Sticky Tailstock

[CJ5Dave]

My 1942 Sebastian lathe has a Morse Taper 3 tailstock. It came with a MT 3 live center with no tang. I am using a MT3 chuck off my Harbor Freight drill press to drill center holes in the end of stock for the live center. The chuck has a tang. When I unscrew the tailstock all the way back it is difficult to get the live center out. The MT3 chuck pops right out. I have cleaned the live center arbor with a steel brush on a grinder and lubed it well. Do I need a MT3 arbor with a tang or is my taper just out of spec? Thanks.

 

[RJSakowski]

I cut the tangs off the MT tapers my tailstock tooling to get greater travel from the tailstock. On one occasion, I cut too much off, resulting in the same problem you experience. To correct the problem. I drilled and tapped a hole in the end of the taper for a screw. I then inserted a screw and adjusted it so that the taper ejected just before the quill was fully retracted.

 

[PNW_Guy]

The center is just a bit too short. This is a clever solution.

I cut the tangs off the MT tapers my tailstock tooling to get greater travel from the tailstock. On one occasion, I cut too much off, resulting in the same problem you experience. To correct the problem. I drilled and tapped a hole in the end of the taper for a screw. I then inserted a screw and adjusted it so that the taper ejected just before the quill was fully retracted.

 

[RJSakowski]

My 1942 Sebastian lathe has a Morse Taper 3 tailstock. It came with a MT 3 live center with no tang. I am using a MT3 chuck off my Harbor Freight drill press to drill center holes in the end of stock for the live center. The chuck has a tang. When I unscrew the tailstock all the way back it is difficult to get the live center out. The MT3 chuck pops right out. I have cleaned the live center arbor with a steel brush on a grinder and lubed it well. Do I need a MT3 arbor with a tang or is my taper just out of spec? Thanks.

An MT taper is a locking taper and is supposed to stick. You shouldn't be lubricating the taper or the socket as this will encourage spinning the taper in the quill, ultimately causing damage. The taper is intended to be ejected by the lead screw when the quill is retracted.

 

[CJ5Dave]

Yes I want it to stick. I also want to be able to get it out.

 

[CJ5Dave]

Great idea. worked perfectly. Thanks.

The tailstock did not thread in and out well so I took the spindle and screw out and cleaned and greased them. Works so smooth now, but the locking lever on top no longer holds the spindle. Guess I need to get my parts book out.

 

[Parlo]

Does your tailstock quill have a slot for a drift? Both my lathes have this slot for removing stubborn drills.

 

[CJ5Dave]

No slot. Just back out the spindle.