Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Help - headstock spindle problem

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    College Station, Texas
    Posts
    200

    Help - headstock spindle problem

    I discovered a "groove" around one of my MT2 drive centers about halfway down the taper and can feel a corresponding "ring" in the headstock spindle. I am not sure which is the cause and which is the result, but am worried about permanent damage to the headstock spindle. Has anyone ever seen this problem and what did you do to fix it? I am considering buying a MT2 finishing reamer to try and remove the ring but am not sure how best to use it. If If I do it wrong it could be the first step down a slippery slope to replacing the headstock spindle - not something I'm interested in doing.
    Any suggestions?
    Thanks in advance,
    Dave

    Update - I posted the above without searching first - shame...shame...shame on me. I found a couple of prior posts with similar problems and decided to buy a reamer. However, if anyone has any details on how to use it, I would appreciate hearing them (i.e. dry or cutting oil?). Sorry to clutter the forum with redundant threads.
    Last edited by Dave Mueller; 03-25-2012 at 3:45 PM.
    Way south of most everybody...

  2. #2
    I have done this before, used the reamer dry. You should be removing very little metal, just cleaning up the burr.
    _______________________________________
    When failure is not an option
    Mediocre is assured.

  3. I have used a morse taper #2 reamer.........just put it in with a very slight tailstock pressure.......very slight, and turn the reamer with a wrench to clean up any burr or nicks..........you should be fine, ...........just don't try to shape the whole spindle again......it is made for cleaning up a burr. I got mine from Enco.
    Remember, in a moments time, everything can change!

    Vision - not just seeing what is, but seeing what can be!




  4. #4
    I done this before also. I always use cutting oil to help get a better finish, and also to prolong the life of the reamer. Take as little metal as possible off with the reamer. If evidence of the groove remains, it is not a problem as long as any material that was above the surface has been removed. It takes very little material removal to make the taper to large and your drives spurs, etc. will set to deep and possibly shoulder out before getting tight. I would hold the reamer with a tap wrench and turn it by hand, or if no tap wrench is available, I would use a tee handle of some sort and turn it by hand with the spindle locked. I would not hold the reamer in the tailstock and try to ream the spindle that way, especially under power. The slightest misalignment of the tailstock will result in an inaccurate spindle taper.

    The likely cause for the galling was a bit of dirt in the spindle taper when inserting a drive spur. The bit of dirt doesn't allow the tapers to mate perfectly and the spur will slip (spin) in the spindle and cause the galling.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    McMinnville, Tennessee
    Posts
    1,040
    +1 on the reamer and I would can the drive center. You could sand or grind it but I wouldn't want to take a chance.

    Sid
    Sid Matheny
    McMinnville, TN

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Georgetown,KY
    Posts
    1,106
    It's not that big a deal to remove a slight bump inside the spindle with a reamer, just don't

    force anything and don't turn the lathe ON!!! You should be able to remove the spur taper burr with a diamond hone or whetstone and continue using it when smooth.

  7. I had supposed that anyone would know not to turn the lathe on...............using a reamer is most definitely a "by hand power" job only. The tailstock us simply used to hold the reamer in place and centered correctly.........not for pressure or for powering up the lathe........just enough for the reamer to seat properly and get any burr out of the morse taper.
    Remember, in a moments time, everything can change!

    Vision - not just seeing what is, but seeing what can be!




  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Northern Kentucky
    Posts
    3,279
    do you recommended that we unplug the lathe before any reamer work in the spindle

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    College Station, Texas
    Posts
    200
    Thanks for all the helpful comments - exactly what I was looking for. Is this a great forum or what? Finishing reamer it is. I noticed that Grizzly has one for $32.
    Way south of most everybody...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •