9" SM Utilathe Restoration
- Thread starter YYCHM
- Start date
Well this is interesting...….
The way this tailstock interfaces with it's base is nothing like I thought it was. That cross slot isn't dovetailed. The only thing holding the tailstock to the base are the two adjustment screws and the clamping bolt. That screw on the front of the base does absolutely nothing.
I took her apart to figure out why I couldn't get the offside adjustment bolt out. It should be a 3/8-16 X 1 1/2" hollow set screw but had been replaced with a hex head bolt that had the shank ground down. The end of the bolt was flared so bad I had to cut the head off to get it out.
Any idea why a hollow set screw is specified?
The way this tailstock interfaces with it's base is nothing like I thought it was. That cross slot isn't dovetailed. The only thing holding the tailstock to the base are the two adjustment screws and the clamping bolt. That screw on the front of the base does absolutely nothing.
I took her apart to figure out why I couldn't get the offside adjustment bolt out. It should be a 3/8-16 X 1 1/2" hollow set screw but had been replaced with a hex head bolt that had the shank ground down. The end of the bolt was flared so bad I had to cut the head off to get it out.
Any idea why a hollow set screw is specified?
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Brent H
Ultra Member
Hey Craig,
The set screw design with the point will dig into the center and keep the assembly together without it being basically clamped together by the bolt that holds your tail stock in place.
I am not home but " I think" I have one if you cannot find one - other place to check is Amazon - you need a cone point or high hold set screw.
My Utilathe is the same screw but I have a rectangular block with 2 bolts in between the set screws/ You can make a temporary one by grinding a point on a 3/8 - 16, cut off the bolt head and then cutting a slot for a screw driver. Use that one as your adjustment and only tighten right up on the allen head one you have that is good. - if you can get a high grade bolt - all the better
The set screw design with the point will dig into the center and keep the assembly together without it being basically clamped together by the bolt that holds your tail stock in place.
I am not home but " I think" I have one if you cannot find one - other place to check is Amazon - you need a cone point or high hold set screw.
My Utilathe is the same screw but I have a rectangular block with 2 bolts in between the set screws/ You can make a temporary one by grinding a point on a 3/8 - 16, cut off the bolt head and then cutting a slot for a screw driver. Use that one as your adjustment and only tighten right up on the allen head one you have that is good. - if you can get a high grade bolt - all the better
Had to recalibrate my tailstock after taking her apart.
Figured I'd dial it in using that test piece I had turned down. This arrangement reveals all kinds of things you don't realize are happening. Just tightening the tailstock spindle lock can knock her out by 0.001". So should one set it up with the spindle locked or unlocked? It's not locked when drilling.
Figured I'd dial it in using that test piece I had turned down. This arrangement reveals all kinds of things you don't realize are happening. Just tightening the tailstock spindle lock can knock her out by 0.001". So should one set it up with the spindle locked or unlocked? It's not locked when drilling.
Brent H
Ultra Member
Set it up with it locked like you are turning between centers. When you are drilling, the bit (provided it is sharpened evenly), will center and cut fine - remember, it is a drill so it is not the most accurate hole producer - drill chuck itself will be off a bit from the get go.
Best to set up between centres locked cocked and ready to rock!
Best to set up between centres locked cocked and ready to rock!
Marc Moreau
Marc Moreau
If some body have a youtube an explain how to use this thing I would like to understand ? Do you install a dial caliper on the carrier and move left to right and the caliper needle not moving ?
Marc, this Youtube shows the general concept of a test bar. It has 2 identical diameters on either end so you reference off the headstock diameter with an indicator, then move to the tailstock end & make the in/out adjustment of tail stock to give same same dial reading. What YYC did is turned some stock, measured any taper by taking micrometer reading of the 2 end diameters & adjusted the tailstock in/out until the 2 diameters were the same = no more taper. Its the same concept, just a different path.
Ask away if its still not clear.
Ask away if its still not clear.
Marc Moreau
Marc Moreau
Thank you now I understand.
Another to-do-list item bites the dust.
My 4-Jaw chuck takes a hex key of all things and I didn't get a chuck key with it. I've been using an Allen wrench to date, so today I decided to craft a proper chuck key for it.
I got a little smarter this time around and setup a mill stop so that I could relocate the work piece in the vise after repositioning to mill all 6 hex faces.
Here I'm using a hex nut to locate face 3 of 6. Once you have faces 1, 3, and 6 cut you can locate faces 2, 4, and 5 with a parallel off the table.
Looks kind of strange but functions.
My 4-Jaw chuck takes a hex key of all things and I didn't get a chuck key with it. I've been using an Allen wrench to date, so today I decided to craft a proper chuck key for it.
I got a little smarter this time around and setup a mill stop so that I could relocate the work piece in the vise after repositioning to mill all 6 hex faces.
Here I'm using a hex nut to locate face 3 of 6. Once you have faces 1, 3, and 6 cut you can locate faces 2, 4, and 5 with a parallel off the table.
Looks kind of strange but functions.
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Wasn't my invention, I found the technique on the internet. Seems to work quite well. I've made a few hex items using this method.
Stuff like this https://www.omnicalculator.com/math/hexagon really solves the math problems to, such as how much do I need to mill off the circumference to create a face.
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I think I stumbled upon that web calculator when I was looking for a formula to calculate the inscribed circle radius for a hexagon. I knew the diameter I wanted, but needed the side length for my steady rest project - a write-up is coming soon as I am almost done with it...
This is what I have been making my chuck keys out of and other 3/4" stuff from....
Any one recognise this MSM color coding? I acquired this piece back in the day of weighing stuff from the cut off bin.
It's mildly magnetic so I assume SS of some sort. Very strange stuff to work with.
Was a bitch to drill through, and a bigger bitch to tap. Turned nicely though? Seems to have some hard layers?
Any one recognise this MSM color coding? I acquired this piece back in the day of weighing stuff from the cut off bin.
It's mildly magnetic so I assume SS of some sort. Very strange stuff to work with.
Was a bitch to drill through, and a bigger bitch to tap. Turned nicely though? Seems to have some hard layers?
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Pretty sure I have some of the same MSM stainless, I recognize the colors. And yes it was un-fun to machine. Hot chips & work hardens, does not like skim cuts. End result was ok but as you experienced, drilling & tapping was a lot more heads up than it should have been. Next time for sure I would go a drill size larger over the usual 70% thread or whatever the drill chart says. I figure it might be one of 302, 304 or 316. Something lower on the machine-ability scale.
I've turned both 303 & 416 SS & find they quite a bit nicer to work with. Mind you I had some better inserts which helped.
I've turned both 303 & 416 SS & find they quite a bit nicer to work with. Mind you I had some better inserts which helped.
If you guys get stuck on weird geometry issues, reach out to one of us CAD guys. Often times its easier & faster to draw up the part and spit out dimensions in any kind of format or orientation you can dream of. I use to love manual drafting and I still appreciate it, but there is no comparison to a modern number cruncher.
Thanks for the offer @PeterT! My other option could be to retire my cog wheel and saw dust computer and buy something more modern....
It 304 SS for sure - I have a bar leftover from a project for my brother that required 304 SS. I went to MSM to buy it - exact same colour coding.
Yes, either take a very big chip fast or a really small one very slow. If it heats up and you are close to dimension, you are pretty much toast as the next cut needs to go through the hard layer or the tool just rubs. I bought special inserts for SS - made a huge difference. They work very well in AL as well. The SS inserts seem much sharper than regular steel/alloy steel inserts. Really sharp HSS works well too. Just go slow and use coolant/cutting fluid.
Oh the fun working with SS...
Chicken lights
Forum Pony Express Driver
How long does it take you to do a drawing? (Obviously the more complex the longer it takes)
If I drew something up on paper would it take you long to replicate it? Your drawings are always really trick