New mini-lathe, tailstock question

[jusmakinit]

Hello, I just got a Vevor 8x14 mini-lathe. I've unboxed it and run it a little, it needs a lot of little TLC but I think it can serve me well. I already have upgraded headstock bearings and a quick-change tool guide to install some day, but I want to go through it first. There's a mostly-broken tooth on one of the drive shaft gears, I may ask for a replacement.
The thing that's bugging me is that the tailstock doesn't seem like it sits on the bed properly. It rides the triangular rail so high that it is held above the bed, only contacting the opposite side of the bed at the single outside edge. This can't possibly be right, but the only way to fix it would be either a shim, or milling the matching triangle in the tailstock quite a bit deeper. Of course, a little too deep and the whole thing floats around...
It seems to me it should sit flat on the bed when clamped down: that solid contact seems necessary. Am I wrong? Oh, I'm a newbie who doesn't know anything about lathes except what 10,000 hours of drooling over machining videos has taught me.

 

[jusmakinit]

Also, I don't have a mill, so milling a new tailstock groove precisely seems hard. Suggestions are welcome.

 

[EmGo]

Also, I don't have a mill, so milling a new tailstock groove precisely seems hard. Suggestions are welcome.

Scraper is maybe twenty bucks or so. Good practice, learn how machine tools are made and what is important and bearing surfaces and alignment and all kinds of important skills. Go for it. Don't forget the photos.

 

[Garwood]

VEVOR Mini Metal Lathe 8"x14" Metalworking Machine Variable Speed 2250 RPM 650W 110V | VEVOR US

Discover VEVOR Mini Metal Lathe 8"x14" Metalworking Machine Variable Speed 2250 RPM 650W 110V, Rigid Cast Iron and Variable Speeds at lowest price, 2days delivery, 30days returns.

m.vevor.com

Get your $674 back and get something worth a shit.

 

[EmGo]

Get your $674 back and get something worth a shit.

C'mon, Gar, consider it tuition to a class on machine tool construction. If he spends time making it decent, he'll know a lot more than most of the blowhards making youtubes. Anybody can buy stuff, that doesn't mean they know anything.

 

[Laverda]

This has to be the worst lathe I have ever seen! The Atlas/Craftsman lathe I had many years ago was made 100 times better than this and it was a piece of junk.

If you put centers in both the spindle and tail stock do they even come close to lining up?

 

[memphisjed]

Scraper is maybe twenty bucks or so. Good practice, learn how machine tools are made and what is important and bearing surfaces and alignment and all kinds of important skills. Go for it. Don't forget the photos.

Start with a grinder, the some files. Scraping amount that would take years and op would never learn- giving up in valid frustration.

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

It appears the tailstock is from a different model of machine, I would be asking for a refund. Some serious shopping could get you a much better lathe, and if its a project, you will get a better education than trying to fit that tailstock.

 

[EmGo]

Start with a grinder, the some files. Scraping amount that would take years and op would never learn- giving up in valid frustration.

Angle grinder is a good skill too ... also, the need to think about what to do to get the thing in the same neighborhood as the headstock. Planning ! Geometry ! All that good stuff.

It is pretty bad and I'd probably send it back but still ... you can make stuff work if you have to. Or really want to.

 

[rons]

I think you need a large square washer type plate to jack up the right side.
If there is no official part that you can find, just size it yourself and get it ground. Or scrape it yourself.

For the left side fit. I would carefully work with that by hand if the machine tools are not available.
(I had to reach far for that comment because this thing is a bear to fix)

BTW, the right side of the way looks like a train track. That thing must be heavy.

looking at your pic again:
You might be able to just shave down the into the V area with no adjustment on the right (flat) side.
Looks like you will have a good piece there if you just go slow and sure.

In the past I have done stuff like this and expect sand paper on glass on the back of a piece of wood will
give flat surfaces. Edges are always rounded and it looks bad. I should have used bluing and slowly worked
everything down maybe with sandpaper.

You might need this. I have a hardcover. Don't know if you can just download it.

Download Machine Tool Reconditioning and Applications of Hand Scraping e-book

Machine Tool Reconditioning and Applications of Hand Scraping book download Edward F. Connelly Download Machine Tool Reconditioning and Applications of Hand Scraping Machine tool reconditioning and applications of hand scraping. grip of the scraping tool to more advanced subjects like hand...

racodaob.typepad.com

 

[jusmakinit]

wow, this was less helpful than I'd hoped. I don't have money for a significantly better machine, and as far as I can tell this is about the same as other mini-lathes: in fact, it has a bigger motor than most (600W vs. 350W). I think they are all junk until you fix them up and then they're pieces of sh*#. But it'll be MY POS.
So are people suggesting I try to cut the groove by hand with a grinder? Ok, I guess the takeaway is that cutting the groove bigger is the right idea. I don't think I'll try to do it by hand, I'm more resourceful than that (I hope). Is the intention that the tailstock sits flatly on the ways and snugly over the rail?
Question though: what kind of scraper are people talking about?
Also, Is it likely that the tailstock bottom surface is hardened?
Is there a better place to post these questions? Maybe the "general" forum was the wrong place. I mean, I realize it's a cheap toy by professional standards, so... sorry to bother you. Didn't seem to fit elsewhere.

 

[DDoug]

Is there a better place to post these questions? Maybe the "general" forum was the wrong place.

Yes there is:

Forum list

"The Friendly Machinist Forum!"

www.hobby-machinist.com

You'll like it there.
FWIW your getting the replies here that you don't like, because you didn't take the time to read the rules, nor think they applied to you.

 

[gustafson]

wow, this was less helpful than I'd hoped. I don't have money for a significantly better machine, and as far as I can tell this is about the same as other mini-lathes: in fact, it has a bigger motor than most (600W vs. 350W). I think they are all junk until you fix them up and then they're pieces of sh*#. But it'll be MY POS.
So are people suggesting I try to cut the groove by hand with a grinder? Ok, I guess the takeaway is that cutting the groove bigger is the right idea. I don't think I'll try to do it by hand, I'm more resourceful than that (I hope). Is the intention that the tailstock sits flatly on the ways and snugly over the rail?
Question though: what kind of scraper are people talking about?
Also, Is it likely that the tailstock bottom surface is hardened?
Is there a better place to post these questions? Maybe the "general" forum was the wrong place. I mean, I realize it's a cheap toy by professional standards, so... sorry to bother you. Didn't seem to fit elsewhere.

You do have the money for a better lathe, you just chose poorly

 

[Cole2534]

VEVOR Mini Metal Lathe 8"x14" Metalworking Machine Variable Speed 2250 RPM 650W 110V | VEVOR US

Discover VEVOR Mini Metal Lathe 8"x14" Metalworking Machine Variable Speed 2250 RPM 650W 110V, Rigid Cast Iron and Variable Speeds at lowest price, 2days delivery, 30days returns.

m.vevor.com

Get your $674 back and get something worth a shit.

The description is some of the worst chinglish I've even seen.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Click on the link that DDoug posted.
They love those little China Mades over there. A couple days ago a fellow there was looking for a part for his pos Harbor Fright lathe.
I suggested he look for a real lathe instead.
Several guys jumped on me for it including one guy who said I belong on Practical Machinist.
Lol

 

[Ultradog MN]

The description is some of the worst chinglish I've even seen.

Nice to see the word punctilious tho - even if it was used in the wrong context.

 

[memphisjed]

Here i thought you got mostly civilized responses. From which side to how how to fit tail stock- and the better option of returning tail for one that was made for that lathe.
Scrapers are just that, a tool that scraps fairy dust thickness chips off. It is used for final fit of two surfaces.
Grinders move metal and cheap, why I suggested to rough it down with one. Files can give medium speed metal removal and give you a relatively flat/straight finish. Then you scrape.

What response were you looking for? There is nothing fast or easy about metal with moving parts.

 

[Sam I]

You are right - there should be full contact on the flat faces. There is no real easy fix for this other than to enlarge the Vee groove in the tailstock. Personally, even though I have a few mills in the shop I wouldn't be attempting a repair on that unless it's something I acquired for virtually nothing. Using hand tools there's a fairly high chance of making things worse then you'll have little chance of getting a replacement from the seller. Plus, even if you did sort the groove perfectly, with that amount of material removed there is no guarantee that it'll be on centre height relative to your headstock so you'll probably need to shim anyway.

Scraping is probably a bit beyond most beginner hobby machinists. Sure you can learn anything but it's a skill that takes a lot of time and patience to learn when by the sounds of things you want to be making things on your new lathe.

I'd get in touch with the seller and see if they can offer a replacement first. Then, if for whatever reason you can't get one maybe look into repairing this one.

 

[EmGo]

Several guys jumped on me for it including one guy who said I belong on Practical Machinist.

Cool

Just to swim against the current tho ... remember the "practical" part of practical machinist ? We can't all go out and just buy whatever we want (or I'd have a 3J40 in the bedroom). So if a guy's attitude is good and what he wants is to learn how to do something instead of telling us how great his toy is, I don't see why not. Those things can make stuff. I've done it, when necessary. It's better than holding an angle grinder in your lap and rolling a piece of bar against it.

 

[rons]

Ok, I guess the takeaway is that cutting the groove bigger is the right idea. I don't think I'll try to do it by hand, I'm more resourceful than that (I hope). Is the intention that the tailstock sits flatly on the ways and snugly over the rail?
Question though: what kind of scraper are people talking about?
Also, Is it likely that the tailstock bottom surface is hardened?
Is there a better place to post these questions? Maybe the "general" forum was the wrong place. I mean, I realize it's a cheap toy by professional standards, so... sorry to bother you. Didn't seem to fit elsewhere.

Flat? What do you think?

Scraper? a piece of hard metal that rubs across a softer piece of metal.

Tailstock hardened? Id like to see that done with torch. LOL

You got a BS problem with tailstock. You not only have to get it to sit in X - Y but also in Z.
You will have to take shave pieces off and then plop the thing on the ways and measure.

From my work I do more face turning and probably could get by with a chucker lathe. You
could use the lathe and work on the tailstock for the next couple of months. The reconditioning
book or some other book is going to tell you who to do it.

Or, you could pay a professional to do the work. Take your pick: or