Tailstock

Last Updated: 17 February 2009

The tailstock is pretty simple. It's really just a cylindrical ram and a leadscrew. This first photo is what it looked like sitting on the lathe when I bought it.

The tailstock runs on it's own ways, which you might assume aren't heavily worn since the tailstock isn't in use as often as the carriage. But you'd be wrong - the tailstock ways and base (to be seen) are both heavily worn. This lathe has seen a ton of use, that's for sure.

The blind hole labeled here is for something South Bend called a "dauber". You can find a discussion of what it is here. Basically it's an oiler for lubricating a dead center.

Oilers are 3/16" drive-in type, readily available new.

If you plan to completely dismantle the tailstock you'll want to remove the end cap while the tailstock body is clamped securely to the lathe bed. The end cap may be very tight, so having the tailstock on the bed and clamped into position makes it much easier to remove.

Remove the handwheel by removing the nut as shown. Be careful not to lose the little pin that acts like a key to lock the handwheel to the tailstock ram leadscrew. The end cap has a hexagonal body that can be gripped with a 1-11/16" socket (yes, that's a big socket).

To remove the tailstock from the bed, simply unscrew the tailstock clamping nut completely, which will release the tailstock clamp shown here, beneath the bed. With the clamp removed, lift the tailstock off the ways. It weighs around 20 lb.

Dismantling is straightforward. First remove the ram by turning the leadscrew clockwise until the ram runs right off the end of it. The parts manual indicates a rubber washer is normally present at the end of the leadscrew (mine was missing), but the ram should take care of pulling that off when it comes off the end of the screw.

Then remove the ram locking mechanism by unscrewing it counter clockwise. It uses two aluminum "grips" (which the South Bend parts diagram calls "plugs") that jamb against the ram when the lever is tightened. The first photo here is showing the hole left after the lever and plugs have been removed. It may be necessary to punch the plugs out from the bottom as shown in the photo, but they're not a very tight fit.

The second photo here shows two "mystery" items in the tailstock. The South Bend parts diagram refers to them as a set screw and a pin. It turns out the pin is there to prevent the aforementioned aluminum plugs from dropping out if you remove the locking lever. The set screw is holding the little key that sits in the bottom of the tailstock casting.

If you need to remove the oilers (like I did), just yank them out with a pair of pliers. The correct replacement is McMaster-Carr part number 1232K31, which is a 3/16" drive-in Gits-brand oil hole cover. Both of mine had felts in both oil holes. I replaced the one in the end cap with a piece of 1/8" diameter F1 (by slipping a piece into the oil hole cover after reassembly). The one in the main body of the tailstock I left off, since I figure it's better to just let the oil flow into the casting unimpeded by the presence of a felt. Why was there a felt there to begin with? To retain oil rather than letting it run out. Without the felt you must add oil before each use, whereas with a felt you can add oil only when the oil cover goes dry. I'd rather just add oil before each use.

There are large wiper felts on the front and rear of the tailstock. The old ones are shown in the photo above. I cut new ones from 1/8" thick F1 felt, which is the same stuff I used for the way wipers on the saddle.

To make the new felts, I simply used the metal shields that mount over top of the felts to make a paper template. From that template, then, I cut from the sheet of F1 using a sharp razor blade. The first photo here shows one of the two tailstock wipers (the other one is identical) soaked in oil (Mobil Vactra No. 2) and ready for installation.

The second photo here shows a felt reinstalled on the tailstock base. The felt must be trimmed flush with the ways of the tailstock (the area between the ways can be left alone). The tailstock base needs to slide on its ways, not on the felts, so it's important to ensure when you place the tailstock down on the bed ways it isn't sitting on the felt.