Author Topic: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock  (Read 1388 times)

Offline Hagrid

  • iron
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« on: November 15, 2020, 03:25:37 PM »
Good afternoon all.

I’ve got a NUtools lathe with a really short (c. 20mm) throw on the tailstock. So simply using a drill chuck would take all day to drill 20mm, stop the lathe, wind the tail back in, slide it along and start over (I nearly fell asleep just writing that)

Is there any contraption that would fit into the tail stock (1MT) and allow for a great throw whilst holding a drill bit?

Answers on a postcard. :)

The pic is too large to upload but here’s a drop box with a pic. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ey8h985wy9es2xh/AADqOZHC99qqatyZIYnltVV9a?dl=0

Thanks everyone.

Offline Bill21

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 901
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2020, 04:37:21 PM »
I can’t advise you to do it but after starting the hole with the tailstock locked I’ve seen folks feeding the bit in by sliding the unlocked tailstock along the bed. Best done with the quill retracted I would have thought.

Offline bodrighywood

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 3631
    • Bodrighy Wood
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2020, 05:14:00 PM »
You only have 2cm movement on the tailstock? Something wrong there I would have thought.

Pete
Turners don't make mistakes, they have design opportunities

Offline Bill21

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 901
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2020, 12:23:02 AM »
You only have 2cm movement on the tailstock? Something wrong there I would have thought.

Pete

From what I’ve read other turners say, Wood turning lathes are notorious for having poor tail stock quills. I have an Axminster WW lathe and MW lathe and you have to wind the quill on the WW lathe much further out before the taper locks than on the MW lathe. Why do they make them like that?!

Offline Hagrid

  • iron
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2020, 09:42:02 AM »
I can’t advise you to do it but after starting the hole with the tailstock locked I’ve seen folks feeding the bit in by sliding the unlocked tailstock along the bed. Best done with the quill retracted I would have thought.

I have seen this method, but unsure if I’ll still be able to count to ten on my fingers afterwards?

Offline Hagrid

  • iron
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2020, 09:43:10 AM »
You only have 2cm movement on the tailstock? Something wrong there I would have thought.

Pete

Thanks Pete,

I can probably push it a touch more (5-6mm) but it become unstable and wants to rotate. ☹️

Offline Derek

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 1369
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2020, 11:15:20 AM »

I can probably push it a touch more (5-6mm) but it become unstable and wants to rotate. ☹️

Have you unscrewed the lock a little too far as some of the cheaper lathes this is also the pin that stop it rotating. It may also be an advantage to strip and clean everything in the tailstock noting how it comes apart so you can reasemble it correctly. That is only if you feel comfotable doing so.


From what I’ve read other turners say, Wood turning lathes are notorious for having poor tail stock quills. I have an Axminster WW lathe and MW lathe and you have to wind the quill on the WW lathe much further out before the taper locks than on the MW lathe. Why do they make them like that?!

It is the self ejecting type if you wind it in when something is fitted in the taper it will self eject rather than finding a bar to tap it out.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2020, 11:20:18 AM by Derek »

Offline Bill21

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 901
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2020, 12:04:53 PM »
Metal work lathes have had self ejecting tapers for decades Derek. I just don’t understand why the design is not implemented so well on many wood working lathes. I’m aware that some cheap wood lathes don’t have that feature but I’ve never owned one.


Offline tinyjames

  • iron
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: Drilling with a short throw on the tailstock
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2020, 09:56:22 AM »
I would try and buy a different tail stock second hand would be the way to go

James

advice only after viewing you image