Question about using tapered reamer to repair the Morse taper in a tailstock

jkycia · Nov 22, 2020

Hello,

My lathe's (ESM-59) tailstock is in decent shape except the taper is a bit worn.
I find there can be some play in the drill chuck and unless I am careful the drill bit can be not on center.

It uses a #1 MT (Morse taper). I was thinking of getting a #1MT high speed steel taper from McMaster-Carr to try to ream the
taper in the tailstock. I would put the reamer in the lathe's collet and then carefully bring in the tailstock to resurface it.

Does that seem like a bad idea or is it a standard thing that is done with good results?

Is there a better way to refresh the taper in the tailstock?

Thanks,

Jan

jkycia · Nov 22, 2020

I just noticed a different section in practical machinist that deals with such refurbishing.
I will read though the posts there. Seems I am on the right track.
Jan

jim rozen · Nov 23, 2020

At some point hardinge went to hardened tailstock rams. Check to be sure, if you can mark it with a file you are probably OK to do this.

Put a center in the headstock. If you don't have a 5C center then turn one in place. Reamer goes in the tailstock, bring it up to bear on the center in the headstock. Use lots of dark cutting oil, turn the reamer with a wrench, just a turn or two. Do NOT turn the reamer backwards. Do NOT do it under power.

You may just have some smeared build-up on the inside of the ram. Don't overdo it, don't do it if the ram is hard, it will ruin your new reamer.

Blue the no. 1 morse taper arbor and see where it is bearing on the inside of the taper.

Greg Menke · Nov 23, 2020

I touched up the tailstock taper on my ATW by putting a center in the chuck to support the outboard end of the reamer, then turned the reamer with a wrench. THe theory being the reamer will not be flexed by any misalignment and less likely to ream out-of round. It generally improved the reliability of the taper holding, also took the opportunity to chuck the tailstock quill in the lathe chuck and clean up the end a bit.

jkycia · Nov 24, 2020

Ok, I used a center held in a collet, oiled the #1MT reamer, brought in the tailstock to apply some pressure and turned it but maybe with not sufficient pressure. So I just cleaned in ever so slightly. I figure, better safe than sorry. It is way better now. I will need to get some blue and check the quality of the contact and see if it needs more reaming.
Thanks

Phil in Montana · Nov 24, 2020

How do you spell disaster?? What is going to make the reamer cut true in the center, your fairy god mother???...Dont do it...Remove the ram set it up true in a lathe with a ta and re-machine the taper...Phil

jkycia · Nov 25, 2020

Phil, yes I would be worried about losing the accuracy of the center by only supporting the reamer with the center loaded in the 5c collet but I figured it would be ok if I am just skimming a tiny amount of metal away.

My fairy god mother is a deadbeat, she won't help.

For what you describe to do, I would need to bring this to another ( accurate ) lathe or at least have a spare tailstock? Is there a typo or a term I do not understand. what do you mean by "with a ta"

What about loading the tapered reamer in the lathe's 5C collet and running the ram into the reamer? Wouldn't that be perfect in that it would set the position of the reamed hold correctly for the positioning of my lathe's tailstock and spindle?

I could take the belt off the spindle and turn by hand. By still holding the reamer in the 5c collet, it should be straight, no?

Jan

Peter from Holland · Nov 25, 2020

Phil in Montana said:
How do you spell disaster?? What is going to make the reamer cut true in the center, your fairy god mother???...Dont do it...Remove the ram set it up true in a lathe with a ta and re-machine the taper...Phil

A MT 1 ???
I would not give such advice
9mm boring bar 60mm deep??
Dead on centre
Carbide boring bar then at least

Peter

Phil in Montana · Nov 25, 2020

Been there done that.. not easy...It is important that the tail stock ram is bored straight and true..I dont know any other way unless you have a chucking grinder...Phil

jim rozen · Nov 25, 2020

Does not matter how the reamer is held, it will follow the original taper. So pushing against a center in the headstock is best for touch-ups.

Don't bother getting fancy blue stuff. Go to the local Staples or craft store, and get one of the jumbo-sized blue Sharpie pens. Works great.

rons · Nov 25, 2020

jkycia said:
Hello,

My lathe's (ESM-59) tailstock is in decent shape except the taper is a bit worn.
I find there can be some play in the drill chuck and unless I am careful the drill bit can be not on center.

I did this by a suggestion from a machinist who was not in a machining position but working a counter at Western Tool & Supply.
You will have to really do some cranking if more than a touch-up is needed. You should use a center point in a collet to hold the reamer.
And don't over do it. The farther you go the more hardened metal will be shaved off.

I just updated another thread with something I remembered:

A pro suggested that I get a drill chuck shank and some grinding compound (no carbides).
Put a center point in the headstock for the shank to rest. Then bring up tailstock and twirl the shank with a wrench.
Inspect.

Or for a few high spots just move shank in and out, then rotate, repeat, inspect.

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Question about using tapered reamer to repair the Morse taper in a tailstock

jkycia

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jkycia

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jim rozen

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Greg Menke

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jkycia

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Phil in Montana

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jkycia

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Peter from Holland

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Phil in Montana

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jim rozen

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rons

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