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Tail stock & live center

J. DeBrular

Cast Iron
Joined
May 20, 2007
Location
Washington, WV 26181
I have a 1942 LeBlond lathe and I have a question concerning the tail stock. When I have
a live center in the tail stock and want to remove it it will not unseat itself like a taper shank
drill bit will. The parts of the tail stock appears to be factory original and without modification. Is there a live center with a longer shank or another solution to make removal easier. Many thanks.

John DeBrular
 
Stick a short plug into the taper hole before you install the tapered shank. When finished, remove the plug with a small magnet. I have a few tapered shanks that require this approach. WWQ
 
John, typically I just machine a longer plug or remove and weld an extension onto the plug at the rear of the live center. You can test how much length you need to add by sticking various length "slugs" of steel temporarily with grease or super glue etc. I usually want the extension to be "just' long enough as sometimes when I am stretching the center to center limits of my lathe, I need the tailstock quill retracted as far as is practicable. If the tailstock quill has a slot to accept drill tangs, be mindful of the max diameter of the extension. For my use a temporary plug won't work as I often change tailstock tooling. I have modified dozens of Morse taper components by the above method. It also works great on Drill chuck adapter shanks to shorten them so there is just enough material to release, but enough remaining to allow them to retract enough start drilling at the 0" mark on graduated quills.
Brett
 
I have had this problem before as well and my solution, although simple, may not work for you. I use a ball bearing center with a smaller shank and a good sleeve. I use this as an assembly keeping the two together in the tooling rack.

Walter A.
 
Live centers usually have a large diameter bearing housing creating a step where the Morse taper shank starts. I just hold a convenient chunk of metal or hard plastic between the bearing housing and the tailstock casting while I crank the tailstock barrel back. It is quick and easy.

I have also put extensions on Morse taper shanks in one or two cases, but the first approach is my current method.

Larry
 
I hate to admit that I have been in the machining business long enough where the term "live center", when referring to the center for the tail stock, always make me think twice.

Anyway, if it's a Morse Taper it has the same taper per foot no matter how long. However, the engagement length may be different from model to model. Honestly, I've never seen a bearing center with anything but a Morse Taper and many are too short to reach the ejector in the tailstock.

Walter A.
 
The Skodas will eject from my old Monarch, but the Bison has to be removed with a drift through the quill.

If you try to put a small Cresent wrench handle through the quill and back it up, it just deforms the front seal on the tailstock and makes the quill tight and stiff to move. How do I know?:o:bawling:


JAckal:D
 
A chainsaw wedge with an appropriate sized slot milled in it. One tap and out pops the center.

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