Thread: make new tailstock handle

You could use a Radious turner.

You could grind up a few different profile tools.

You would be better off rough turning it to shape first,leaving around .5mm for finish machining.
Material selection is up to you.

From what I have seen there is no taper just an interferance fit.

Which ever way you go about it it wont be that easy,mainly because of the small diameter of the pin end.

If you dont care about the finished profile have you considered just making a tapered handle.

You could try finish fileing it to shape but would be time consuming and a pain.

I think Peter is right, I'm pretty sure it's just an interference fit. Personally I don't see it as a massive PIA to make one, and I'd make it from steel like the original. I'd make up a template and rough the part using conventional tools, then simply file to final shape. It would certainly be tedious, and you wouldn't want to be doing it for a living!!! You could probably even make up a small profile cutter to help get relatively close to the final shape.

The press fit should be straight forward, once you have the appropriate size, heat the round part and chill the handle. It's small enough that you can use any number of vices or clamps you'll almost certainly have there as a makeshift press. I don't have a press here so do that type of thing all the time.

Do you have a photo of the original? If not, I or I'm sure one of the other members here could oblige in posting one.

Pete

pipeclay,
I did think about a straight taper and might just do that. The shape isn't really that important. When I said I wanted to finish with a file, I meant filing the part with a file while it is rotating. Is that what you were thinking? I would have thought that would be pretty easy, or is this a slow process?

Pete F,
I have the Hercus 260 parts manual, so I have a picture of the original. I will use the heat/cool method you describe to fit the handle.

You could open up the hole in the hand wheel and tap it, then make a handle with a threaded end and secure together with Loctite. If you do not insist on original looks, you could even make a two-piece handle that rotates on a shaft for a better "feel". Chris

That's also an option. I have some black Delrin which would make a nice handle.

I understood that you meant finishing while the lathe was turning,but it will still be a fairly slow process and you would have to be a little particular with the cut of file being used,also run the lathe slow,if this is the way you go finish it with oil soacked emery to polish.

The interference would be minimal,maybe no more than.0002/5",would probably suggest that you freeze the pin rather than heat the wheel,although for the amount of interferance you could probably use a vice and soft jaws or G clamp etc.

Not sure how well the delrin would hold up on a small diameter pin,you may have to drill over size and try 5/16" or 3/8".

thanks peter. The plan would be to use a steel bolt with a loose fitting delrin sleeve over the bolt to act as the handle.

Jack620,
It's not difficult to make a new handle close to the original profile by using a round nose tool and manipulating the carriage handwheel and crossslide handle . You can use files to clean it up and then emery / wet and dry to polish. I recently finished machining a new tailstock handwheel in cast iron about 6" diameter. I couldn't use my radius turning attachment as it didn't have the capacity to turn the half round periphery so I used a carbon steel scraper freehand pretty much like a wood turning tool. The chips come off freely and without much force. You could do the same with the handle.

thanks swarfmaker. I've decided go down the route recommended by Chris. I drilled and tapped the hole in the hand wheel to 5/16'' UNC. I've got a 5/16'' socket-head bolt with about 20mm of un-threaded shank. I'll turn up a delrin sleeve to fit over the bolt using the info provided by you blokes. If the delrin one works I might get really keen and make another one in metal. I just picked up some FC bar offcuts from my local machine shop.
Cheers,
Chris

Done! It's as smooth as silk. Thanks to all for the input.

Originally Posted by jack620

Done! It's as smooth as silk. Thanks to all for the input.

Nice job,it looks good & no doubt works well.
Like you say as smooth as silk.
Plastic is handy stuff at times, & a material we often overlook.
Bruce
ABRATOOL

It does look good. That'll save you getting blisters on your fingers.

Well done jack.... now is the apron handwheel next? Chris

Thanks fellas. It's surprising how much more comfortable it is to use when you can grip the handle rather than having to let it slip in your fingers. The Delrin has a nicer feel to it than steel as well.

That said, I reckon I'll leave the apron handle original Chris. If it aint broke.......