, accuracy is of any concern.

You are testing the spindle alignment, not the chuck.

MichaelG.

[edinthecloudsParticipant @edintheclouds]

Hi Andrew,

Take a look at Harold Hall's page on aligning lathe centres.

http://www.homews.co.uk/page392.html

Les

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

The ML 10 is a small lathe and initially levelling the bed and lightly tightening the hold down bolts and then back off half a turn. My ML10 will turn parallel over the full bed length to well under a half thou.

Tailstock alignment is easy as stated a 6" ruler between two centers gives all the indication you need.

Clive

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

I have an early Southbend lathe similar to the Australian Hercus. They are slightly smaller than the ML10. The army used them in their workshops which could be in temporary premises and the instructions were to only clamp down the bolts at the head end and to leave the tail end loose. The bed is sufficiently rigid to remain straight.

Paul.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I cam across Rollie's Dad's Method on an earlier post on this very forum.

Not tried it myself yet, as I have a pretty accurately ground all over 2MT-2MT extension, which I use as a test bar.

[Author]

Posts