[How-To] Decided to try reaming the tailstock quill on my 6560

[HiltzVW]

I’ve posted here before about my 6560. It’s currently the oldest known 6560 to still be kicking around, at least according to the official Logan list.

Anyhow, my lathe was severely abused by the previous owners. I’ve slowly done repair and restoration work to the machine as I’ve had time. I also use the machine in a professional setting at my shop.

One intermittent problem I’ve had is the tailstock quill sometimes won’t hold the MT3 taper firmly. It sometimes will spin tooling in the tailstock. The inside of the quill looked very beat up. There was also a large ridge on the face of the quill that needed to be stoned off.

I purchased an MT3 reamer set online. Unfortunately the quality wasn’t the best. I decided not to use the roughing reamer because the quality was questionable.

I began by putting Dykem in the quill and making a very light cut with the reamer. I discovered what I had feared - it barely made contact. There was a small section half way down the taper that contacted, as well as the far back of the taper.

This confirmed my fear because the tooling I have that had spun showed a slight mark on the shank right where the reamer had contacted.

I slowly took more cuts with the reamer and continued to check my work. I stopped before the entire thing cleaned because I was concerned about enlarging the opening of the quill too much.

I’m left with probably 80% contact area, which is a major improvement.

Time will tell how much it solves the problem of tooling slipping the taper.

I recorded the process if you’re interested in seeing it.

How to Ream a Lathe Tailstock - Repairing Morse Taper

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[benmychree]

Hydraulic oil is a poor choice for cutting tools, much better would be TapMagic. Also, if too much is taken out with the reamer, it is easy and no problem to face off the front end of the quill to allow for full seating of the MT tools such as centers and chucks

 

[Richard King 2]

I also do it that way, use a wrench to turn it and using a center. I have seen some folks put the reamer in the chuck and run the lathe. It makes my day when they do that...as a rebuilder

 

[MAKEITOUTOFWOOD]

I have the same lathe. I also reamed my tail stock quill when I first acquired the lathe.

 

[HiltzVW]

I have the same lathe. I also reamed my tail stock quill when I first acquired the lathe.

How did it turn out for you? Did you see an improvement?

 

[HiltzVW]

Hydraulic oil is a poor choice for cutting tools, much better would be TapMagic. Also, if too much is taken out with the reamer, it is easy and no problem to face off the front end of the quill to allow for full seating of the MT tools such as centers and chucks

I’ve found that a 10wt oil works really well for doing very light cuts like this by hand. For power tapping or heavier duty operations, I agree and wouldn’t have used the same oil.

 

[benmychree]

I’ve found that a 10wt oil works really well for doing very light cuts like this by hand. For power tapping or heavier duty operations, I agree and wouldn’t have used the same oil.

The TapMagic promotes easier cutting and a better finish. Oil will retard free cutting and give a rougher finish,

 

[Shotgun]

I also do it that way, use a wrench to turn it and using a center. I have seen some folks put the reamer in the chuck and run the lathe. It makes my day when they do that...as a rebuilder

After making sure the tailstock is in alignment, why wouldn't you chuck the reamer in a collet and turn it by hand? Maybe even check the runnout of the reamer first?
I'm just thinking the reamer has the capability to add some runout on it's own by cutting more on one side than the other. I also would not recommend doing it under power, but I do see a benefit in having held rigidly inline to the machine. Watching the video, it looks to me like the reamer would be biased to cut toward toward the operator, because that is the direction he's pulling the wrench.

 

[HiltzVW]

After making sure the tailstock is in alignment, why wouldn't you chuck the reamer in a collet and turn it by hand? Maybe even check the runnout of the reamer first?
I'm just thinking the reamer has the capability to add some runout on it's own by cutting more on one side than the other. I also would not recommend doing it under power, but I do see a benefit in having held rigidly inline to the machine.

If your reamer had a nice finish on the shank, I’d say run it in a collet like you say. In this instance it had a square shank and wasn’t a nice true surface to hold it in a collet


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[Richard King 2]

Here is how I align the headstock and tailstock. If you haven't rebuild the tailstock first then you chucked it up in a collet the taper would get egg shaped if the tailstock quill bore worn and pointing low in the front as most worn machines are doing it the way he is doing it works best. Here is how I align the head and tail stocks when the taper is worn. You can scroll up to 12 min and then 15:30. You know I have done these repair for over 50 years as a professional machine rebuilder. I've done it more then 1 time. I guaranteed my work for 1 year and if the customer wasn't 100% happy they didn't have to pay me. I always got paid.