I used to mount the magnetic indicator base to the end of the shaft, rotate the shaft and sweep the tailstock quill or quill bore. I knew my tailstock was pretty close side to side.
You could do all that by eye. Simply adjust the rollers to get close (pretty much like you accomplished with the indication), then drill very carefully. You will see right away if the center drill is drilling, or boring because it us still off center. Adjust if needed. Continue center drilling until you have some small amount of real center established. Put in your live center to support the work, readjust your steadyrest to the new position. Now finish drilling your center to the desired size. Support the work with the live center, and away you go. Fun video I have a lathe just like it in my garage.
Thats how i do it. i use the same method you described above on 1-2 ton roundstock. just gotta drill it really slow and be careful. ive broken rollers before from heavy roundstock that wasnt quite round enough though! some guys would be surprised at how close you can get just by using a scale from the rollers to the live center point! thatll get you close enough and just adjust your center drill from there. waste of time with all these indicating the steady in or sweeping the tailstock methods in my opinion
Try this method 1 put your part in the Chuck and in the steady 2 put a lump of plastercine on the end of your part 3 with a centre in the tail stock put the tip of the centre into the plastercine 4 rotate the Chuck by hand a few rotations. The centre will gouge out a hole in the plastercine 5 realign the steady to the middle of the gouged out hole in the plastercine 6 repeat steps 2-5 until the centre is no longer making a larger hole in the plastercine 7 that’s it you are smack on centre It works a treat. I’ve done it more times than I can count It takes about 2 minutes and the only thing you need is a lump of plastercine
Hi. Very useful info. By the way, only have to use three readings. If two readings are taken at 180 deg the other reading should be taken at 90 deg to previous readings. When aligned correctly readings will not change on a round shaft. Sometimes there is no room to rotate full 360 deg. The same technique works to realign a tailstock by clocking up a dead centre with the clock base secured to chuck or spindle.
Nice video but I have some Constructive criticism. Mounting the indicator on the shaft is not the same as mounting it on the chuck. With it mounted on the shaft if you had the indicator touching where you were gripping you would get almost no indicator reading regardless of shaft misalignment but since you are about 2 inches behind your grip you are getting some reading. If you mount the indicator on the chuck you will be directly reading the TIR of misalignment where the indicator is touching. All the best,Robin
I keep running this through my head... I really think it works both ways, but I've never done it the other way because I don't have a good way to clamp the indicator to the chuck. Maybe after work I'll see if I can do it both ways. I keep thinking if I taped a string from the chuck to the shaft, the string would get slack on one side, and get tight on the other as the shaft turned. And that's what the indicator is reading. But maybe that's not the correct way to think of it either. I definitely want to go try this now! :)
Think about the shaft having a spherical diameter where it is lightly gripped in a collet. Now mount the indicator on the shaft just like you showed and have the indicator tip touching the OD of the collet nose right over the center of the sphere. You will be able to move the end of the shaft around in a .25 diameter orbit and the indicator will barely move at all. Now mount the indicator on the collet nose and put the tip of the indicator towards the end of the shaft and now when you do the .25 diameter orbit the indicator TIR will be .25. I hope that helps.
I just got back from the shop, and I believe what you said is what I just proved to myself. In order to measure from the shaft to the chuck, the chuck needs to be large diameter to properly display indicator movement. Where as measuring from the chuck to the shaft, the indicator holder is a long lever that amplifies indicator movement. I think I'm going to do a video on it. Thanks for setting me straight!
I used to mount the magnetic indicator base to the end of the shaft, rotate the shaft and sweep the tailstock quill or quill bore. I knew my tailstock was pretty close side to side.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Its tricky but effective.
very cool. just got an indicator like that. now I know what piece I'm missing. thanks for sharing.
Glad I could help, even if it was inadvertently. :)
Great explanation of what was going on! Thanks!
Welcome!
You could do all that by eye. Simply adjust the rollers to get close (pretty much like you accomplished with the indication), then drill very carefully. You will see right away if the center drill is drilling, or boring because it us still off center. Adjust if needed. Continue center drilling until you have some small amount of real center established. Put in your live center to support the work, readjust your steadyrest to the new position. Now finish drilling your center to the desired size. Support the work with the live center, and away you go. Fun video I have a lathe just like it in my garage.
Thats how i do it. i use the same method you described above on 1-2 ton roundstock. just gotta drill it really slow and be careful. ive broken rollers before from heavy roundstock that wasnt quite round enough though! some guys would be surprised at how close you can get just by using a scale from the rollers to the live center point! thatll get you close enough and just adjust your center drill from there. waste of time with all these indicating the steady in or sweeping the tailstock methods in my opinion
Nice trick to add to the tool box... ;)
I've never seen anybody do it this way on TH-cam.
Try this method
1 put your part in the Chuck and in the steady
2 put a lump of plastercine on the end of your part
3 with a centre in the tail stock put the tip of the centre into the plastercine
4 rotate the Chuck by hand a few rotations. The centre will gouge out a hole in the plastercine
5 realign the steady to the middle of the gouged out hole in the plastercine
6 repeat steps 2-5 until the centre is no longer making a larger hole in the plastercine
7 that’s it you are smack on centre
It works a treat. I’ve done it more times than I can count
It takes about 2 minutes and the only thing you need is a lump of plastercine
Hi. Very useful info. By the way, only have to use three readings. If two readings are taken at 180 deg the other reading should be taken at 90 deg to previous readings. When aligned correctly readings will not change on a round shaft. Sometimes there is no room to rotate full 360 deg. The same technique works to realign a tailstock by clocking up a dead centre with the clock base secured to chuck or spindle.
Yes. There is still a small amount of indicator sag, maybe a couple thou.
love your lathe-- mine is exact same
Good imfo Matt Thanks !
You're welcome!
Useful video, thanks!
You're welcome!
I have already subscribed
That's a good one.
Yep, and I couldn't find a video on TH-cam showing this method.
Pretty neat, for the chipper?
Yes it is!
good trick thank you
You're welcome!
Nice video but I have some Constructive criticism. Mounting the indicator on the shaft is not the same as mounting it on the chuck. With it mounted on the shaft if you had the indicator touching where you were gripping you would get almost no indicator reading regardless of shaft misalignment but since you are about 2 inches behind your grip you are getting some reading. If you mount the indicator on the chuck you will be directly reading the TIR of misalignment where the indicator is touching.
All the best,Robin
I keep running this through my head... I really think it works both ways, but I've never done it the other way because I don't have a good way to clamp the indicator to the chuck. Maybe after work I'll see if I can do it both ways. I keep thinking if I taped a string from the chuck to the shaft, the string would get slack on one side, and get tight on the other as the shaft turned. And that's what the indicator is reading. But maybe that's not the correct way to think of it either. I definitely want to go try this now! :)
Think about the shaft having a spherical diameter where it is lightly gripped in a collet. Now mount the indicator on the shaft just like you showed and have the indicator tip touching the OD of the collet nose right over the center of the sphere. You will be able to move the end of the shaft around in a .25 diameter orbit and the indicator will barely move at all. Now mount the indicator on the collet nose and put the tip of the indicator towards the end of the shaft and now when you do the .25 diameter orbit the indicator TIR will be .25. I hope that helps.
I just got back from the shop, and I believe what you said is what I just proved to myself. In order to measure from the shaft to the chuck, the chuck needs to be large diameter to properly display indicator movement. Where as measuring from the chuck to the shaft, the indicator holder is a long lever that amplifies indicator movement. I think I'm going to do a video on it. Thanks for setting me straight!