80's/90's Mazak tailstocks are kick-ass, as they have both a powered tail-body and powered quill.
Mazak always recommended to leave the body stationary for each job, but there are limit switches that allow the body to come forward and retract as needed....and it's programmable.
You do have to set the dog for the quill-out position - activating the green light on the control panel and letting the control know the quill is engaged. Access both the extend and retract dogs and switches inside the door with hinges on the tailbody.
I actually made longer forward dogs for my Mazak quills, as the factory dogs are short and sometimes a pain-in-the-ass to get set right.
If you ever have sensor alarms, it's often coolant-infiltration in the wiring connectors, usually located behind a bolted-on plate near the bottom of the tailbody.
On edit: and what Wesley said: keep your quill pressure on the lower side. Most jobs you won't need much quill thrust at all. I run a couple parts where I don't activate the quill pressure at all, just pull the part tight against the center, then clamp the chuck and go! The slight lifting action of the chuck jaws adds a little pressue from the part to the center too.
ToolCat Greg
