TBC -- OOR issues

[PaulSF]

How's that for abbreviations? Anyway, I just started to turn my first pen without the mandrel. 60-degree centers. Factory bushings, not the fancy kind. I'm still noticing a little bit of out-of-round issues. Any theories (hah!) as to what might be causing this, and how to remedy it? If it's relevant, the tailstock isn't perfectly-aligned. I've got the Turncrafter Pro, so if anyone has alignment suggestions, I'm all ears!

 

[hunter-27]

I think you already ID'd the problem.

 

[rjwolfe3]

If it's relevant, the tailstock isn't perfectly-aligned. I've got the Turncrafter Pro, so if anyone has alignment suggestions, I'm all ears!

I had to put a thin piece of metal under mine on one side to get it close but it still isn't perfect. Hazards of owning average priced lathes I guess.

 

[PaulSF]

So I need to shim the tailstock a wee bit? Yep, I remember the guy at Woodcraft telling me the first pen would cost me $1000. I've sold three so far, so I only have $200,439 to go to make back my investment!

 

[Mac]

I need to fix mine too. mine is side to side so I will have to do some figuring. before I try a fix. Don't want to grind too much off tailstock and going too have to add on the other side. I am thinking Jbweld then sanded to fit, have used in the past for different stuff, any ideals?

 

[workinforwood]

Your problem has been solved. If the headstock and tailstock are not perfectly aligned, then you are not turning between centers, you are turning between off centers. That is a real bummer though that you have to shim the tailstock up. Usually the problems are left to right alignment issues. This only goes to show how cheap they make that PSI lathe. Back when I had one, I had the tool rest half worn down after just making one small bowl, and the pry bar bent in half and elongated the holes in the head when removing the bowl.

 

[workinforwood]

I need to fix mine too. mine is side to side so I will have to do some figuring. before I try a fix. Don't want to grind too much off tailstock and going too have to add on the other side. I am thinking Jbweld then sanded to fit, have used in the past for different stuff, any ideals?

If the tail stock is off a hair side to side, I would not do anything to it. I would try and move the head instead. The head is "permanent", as in it should be bolted on. If you loosen the bolts, you should be able to tap on the side of the head and move it over just a bit and then re tighten the bolts.

 

[Monty]

If, after you have done all this to the head and tail stock and you know for sure they are in alignment and the pens are still OOR, it may be the factory bushings. The hole for the mandrel may be off center.

 

[RDH79]

Hi On my turncrafter the tailstock moves from side to side about 1/8th of an inch. When you slide it up to the bushings you had to kind of eyeball it. I just use that lathe now to put on CA and sand. Which being ooc can ruin a good turning. Might try the JBWeld thing. How well though does it hold up to sliding againest metal?

 

[Constant Laubscher]

If I may add, if the Barrel is not square when using the bushings it will also wobble and therefore be out of round

 

[jskeen]

If you want to check if the bushings are the problem, glue a tube in a blank, square ends, make sure tube is smoothly chamfered with no glue inside (touch up with chamfer tool, file or just put over tip of your parting tool and rotate to clean) mount on bushings and turn round (not necessarily to size). put the butt end of a tool on the tool rest and touch the blank to verify that it is turning smoothly. Then back the live center off just a touch, and hold the blank while turning one bushing 180 degrees, retighten the live center and turn on. Again touch blank with the butt end of a tool and see if it knocks or vibrates. Undo and repeat on other end. Then, remove bushings and mount the blank directly on the centers with no bushings. Turn round and verify running smoothly again. Now back live center off far enough to remove blank and swap it end for end. Tighten and check again for OOR. That should tell you if it's your bushings or an alignment issue, or both.

 

[hunter-27]

While everyone has offered ideas why you might be OOR, I would guess there are several correct responses. That being said, if your tailstock and headstock are visibly not lined up as you said. There is no reason to try and check, bushings, squariring of your blanks, etc until you first solve that problem, It is kind of like marksmanship, if your scope reticle or fixed sights are not "zeroed" in adding other elements, (wind, heat, bullet components, etc.) will not help your accuracy until you fix the first problem. Just my opinion, do with it as you wish. Hope it helps you a bit.

 

[Mac]

If the tail stock is off a hair side to side, I would not do anything to it. I would try and move the head instead. The head is "permanent", as in it should be bolted on. If you loosen the bolts, you should be able to tap on the side of the head and move it over just a bit and then re tighten the bolts.

Sounds like a plan.
Thanks

 

[Mac]

Sounds like a plan.
Thanks

Nope won't work, tailstock has to much wabble side to side, good ideal though.

 

[PaulSF]

Great ideas! I'll fiddle around with the headstock and tailstock to improve the alignment. If I recall correctly, the tailstock sets up a little to the side and down from the headstock.

 

[wdcav1952]

So I need to shim the tailstock a wee bit? Yep, I remember the guy at Woodcraft telling me the first pen would cost me $1000. I've sold three so far, so I only have $200,439 to go to make back my investment!

Looks like you paid about as much attention in math class as I did!! :biggrin::biggrin:

 

[mranum]

So I need to shim the tailstock a wee bit? Yep, I remember the guy at Woodcraft telling me the first pen would cost me $1000. I've sold three so far, so I only have $200,439 to go to make back my investment!

Holy cow! When you get into a hobby...you GET INTO A HOBBY don't ya.:biggrin::biggrin::tongue:

 

[leehljp]

My Rikon TS has some play in it too. I had to play for about a couple of hours one day to figure out its characteristics. Depending on how I moved it, at what stage I locked it, I could get Out of Alignment between the TS and HS centers.

Most of the time, If i just pulled it up to match by having my had at the end of the TS and slide forward, and then locked it, it worked fine. IF I grabbed the TS from the top and pulled it up, I would inadvertently put some side force pulling it towards me too. Then in locking it, It would be off by nearly a mm.

 

[barrysj]

As far as shims go, I used the plastic chart sheet that comes with micromesh kits. I placed it under one side of the tail stock to adjust up and shift to the right. It gave me they few 1000s of an inch alignment needed. I used this instead of metal so as to not permanently "bend" the toggle bolt under the TS carriage.

-Dude
Steve

 

[Allenk]

My Vicmarc VL 100 was dead on, vertically... (looking from the side).
It was off just a hair (didn't measure how much) horizontally... (viewing from above). I mad it mounted to a 2x8 so I could move it in and out of the shop as I desired. So I put a thin washer under one of the tail-end feet, and tightened it back down. Perfect. It could be the platform it's mounted on that makes the difference.