[Vogavt]

Simply put, I want to mount the rotary table vertically and use the tailstock.

My question is since I will need to move the tailstock closer and farther away depending on the workpiece length, how do I ensure they are in alignment like on a lathe? Is there a quick method to do this? I haven't seen any available plans by anyone or kits that make it simple.

I can certainly produce the kit to make it happen, but I don't want to reinvent the wheel. I was thinking about a long flat piece to mount the table to and some sort of rail mount for the tailstock that is bolted down to the same table. I'd want this table removable of course, so I'd have to come up with a means of truing it up to the mill bed each time I need to use it.

Any advice or has anyone already solved this?

[Fastest1]

Why not use a dial indicator in a magnetic base attached to the face of the rotary table. Rotate it around the tailstock til it is centered. Just like indicating in a tailstock on a lathe. Check Mr. Pete out.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QADD2XQFDds"]YouTube - Part 1 TAILSTOCK ALIGNMENT on Clausing Atlas South Bend Lathes[/nomedia]
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EZh8SUoA4o"]YouTube - Part 2 TAILSTOCK ALIGNMENT on LOGAN HARDINGE South Bend Lathes[/nomedia] you should be able to see the similarities in concept. Part 2 is the video more applicable to your situation I think.

[TXFred]

If you want a quickly movable tailstock that will always stay in alignment with the 4th axis, then what you need to look at is lathe tailstocks. This is what they do.

The simplest thing might be to get some linear rail and mount the tailstock to it. That way it can be slid to any position needed. Once in place, you would use some sort of clamping system to hold the tailstock in place.

Or perhaps get a 7x10 lathe bed and cut it up to make what you need.

Just tossing out ideas. Maybe one of them is a good one.

Frederic

[Fixittt]

Make a simple bracket that will fit under your tailstock. Have a lip that will over lap the trailing edge of your table. Chuck up the tailstock into a chuck on the rotary. Lock down any height adjustment bolts and the bolts to the new bracket.

[Fastest1]

Though this would work for most things I would do, do you think it is very accurate? The indicator on the face will get you centered perfectly if your wanting verification.

Make a simple bracket that will fit under your tailstock. Have a lip that will over lap the trailing edge of your table. Chuck up the tailstock into a chuck on the rotary. Lock down any height adjustment bolts and the bolts to the new bracket.

[rowbare]

Key the tailstock to the t-slot. On any decent mill this should keep you to within a thou or two.

bob

[pete from TN]

Fixitt has the ticket I think... That is a great idea and while the Tee slots should be fine they are not what I would call precision on my machine nor were they on any other machines I have owned. The tables edge would be more trustworthy if you ask me. I like the idea of making the brackets and attaching the the tailstock and headstock to it and adjusting. Then once you get it set you can always sweep the tailstock with a coaxial indicator or some other method. I have seen people use a simple straight ruler captured between the dead center in the headstock and a dead center in the tailstock... if it stays straight up and down you are good if not it will be obvious what needs to be adjusted. Peace

Pete

[Vogavt]

Thanks for all the responses! I really appreciate the feedback.

I like Fixxit's idea. I was wanting something that I could remove when not needed and this will fit the bill. I'll have to make sure the plate, the rotary table and the tailstock are all in line with the x-axis too.

So it seems the process would be to align the tailstock to the R-table first and set it's cleat accordingly, then I'd make sure the table is aligned with the X-axis. I would need to put some cleats on the front of the plate for easy referencing when taking off and putting it back on once it get it's cleats set too.

I didn't really see a way to fasten the tailstock down at any given location. Did I miss it?

Thanks again!
Vogavt

[pete from TN]

Perhaps it is not clear in the pictures he posted but what you are looking for is a pair of L shaped plates with the L-ledge getting used to align the two plates to the front edge of the table. Then you mount the rotary table to it's plate and indicate the face of the rotary table or the chuck along the Y axis or perpendicular to the X axis. Set it at whatever height you think you will need and lock it down to the already locked down L plate. Once you have the rotary table aligned with the X table mount the tailstock to the OTHER L-plate and align the tailstock to the rotary table's center axis via shimming or offsetting the tailtock if it has that feature. Once you get that right, you should be able to move the tailstock anywhere along the X axis travel and stay in relative alignment. Does that make sense. Essentially two plates one for the head and one for the tailstock that have indexing edges that reference the front edge of the table and that is basically it.......or am I missing your question entirely....it has happened before ya know. Honestly I know everything there is to know and if I do not know it, well hell it is not worth knowing right!!!(flame2)

Peace

Pete

[Fixittt]

Pete, I think he was referring to bolting down the bottom bracket to the X table. For that I use simple toenail clamps. As I have the tooling plate bolt pattern on my table.

I did not build in any X table mounting holes to the bottom bracket because it was more of a challenge by one of my clients. There was some debate on how to re-align the tail stock each time for different sized parts. One of the clients solutions was to have an entire plate and rail system made for close to $4000 at a machine shop. I told him I could solve the problem in under 2 hours with a scrap piece of aluminum.

[Tex-VA]

Simply put, I want to mount the rotary table vertically and use the tailstock.
Any advice or has anyone already solved this?

Here's what I did. I turned a plug, 60 degree center drilled in the face to fit the table. The tailstock should have a 60 degree point.





Adjust the height of the tailstock to fir the rotary table plug.





This works for me, hope it helps. Tex

[Vogavt]

Yes, I was referring to how to ensure alignment of the tailstock no matter what location/distance it is from the face of the rotary table. Using the cleat on the front should "relatively" alleviate the issue as Pete says.


@ Tex,

I like the idea of making the plug for a quick setup near the face. That should be easy enough to do. I really don't want to take it to the RDM state of aligning the stock, but I'd like it as close to correct as is reasonable for this machine. Since it looks like you're using the mill bed to rest the tailstock directly on, when you move it away from the face, how do you make sure it's still aligned to the X-axis? Do you have a square bar that sits down in the ways that keeps it in alignment? I would think that a round bar might be better or maybe not. I hate to trouble you but could you post a pic of the bottom of the toolpost if that's what you're doing?

Thanks for all the pictures and explanations.

You guys are great!

Vogavt

[Tex-VA]

Hey Vogavt, The Rotary Table and Tailstock are from The LIttle Machine Shop and I was told they were made by Sieg. They both came with aligning pins or in this case squares but they were made for the X-2 (10 mm table slots?) and the X-1 has 8 mm table slots so I removed them. I found that on the Rotary Table a machinist square worked well for mounting it on the table and I just slid the tailstock up to the mandrel and mounted it.

Here's photos of the X-1 cutting the teeth on a 42 tooth gear for a South Bend 9" Lathe:





I had planed to install some aligning pins but all seems to be working well so I haven't gotten around to it. Tex