machining spindle taper in situ?

[harry marrParticipant @harrymarr63840]

[harry marrParticipant @harrymarr63840]

Hi all im after some expert advice Ive done basic machining as part of my RnD role at work for a few years now so i have basic skills but im certainly not a machinist! I recently rescued a mk1 drummond lathe and have been busy rebuilding it! I just finished scraping the cross slide in when i realised a slight oversight… the spindle is not original (although appears very accurate) and has no spindle nose taper!!

What are my options for boring the taper? bearing in mind the lathe has been stripped so the tail stock is nowere near centered and the only chuck with the lathe is a 3 jaw which doesnt look to brilliant!

Due to the clean room nature at work i cant take the spindle in use there machines so do i have any chance of doing it in situ?

My initial thoughts were step drilling and boring it acceptable or not?

Any thoughts?

[NobbyParticipant @nobby]

HI Harry
My Drummond as a No. one morse taper in the nose if there is a hole through the spindle you could bore a taper in the nose to suite morse taper . buy setting the top slide at that angle . Then it would run dead true . or rougth it 
Out  then ream it with a No.one taper reamer 
Nobby

Edited By Nobby on 30/09/2013 16:44:46

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Harry,

Boring it in situ is the 'gold standard', on the assumption that you have all the bearings well adjusted and the tools are sharp and on centre height. If you do it right it will be right. You don't need a chuck or tailstrock, just a decent cross slide and toolholder.

As Nobby says, you can finish off with an MT reamer if you have doubts about eth finish. Tracey Tools do these for a reasonable price.

Neil

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