Jet JML-1014I lathe centers are off app. .030" in vertical plane

[Mike]

The tailstock center is about .030" lower than headstock center. I have had the lathe since about 2010, not sure exact date, so too late for warranty.
Horizontal is so close, I cannot tell with naked eye.
It seems to be a problem only when drilling. It causes vibration as bit goes deeper in pen blanks. Haven't done much other turning.
If it was the headstock that was low, obviously you could shim it, but shimming the tailstock seems iffy because of the movement.
I checked and cleaned the MT interiors and there was no debris in them.
The quill extends and retracts nicely, no sticking, etc.
I checked the offset with quill extended and it did not change much.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[wimkluck]

My yet lathe 1014 has the same problem. I don't know how old this lathe is. I gues 2003. I shimed it with "brass paper" (in dutch it is called latoenkoper) i don't know the english name. I will keep it short. I bought a new lathe and my other yet lathe (1442) has the same problem.

 

[Mike]

Did the shim work? Did you glue it on bottom of tailstock housing?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[wimkluck]

At first the shims worked. But you can loose the shims easy. No i did not glue the shims. The sheets of brass are very thin so the bend easy. The best thing is to raise the tailstock. Grind or mill it down and put a piece of metal between it. You need to be a skilled metalworker with the proper tools. And if you need to pay the full price is will be costly.

 

[duncsuss]

If you are up for an experiment - try shimming up the outboard corners of the headstock and see if that tilts the axis enough to bring the nose of the drive shaft down.

I'm not saying this would cure it. It could throw the drive shaft out of alignment with the bed of the lathe. Or it could be that it's already out of alignment, and this could fix it.

 

[Mike]

I think I might try .030" sheet metal, cut to fit and use CA to attach.
I would have to come up with the correct thickness as close as possible. If it doesn't work, I could use acetone to loosen and remove.

Thanks for the thoughts on this

 

[gimpy]

I'm thinking that if you try to shim the legs rather the tail stock
you will find the remedy

 

[Mike]

I'm thinking that if you try to shim the legs rather the tail stock
you will find the remedy

Does the base/ways flex that much?
My lathe is mounted on a heavy duty saw stand. I am sure it flexes, but I didn't think about the lathe chassis flexing.
Will have to look at this.

 

[gimpy]

Does the base/ways flex that much?
My lathe is mounted on a heavy duty saw stand. I am sure it flexes, but I didn't think about the lathe chassis flexing.
Will have to look at this.

Yes, give it a try, I think you'll be surprised

 

[Mike]

Will do, thanks.

 

[SteveG]

I have dealt with a similar problem in years past. I successfully used brass shim stock applied to the bottom of the TS, using epoxy. This became a permanent fix for the problem. Be sure to keep the TS level with the ways...you do not want to introduce an off-horizontal tilt. The epoxy will add some thickness to an initial 'dry fit', which can easily be ground or sanded down to to a good finish height.

 

[Curly]

Teknatool makes a Nova Acruline 2MT Center tool for aligning the headstock and tailstock. It is a double ended #2 Morse Taper that goes into the spindles of the headstock and tailstock. Meant for lathes with headstocks that swing but in the case of this Jet, will lift the tailstock and you can measure the amount of shimming needed under the tailstock if that is where the problem lies. It could be the headstock is pointing up and would show with a bigger gap at the edge of the tailstock furthest from the headstock than at the near end. You would shim the front of the headstock until the gap was parallel, then if needed a shim down the length of the tailstock. Most of the time the tailstock is higher than the headstock when new to account for a little wear but to be 0.030" under means there has been a lot of wear. It is possible Gimpy has part or all of the problem in that the bed is "bent" a little. Correctable in part by shimming the bed if the bench is stiff enough and the rubber feet are removed. If that doesn't work you are down to shimming the tailstock or removing metal from the headstock. Consider carefully removing metal because it is very hard to reverse.

NOVA LATHE ACCESSORY ACRULINE 2MT CENTER (SKU 2MTNA AND 71001) - NOVA, a Teknatool Brand

NOVA 2MTNA Acruline 2MT Alignment Lathe Accessory is a double ended 2 Morse Taper which can be fitted into the lathes tailstock and headstock spindles. This can be used to check and correct the alignment on your lathe (for lathes with adjustable tailstocks or headstocks)

www.teknatool.com

https://www.kmstools.com/nova-acruline-2mt-alignment-system.html (A source for Canadians.)

 

[Mike]

Teknatool makes a Nova Acruline 2MT Center tool for aligning the headstock and tailstock. It is a double ended #2 Morse Taper that goes into the spindles of the headstock and tailstock. Meant for lathes with headstocks that swing but in the case of this Jet, will lift the tailstock and you can measure the amount of shimming needed under the tailstock if that is where the problem lies. It could be the headstock is pointing up and would show with a bigger gap at the edge of the tailstock furthest from the headstock than at the near end. You would shim the front of the headstock until the gap was parallel, then if needed a shim down the length of the tailstock. Most of the time the tailstock is higher than the headstock when new to account for a little wear but to be 0.030" under means there has been a lot of wear. It is possible Gimpy has part or all of the problem in that the bed is "bent" a little. Correctable in part by shimming the bed if the bench is stiff enough and the rubber feet are removed. If that doesn't work you are down to shimming the tailstock or removing metal from the headstock. Consider carefully removing metal because it is very hard to reverse.

NOVA LATHE ACCESSORY ACRULINE 2MT CENTER (SKU 2MTNA AND 71001) - NOVA, a Teknatool Brand

NOVA 2MTNA Acruline 2MT Alignment Lathe Accessory is a double ended 2 Morse Taper which can be fitted into the lathes tailstock and headstock spindles. This can be used to check and correct the alignment on your lathe (for lathes with adjustable tailstocks or headstocks)

www.teknatool.com

https://www.kmstools.com/nova-acruline-2mt-alignment-system.html (A source for Canadians.)

I am old and slow, just finished lunch and headed to shop now to see if shimming the bed on the right end will make a difference, will keep y'all posted. And thanks for the help.

 

[SteveG]

I am old and slow, just finished lunch and headed to shop now to see if shimming the bed on the right end will make a difference, will keep y'all posted. And thanks for the help.

Hey, there is a lot of good to be said for those who are of the "Old and Slow" persuasion...

Have fun getting things working right as you engage in the art and pleasure of pen making.

 

[Todd in PA]

I'm with Gimpy on this one. It could merely be that your floor is not quite level, which is presenting as a your mid-aligned head/tail. I'd shim the feet under your tail stock and see if that doesn't level the rails and lift the tail stock .03.

 

[Mike]

I tried a shim under the feet of the lathe and it didn't change anything. I have some plastic shim stock and I put .030" under both sides of the of the tailstock base and it is so close I cannot see any difference in the points. I found a piece of scrap sheet metal that is .030 or very close to that. I was working on cutting and fitting it so I could test it and my sister dropped by. She and my wife and I ended up talking for a while then going out for dinner. Will finish the shimming and checking tomorrow after I go vote and update this thread.

As always, thanks everyone.
Really enjoying this forum.

 

[Mike]

Not sure how floor level would affect the lathe bed. It is not long or heavy enough to flex that much. To cause the issue I am having, it would have to be flexing the cast iron bed .030" over less than a foot. Cast iron will definitely move a little, but that seems extreme. A large wood or metal lathe with a 5 or 6' bed that weighs a few hundred pounds could probably flex that much over it's length.

 

[Mike]

Hey, there is a lot of good to be said for those who are of the "Old and Slow" persuasion...

Have fun getting things working right as you engage in the art and pleasure of pen making.

That was sort of tongue in cheek. I am really having fun having the time to turn pens and other things. I am somewhat OCD, and my shop is organized disarray. I don't really feel that old at 71, but have some chronic pain that slows me down. . I look around and realize that all in all I am doing well.

 

[gimpy]

I tried a shim under the feet of the lathe and it didn't change anything. I have some plastic shim stock and I put .030" under both sides of the of the tailstock base and it is so close I cannot see any difference in the points. I found a piece of scrap sheet metal that is .030 or very close to that. I was working on cutting and fitting it so I could test it and my sister dropped by. She and my wife and I ended up talking for a while then going out for dinner. Will finish the shimming and checking tomorrow after I go vote and update this thread.

As always, thanks everyone.
Really enjoying this forum.

It may take more than .030" under the legs, you can only try

 

[Mike]

I made .030" shims to fit the contact surface of the tailstock today and glued them on with CA and clamped them with a piece of square tubing to hold them in place while the glue dried. The centers line up perfectly now.