Aligned my lathe

[.RC.]

I have always had trouble with my lathe not cutting straight....I would get what I thought aligned correctly but it would always be out just that little bit...So I purchased a precision test bar...

It arrived today so I put it to use and sure enough my tailstock was out 0.04mm...I aligned it up very easilt with the tool and took a test cut....I measured a 5 micron deviation over 6 inches...woooo hoooo I was stoked...

The test bar has a 3Mt on one end and protected centers both ends and a nut near the 3Mt big end that you use to release it from a 3Mt socket, it is made in India....

Just got a 8" Starrett 98 on Ebay too....

[Leigh]

How are you measuring 5 microns?

------------------
Leigh W3NLB

[DeereGuy]

I was wondering the same thing? I thought that was a measurment for surface finish. Do you have pictures of your test bar? I would like to see it.

[J Tiers]

I suspect this is more "millman fallout", guys........

[Dawai]

J:
We all have idiosychronicities. *spelling at the moment.. ha.. I have to carry all mine in a wheelbarrow.

I accept my friends faults with thier assets. Some people state things to impress others, or perhaps they are just proud, or perhaps have a low feeling of self esteem?

I have one friend who when he is talking about half the time I am not listening cause he exagerates so much. I can talk to him in the evening and I am near asleep when I get off the phone. When there is a young pretty girl around, I get plumb embarrassed.
I went to work where he did for a while, listened to a coworkers stories about a Big bad biker in Chattanooga, About a week listening to these stories something sounded kinda familiar, I figured out it was me he was talking about, except everything had been exagerated to the point where it was no longer close to reality. I mean I have lived a charmed life, but not the kind of life he talked about, nobody has.
My buddy had told "them" stories on me. I was concerned for a few years he would talk me into prison with exagerated deeds. He has calmed down a lot since his father passed away. He no longer has to "outdo" his fathers image.
His father was a bible reading No-exageration man. When he spoke, he meant it. I got in trouble in the early80's, I ran and hid and he came to take me to turn myself in.
I respected him, he taught me a lot, I did not have a father growing up so I borrowed his as a mentor. I only hope I turned out better by knowing him.

I hope I have helped a few others in my life. I am not near the man Paul was, I have too many faults. Too many to carry in a wheelbarrow.

I have never saw anything from India within .005 in inches span. There maybe a perfect bar out there thou. A hindu's last perfect deed before Vahalla, or what do they call it?

[kf1002002]

A micron is, by definition one millionth of a meter and if you go through the conversion factors comes out to 39.37 microinches or .039 thousandths so 5 microns would be .195 thou. This would require care and good technique to measure but I think a good tool and die maker (not I) could do it.

Ken

[Allan Waterfall]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Ringer:
I have always had trouble with my lathe not cutting straight....I would get what I thought aligned correctly but it would always be out just that little bit...So I purchased a precision test bar...

It arrived today so I put it to use and sure enough my tailstock was out 0.04mm...I aligned it up very easilt with the tool and took a test cut....I measured a 5 micron deviation over 6 inches...woooo hoooo I was stoked...

The test bar has a 3Mt on one end and protected centers both ends and a nut near the 3Mt big end that you use to release it from a 3Mt socket, it is made in India....

Just got a 8" Starrett 98 on Ebay too....</font>

Yes it's nice when things work out and you get the end result you want.

You might find it varies depending on length and how far the tailstock mandrel sticks out.

I think you "done good"

A decent mic will read in microns,my Mitutoyo does anyway or five decimal places in imperial.

Allan

[This message has been edited by Allan Waterfall (edited 02-13-2006).]

[.RC.]

5 microns is 0.005mm.. My micrometer measures in 0.01 increments and it measured only half of a 0.01 difference over that distance...

Yes it is a bit of a gloat I know but I was real happy at the outcome...This is a taiwanese lathe as well...

[miker]

Thanks for the post Ringer, I have been wondering if the Bar arrived. I may end up ordering one also.
It would be interesting to see if ambient temperature variations during the year create any significant changes in allignment.
Between Summer and Winter the temp can vary from -1* C to + 55* C in my shed. Probably more stable at your lattitude.
I know you have been chasing that last "Nat's Hair" for a while. Congratulations.

Michael

[.RC.]

I have a had a few emails asking where i got the test bar from and what it cost...

I got it from this place here www.minitech.com.au and it is here on their website http://wic015u.server-secure.com/vs4...dept.asp?id=51

It is made in India by this company http://www.trumaxindia.com/ and it seems to be a good quality item....It sure makes things a lot easier...I also use it for a straight edge...