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n80 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:52 pm One question: The tail stock has a hand wheel on the back. I thought that turning it was supposed to advance the spindle forward but it does not. Is that a special type of tail stock that does that?

That should definitely advance the spindle. That happened to me on my Jet lathe once when I took it apart to clean it, and forgot a small, innocuous, nondescript piece that was utterly required for function. If memory serves, it was the spindle lock that needed to be installed - there's a channel down the side of the spindle that the lock rides in to prevent the spindle from rotating when the handwheel is turned. If you don't put that in, everything spins and nothing advances. I suspect something similar happened there, or it's in backwards, or something.

If the lock is missing, your local hardware store probably has a suitable replacement. Or if you're like me, it's in an old library card catalog, in a baby food jar.

I'm totally stumped. The manual is sketchy at best but it does suggest that turning the hand wheel should advance the bearing center. But,
I took the tailstock apart. See photo below. I don't see any mechanism by which it advances the spindle, no threads, no gears. See picture below. There are basically only 4 parts. There are no other parts shown in the schematic so nothing is missing.

From left to right: #2MT bearing center, the tailstock sleeve (stainless part) and the "push rod" which is the black part and then the black bushing and the hand wheel.

The tailstock sleeve and the pushrod are firmly joined. I cannot get them apart and there is no movement between them. Also, the #2MT spur center fits firmly in the headstock spindle. The #2MT bearing center does not fit snugly into the tailstock sleeve and does not feel like it goes all the way in.

Any advice much appreciated.

Maybe answering my own questions. From looking at other tailstock parts diagrams I am assuming that the "push rod" is threaded into the tailstock sleeve even though it does not look threaded in the sketchy diagram in the parts manual.

So I am assuming that this black push rod is seized in the stainless sleeve.

I have tried to 'unscrew' them with one end in the vice and the other in a pipe wrench. I cannot get it to budge and I'm marring the surfaces of these parts a little bit. I applied some liquid wrench but no help. I'll soak them over night.

If it doesn't budge after that, what then? Heat? Cold?

The issue is that if I can't get this tailstock to work.....or if I tear it up trying to get it to work....the chances of finding replacement parts is about zero.

Okay. Got it un-seized. Just took a little more knowledge a little more force and more liquid wrench. Everything working great now. Sorry for the soap opera.

n80 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:49 am Okay. Got it un-seized. Just took a little more knowledge a little more force and more liquid wrench. Everything working great now. Sorry for the soap opera.

That was going to be my suggestion if it wasn't what Kurt described, as that's what happened to me on my Jet lathe

Nice! I'm happy to see you worked through it. When reassembling, be sure liberally lube it - not with liquid wrench, but with a good machine oil.

KurtHuhn wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 9:21 am When reassembling, be sure liberally lube it - not with liquid wrench, but with a good machine oil.

Done. Works very smoothly now.

Here is a picture of the setup. I do not like the Craftsman workbench shown in the picture. It tightened up pretty well but overall is to flimsy and the headstock/motor hangs off the end. I'll make a stand for it myself in the next week or so.

4 jaw chuck and drill chuck arrive tomorrow.

Waiting to order jaws from VF until after we decide what we're making for PITH 2020 so I can put in a full order of briar and other bits.

Here's the website that I use for midi carbide tools:
https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/t/13 ... ning-Tools

If you're looking to get the best bang for your buck, this Robert Sorby carbide tool looks around midi sized and very versatile. I've never used it but if I didn't already have individual tools for the different cutters, I'd probably consider it. I can say other Robert Sorby turning tools are top notch in my experience.

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/13 ... ut-Cutters

If you're going to go with one carbide tool to start, the one I use the most is the Ci2 square cutter. It's the roughing bit but you can get a pretty nice finish with it if you take light passes:

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/13 ... sy-Rougher

Here's a link to significantly cheaper carbide insert replacements:

www.azcarbide.com

Thank you very much for the links. That is a big help.

George

Here is the finished set up. It is sitting on a broad concrete shelf in my basement. The lathe is not bolted down but it does not vibrate or move. It weighs 150 pounds.

The chuck is a Nova G3, jaws from VF, no-name keyless drill chuck in the tail stock.



Tonight I am ordering the Sorby tool that wdteipen linked to above. With a handle plus 3 cutting tips its $125 which is not too bad. The Savannah tools 3 piece set is about the same price but they are short at under 14" total length. The Sorby tool might be a little less convenient but seems to be a better size and seems to be well made.

The only other modification I'm going to make is to paint the Nova chuck key bright red or yellow. Or maybe I'll get some red plasti-dip. I have almost turned on the lathe with it in the chuck. It seems to disappear against the brick wall. Has anyone ever done that???

George

Rule #1 about running a lathe: Never leave your chuck key in the chuck.

Or that's what I'm told. Guess where I routinely leave my chuck key.

I do it on purpose though, but only when there's no stock in the chuck, and as a visual safety reminder. OSHA doesn't govern my shop.

n80 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 7:23 pm Here is the finished set up. It is sitting on a broad concrete shelf in my basement. The lathe is not bolted down but it does not vibrate or move. It weighs 150 pounds.

Mine doesn't either, until I've got stummel swinging around in there

n80 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 7:23 pm The only other modification I'm going to make is to paint the Nova chuck key bright red or yellow. Or maybe I'll get some red plasti-dip. I have almost turned on the lathe with it in the chuck. It seems to disappear against the brick wall. Has anyone ever done that???

I always rotate the chuck one full revolution by hand before turning it on. Probably excessive, but it's a really easy way to make sure you pulled the key out (and that you're not going to hit anything).

RickB wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:43 am Mine doesn't either, until I've got stummel swinging around in there

I have tested it with an average size stummel and its okay. Ifit starts to move around I'll either find a way to bolt it down to the concrete shelf, which is a really good location, or I'll make a stand for it.

I always rotate the chuck one full revolution by hand before turning it on. Probably excessive, but it's a really easy way to make sure you pulled the key out (and that you're not going to hit anything).

That sounds like a good habit to develop.

wdteipen wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 10:31 pm Here's the website that I use for midi carbide tools:
https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/t/13 ... ning-Tools

If you're looking to get the best bang for your buck, this Robert Sorby carbide tool looks around midi sized and very versatile. I've never used it but if I didn't already have individual tools for the different cutters, I'd probably consider it. I can say other Robert Sorby turning tools are top notch in my experience.

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/13 ... ut-Cutters

If you're going to go with one carbide tool to start, the one I use the most is the Ci2 square cutter. It's the roughing bit but you can get a pretty nice finish with it if you take light passes:

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/13 ... sy-Rougher

Here's a link to significantly cheaper carbide insert replacements:

www.azcarbide.com

For my woodturning hobby I recently bought a Simon Hope 10mm carbide cutter. Honestly price vs size vs quality it's a fantastic tool!

I got this Robert Sorby tool.



I have used it and it is excellent. It is extremely well made and just the right size. I like the versatility and for the fairly decent price you get three tools in one. I think I paid right at $99.

The only criticism or concern I have is that you cannot set the tool rest real close to the workpiece because of the head unit which holds the cutters. You have to have it far enough away to rest the tool behind the head.

So far it has not been an issue.