Tailstock Taper Turning Attachment

Yes, I have one. Good for fine adjustments. The only problem that I see with mine is that if the tailstock stock center is offset by more than a couple of degrees, then the conical surface of the center’s contact area is in effect an ellipse and can cause runout. If you cut a tube at 90 degrees to the bore, you have a circle. If you cut a tube at 87 degrees to the bore, you have an ellipse, (measured diametrically). Same thing applies to offsetting the tailstock a lot.
 
I guess if you don't have an offset adjustment on your tailstock... but anything bigger than a Sherline should have an offsetable tailstock. Afraid of putting it back in adjustment? Don't be, the steel rule trick works great. You can fine tune beyond that with a two-collar test.

If you shove a cone into an elliptic hole, the minor diameter will center the work. It will not cause movement until the angle of offset meets the angle ground into the center. So when you create an offset and see an ellipse, the tailstock center still sees the ellipse's center.
 
OTmachine said:
Yes, I have one. Good for fine adjustments. The only problem that I see with mine is that if the tailstock stock center is offset by more than a couple of degrees, then the conical surface of the center’s contact area is in effect an ellipse and can cause runout. If you cut a tube at 90 degrees to the bore, you have a circle. If you cut a tube at 87 degrees to the bore, you have an ellipse, (measured diametrically). Same thing applies to offsetting the tailstock a lot.
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Ok thank you! I just wanted to check with someone who has one.

Yes John I have 2 lathes, A 12x36 Shenwai, And a 13x40 Kent USA Lathe, Both have adjustable tailstocks, But I hate getting them lined back up, I have only used that option a couple of times. I used to have a Southbend 13 with a taper attachment and a 5C collet system, Those are the only things I miss about that old machine.
 
I choose to use the tailstock offset method because I was not lucky enough to find my lathe model with a taper attachment. I have to use the compound for short tapers, and the tailstock otherwise. But I regularly take things out of alignment, so putting them back is a skill that comes with use, I suppose. If I need to take off the scope to work on a rifle, you bet I'll do it without hesitation. I'll get it back within three shots, so there is nothing to fear. It has adjustment knobs for the same reason the tailstock has offset screws- to be used.
 
I don't own one, but noticed that Gordy Gritters used one (which he did not draw attention to) in his (Grizzly) barrel chambering video. I assume in order to correct the slightly high tailstock rather than left/right alignment - but again, he just about hid it, so that's just my speculation.

GsT
 
I have one. Works great. I ignore the graduations on the slide. Level the taper attachment when installing in tailstock and use an indicator to monitor your adjustment. This technique has been very successful for me.
 
That's an interesting point, @GeneT45. Gordy is a little bit fastidious about some stuff, so I am surprised that the taper offset is in his quiver. Then again, external barrel profiles are not precision items. Any short taper can be done well with the compound, so it must be for profiling only.

Then again, I have a couple crappy factory Remington barrels shooting 0.5's with just a recrown, a prescriptive break-in, and a bedding job, so what do I know. Gordy is the one everyone listens to, that's why he makes the big bucks.

Edit for humor.

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Harry Knutz said:
Hello Guys,

How many of you have purchased and used one of these tools? I am thinking of buying one, Please give me your experiences, Thanks, HK

www.ebay.com

EXCLUSIVE TAPER TURNING ATTACHMENT WITH LIVE REVOLVING CENTER- USA FULFILLED | eBay

Graduation scale is being marked for user's reference where 1 division will offset the slide by 0.5 mm. Shanks are precisely ground and are available in option of MT2 and MT3, So chose from our drop down as per your lathe's specifications.
www.ebay.com
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I purchased one of these in MT2, but I have not yet had the opportunity to try it out.
 
Eyerelief said:
I have one. Works great. I ignore the graduations on the slide. Level the taper attachment when installing in tailstock and use an indicator to monitor your adjustment. This technique has been very successful for me.
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Thank you for your insight, Looking at the tool I had also decided that I would use it with an indicator too. I went ahead and ordered one. It hadn't crossed my mind to use that for tailstock alignment, But that would definitely be a hack that sounds doable with this tool. Thank you for everyones input on this tool. HK
 
I made a Hemingway “set over center” or such. It’s a good design. The lathe tailstock center offset is too big a deal to mess with. If you do, It takes the two collar test to get down into tenths, and there is no need to repeat that often. Every taper is going to require it’s own setup, with indicators, probably trial cuts, etc, so the graduations are pretty meaningless.
 
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