using the tail stock

I need to use that tail stock on a couple of shafts 5/8 6061 shafts 8" OAL and have a couple of questions...

My plan is to do facing, center spot and a small amount of OD profiling to provide clearance for the live center, M01, the pull the stock by hand to touch the center, extend the center, then finish the profile and part off to length.

1. My live center is MT3 so picked up a MT3 to MT4 adapter sleeve. Tried a test fit but the tang prevents it from going all the way in. Just grind it off?

2. This maybe a silly question but how do you remove the center when finished?

3. Never using a hydraulic tailstock before, what would be a good pressure to start with to hold the part but still allow it to be cut off without binding the parting tool?

Any tips or suggestions are all ways appreciated.

Yikes!
I recommend that you move the tailstock away before parting!


I remove the center in another facing/cutoff op.

Excellent point Chris. I should add another M01 before the part off, retract the center and leave ~.150" and break them off by hand.

Thanks for the input!

I was reluctant to add this but here goes.
I was having a problem with my tailstock operations. They weren't very concentric. I would clamp my parts in a collet with a stop, then run the program. I noticed that, often, the tailstock would move the bar end a little bit. Bending it to the correct position? I started this procedure instead and it seems to have solved the problem.
I put the part in the collet with the stop without closing the collet.
Then move the tailstock up to about .2 from the end (keeping your hands out of the machine!). Then reach in and move the part into the tailstock point by hand (still in the collet but no longer against the stop). Then move the tailstock forward until it beeps. Then close the collet. The part stays straight this way. Slower but we make short run medical stuff. More important to be straight then fast.

?s

Questions asked:
1. My live center is MT3 so picked up a MT3 to MT4 adapter sleeve. Tried a test fit but the tang prevents it from going all the way in. Just grind it off?
YES (( been there, done that ))
*MAKE SURE YOU ONLY GRIND OFF ENOUGH OF THE TANG SO IT LOCKS IN, -OTHERWISE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET IT OUT WITHOUT A PIPE WRENCH / VISE GRIPS / STRAP WRENCH / HAMMERS .....
2. This maybe a silly question but how do you remove the center when finished?
LOOK UNDER THE TAIL STOCK SPINDLE / SLEEVE WHERE YOU INSERT THE LIVE CENTER, THERE IS A SLOT ON IT, STICK A DRIFT IN THERE AND POP IT OUT
3. Never using a hydraulic tailstock before, what would be a good pressure to start with to hold the part but still allow it to be cut off without binding the parting tool?
YOU DECIDE THAT, TWO THINGS YOU NEED TO ESTABLISH:
1; ENOUGH PRESSURE SO THAT YOUR WORK DOESN'T PUSH BACK BY YOUR CUTTING FORCES
2: YOUR TAIL STOCK PRESSURE SHOULD NOT DISTORT YOUR WORK PIECE

*Without actually knowing the geometry of your part, I don't want to suggest machining steps that might cause you headaches!
>One thing I will suggest is that you do a partial cut off to about 1/8 diameter with the center in the part, at the end of your machining process, retract your tail stock and snap the part off by hand! your c-off tool will not deflect as you mentioned.
>I've done a lot of similar work, on H-13 stock and all types of Tool Steels, Aluminum, Stainless and such, 1-1/2"dia. shafts, 10.0" long, (some larger ) partial c-off to .200" and once the tail stock is retracted, snap them babies off!
>>The heavy ones you gotta hold on to before retracting the tai stock or they will snap off on their ownall the way down to the chip pan and some all the way to the SCRAP BARREL

Always excellent advise from the great folks on PM. BTW Steelcutter, I sent you a PM.