mounting wood- tail stock slides down bed?

[tomsg]

Hi everyone,

I need some help with mounting as im new to woodturning. I do need some lessons but have been watching a lot of youtube clips and doing a lot of reading in the meantime.

I have a mini lathe with drive centre on the head stock and spindle on the tail stock. I saw a 'cross' in one end for the drive centre a drill a small hole in the other for the spindle. When mounting the wood, I lock the tailstock and then use the handwheel to press the spindle against the wood to jam it in place. However, the spindle doesnt tighten against the wood ratherthe whole tailstock moves down the bed. Is the wheel not supposed to exert that muich pressure on the wood or do I need to find a way to tighted the tailstock locking device (it works like a cam where if i overtighten it it becomes loose again).

Any advice would be great.

Cheers

[tea lady]

The little plate under the "ways" has prolly been undone a turn or even just a half a turn. Can you get the tail stock off by sliding it off the end? Sometimers there is a bolt or plate on the end you have to unscrew. Then just unwind the plate on teh end of the thread. (Try a half a turn. first. It tightens a bit doesn't it? Just not enough! ) Then slide back onto the ways. If you can't get it back on phone a friend! :D You just have to slide it back very square to the surface. The right swear word sometimes helps. :D

Good luck! :U

[sjm]

I have the same lathe, and agree with AM.
I had to make lots of little adjustments like that - you'll need to fine tune everything, tighten all bolts, adjust belt tension, align head and tail stock etc. It's a cheap lathe, and is not setup for precise use straight out of the box, but with a few mods you'll be very happy with it.

[brendan stemp]

There's two things I would do that might help:
1/ Lengthen the handle on the tail stock. Most mini lathes have too short a handle on the tail stock and, as a result, it is difficult to tighten the t/s enough to stop it sliding back. However...
2/ There have been times when the cam on the banjo and the t/s always slip loose because they have been over lubricated. In this situation I have used a rag to wipe the cam clean of the lubricant and this has helped with the locking ability

Hope this helps

[Treecycle]

It does sound like the nut under the tailstock needs to be tightened just a bit. Your handle should not be able to go past centre and come loose again. I know on my lathe that if the nut unscrews itself enough to get to the point where the handle almost goes over centre, it does not lock properly. As TL says, it will probably only need about 1/2 a turn.

[turnerted]

As TL said, you probably just need to tighten up the nut under the tailstock . Also, don't worry about drilling a hole in your timber for the live centre. just centre punch it , in fact that's all I normally do on the headstock end too .
Have fun.
Ted

[tomsg]

Thanks a lot everyone. Ill get it out tonight and have a tinker.

Cheers

[rsser]

All good advice.

Maybe also see if there's too much lube on the tailstock/bed face, and tailstock clamp plate.

Lathe makers don't like to see corrosion happening in the months (or years) between manufacture and use, and rightly slop on lots of goo. In use, not all of it's necessary.