9" Tailstock Extension Mod

A long time ago there were a couple threads about a guy who worked out a plan to extend the tailstock quill of a 10" lathe, but no longer does it. He made the whole new quill from scratch. He then offered a service to extend the existing quills of a 10" and 9" lathe. After completing a few projects that could have benefited from a little more travel in the tailstock , I put the mod on my list of things to do. Now with everything that's going on I have some shop time and can cross some of those things off. As far as I know he didn't give complete details on how he did it, but based on a few of the pictures from the 10" build he posted I've worked out a way to modify both the existing quill and the existing screw. Basically grafting a new "extension nut" to the original quill, grafting in a new longer feed screw to the original handwheel section of the screw, and adding an extension piece to the tailstock barrel. The only thing that would be hard to accomplish on the lathe as you're modifying it is installing the new screw into the handwheel portion of the old screw. This requires you to cut and drill into your existing screw. The way I did it was with a mill, but it can be done on a second lathe. The only way I can think of doing it on the lathe you're modifying id to make a complete new screw handwheel portion and all from scratch. I made a series of videos of it on youtube and there is a link in the description of those videos to dimensioned drawings.

video 1: YouTube

Video 2: YouTube

Video 3: YouTube

Great job, thank you for sharing. If this forced retirement from virus 19 continues long enough I just mite try this. Why didn't you just make the whole screw from scratch?

Honestly laziness. That larger diameter is 3/4" while the rest is 1/2" and under. Didn't want to have to take all that off. Plus I was trying to make the measurements applicable across all lathes. I figured the length of the handwheel side and position of the taper pin hole could vary from lathe to lathe and the actual fit on mine was perfect. Not much wear.

I watched the entire series, its a great idea! Figure most drills are longer than the tailstock stroke, and you lose some distance anyway depending on your setup. Thanks for sharing, it helps those of us with the smaller machines.

Could you post your drawings?

Thanks for the videos. I watched them as well. I've been subscribed for some time.

At this point I'd just make a new screw. That scared me to begin with but it is a nice little project turning LH acme threads. I'd guess, but don't know, that the tail stock screw is 5/8 8 TPI LH?

Thanks for all your videos.

ctjctj said:

Thanks for the videos. I watched them as well. I've been subscribed for some time.

At this point I'd just make a new screw. That scared me to begin with but it is a nice little project turning LH acme threads. I'd guess, but don't know, that the tail stock screw is 5/8 8 TPI LH?

Thanks for all your videos.

Click to expand...

On the 9" workshop series it's 1/2" 10 LH. The 13" I know uses a 5/8 acme thread

garyphansen said:

Could you post your drawings?

Click to expand...

Way easier just to link to them than post.

Dropbox - SB Tailstock - Simplify your life

Thanks, the drawings help a lot!

I am planning to start on this modification. I am going to use a piece of bronze I had laying around for the Acme nut. If I remember correctly bronze is the one metal that taps better with out oil. Is this correct?

Yes, thank you!