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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    gold coast
    Posts
    303

    Default Help with tailstock

    Hi everyone.
    I really need a bit of advice and help please.
    I have a AL250G lathe and for some ungodly reason I pulled on the inner shaft when it was almost extended and pulled it out of the body. Please dont ask me how or why I did this.
    The problem now is I cant get it back.
    I can slide it into the body but I cant get the threaded rod to engage to pull it back inside, when I reverse the adjustment wheel
    I also notice theres a small keyway along the underside and I have no idea if anything should engage there to stop the shaft from rotating. (Im guessing there should be something).
    I've messed around with it on the bench for half an hour with no success, and Im hoping theres a sequence of steps I dont know about.
    I'm open to any advice or help please
    regards
    Brin

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    Not familiar with your lathe, but it sounds like the key has dropped out.
    Take it off the lathe completely, find the key and resemble it, a dob of grease to hold it in position if it tries jumping out
    Using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,541

    Default

    Don't panic Brin (Brian!) it will go back together as that is the way they are built.

    Michael

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Hi Brian,
    My lathe does this nasty little trick on occasion. It's not a biggy.

    I think you may find the key located at 6 ock and 25mm or so back from the front edge.
    That's if-if the generics of our lathes are similar.

    If so, its just a matter of making sure the key is level/horizontal-not cocked high, one end or the other.

    The trick is to engage the external keyway in the threaded tube to the key by working the tube slightly one side to the other in a twisting motion and applying light pressure.

    My money is on the key not being level.

    Grahame


    I had mine off and back on in a few minutes. Pic belowTailstock keyway.jpg

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Sydney Australia
    Posts
    142

    Default

    Remember too, it's a left-hand thread. CCW to re-engage !

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    gold coast
    Posts
    303

    Default

    Thank you all for your thoughtful and helpful advice.
    I took the tailstock off and set it up in the vice where i caould see it properly.
    As you suggested theres a key inside the bore.
    HOWEVER being a chinese lathe it took several tries before I realised the key was not the sort of thing I was used to and in fact had a little spindle on the underside that slipped into a little drilled hole. This means the key can turn any which way, and does so as soon as the spindle of the tailshadt touches it.
    so it took some stoning and care before I could get it to engage in the keyway.
    Once that was done the rest was easy.
    My thanks agai for all the help
    warm regards
    Brian

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,439

    Default

    Hi Guys,

    The quill anti rotation key on the Optimum mill is like that ! A rectangular strip with a little spigot that sits in a hole. Cheap but effective.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    10

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Briangoldcoast View Post
    Thank you all for your thoughtful and helpful advice.
    I took the tailstock off and set it up in the vice where i caould see it properly.
    As you suggested theres a key inside the bore.
    HOWEVER being a chinese lathe it took several tries before I realised the key was not the sort of thing I was used to and in fact had a little spindle on the underside that slipped into a little drilled hole. This means the key can turn any which way, and does so as soon as the spindle of the tailshadt touches it.
    so it took some stoning and care before I could get it to engage in the keyway.
    Once that was done the rest was easy.
    My thanks agai for all the help
    warm regards
    Brian
    Hi,

    My Sieg C6 lathe had the same crappy key on a short post, Real pain the ass.

    Recently I Grabbed a suitable bolt from Bunnings and milled the bolt head to match the shape of the key, then turned down the bolt shaft to 6mm and ran a thread in it and cut it to length and cut a grove for a screwdriver in the end, It now goes through the tail stock and I can use a screw driver to get it in line with the Slot and put lock nut and a dome nut on it,

    Now it is east to put the tail stock shaft back in the tail stock as the key is locked in place.

    Regards
    Ray

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