Run out on lathe

[byoung0584]

I have been having some trouble lately drilling and some turning and I think I have narrowed it down to run out on my headstock. So I put an indicator on my spindle it is good (.001 or less), but when I thread something up on it i.e. my drilling chuck, Nova chuck or face plate I have anywhere from .007" - .012" run out. Is this normal for a small wood lathe and if not any idea how to fix the problem? Also along the same lines for the heck of it I was checking mandrel and it was dead nuts on the headstock but at the tailstock the best I could get was .005". Same question here too is the normal?

I have gown up in and around a machine shop my entire life so I am use to working with BIG lathes and know what is acceptable for them and not sure what is acceptable or normal on small wood lathes.

Thanks for any help

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

I have been having some trouble lately drilling and some turning and I think I have narrowed it down to run out on my headstock. So I put an indicator on my spindle it is good (.001 or less), but when I thread something up on it i.e. my drilling chuck, Nova chuck or face plate I have anywhere from .007" - .012" run out. Is this normal for a small wood lathe and if not any idea how to fix the problem? Also along the same lines for the heck of it I was checking mandrel and it was dead nuts on the headstock but at the tailstock the best I could get was .005". Same question here too is the normal?

I have gown up in and around a machine shop my entire life so I am use to working with BIG lathes and know what is acceptable for them and not sure what is acceptable or normal on small wood lathes.

Thanks for any help

Has this always been a problem or is this a recent problem?
You don't say as to whether this is up/down or sideways?
As wood lathes are not made to an exacting standard, I think the tolerances are not to bad. Depending on the lathe make model etc. the head/tail stock may need to be tilted/shifted side ways etc to bring it back in line. On my lathe the gap between the ways is 38mm and the step on the tail stock is 35mm a difference of 3mm (1/8".125") Might get around to fixing it one day :biggrin:.
Kryn

 

[Dale Allen]

Checking a faceplate that is cast would not be a good indicator and the surfaces of chucks may not tell the story. You need to use a known straight bar held in the chuck.
Also, check that the centers meet when the headstock and tailstock are advanced to meet each other.