Jet min lathe tail stock wheel coming off

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Hi All, Has anybody had their tailstock wheel come off? Mine keeps coming off especially when I try to eject my live stock. I notice there is no flat on the shaft and I wonder why. They just have one small allen screw holding the wheel on and it seems inadequate. Anybody put a flat on the shaft to help hold it on? Any ideas appreciated.

[Paul Atkins]

You could drill a dimple in the shaft a little easier I would think.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

That sounds like a good idea Paul but I wonder how hard it will be drilling a dimple on a round shaft. Maybe I could make a 45 degree jig for the drill press etc. I'll figure it out. Thanks :)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Touch the round shaft to your grinder. Should make a usable flat spot in seconds.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks Steve, that sounds easy and should solve the problem.

[Josiah Bartlett]

That sounds like a good idea Paul but I wonder how hard it will be drilling a dimple on a round shaft. Maybe I could make a 45 degree jig for the drill press etc. I'll figure it out. Thanks :)

Alternately, take the set screw out and stick a center punch through hole and give it a whack to create a dimple. It shouldn't take a large dimple.

Sometimes set screws just back out. In that case, I use a shorter screw and stack another one in the bore to double lock it in, or just use red locktite.

[curtis rosche]

unless you have special bits, i dont think that a drill would work. drill bits are softer than the spindle. most spindles are high quality tool steel.

[Steven DeMars]

Not RED Loctite, use blue . . . I learned the hard way . . .

P.S. If I have it back-wards my bad . . . point is, you do not want to use LOCTITE'S best locking, you will strip it if you ever have to disassemble your tailstock . . .

Steve:)

[Paul Atkins]

My answer was overly simple. I assumed the shaft would be centerpunched and put in the drill press vice. The wheel is on a screw shaft not the spindle itself which is softer than the drill bit. The spindles have to be machined at some point and would not be hardened afterwards, so they are also softer than HSS drill bits. I have machined Delta spindles with my machine lathe using HSS bits with no problem. I have one tailstock wheel that someone put on with a tapered pin -badly. I have sleeved wheels that were worn and turned the shaft to fit. All sorts of fun, huh?

[mickey cassiba]

Easier still...buy a (or grind your own) pointed set screw...there are three types:
1 Cup end,
2 Flat end
3 point end
with option 3 you will deform the shaft, but not as badly as with the cup end.

Just my two cents.

[Josiah Bartlett]

Not RED Loctite, use blue . . . I learned the hard way . . .

P.S. If I have it back-wards my bad . . . point is, you do not want to use LOCTITE'S best locking, you will strip it if you ever have to disassemble your tailstock . . .

Steve:)

Oops, you are right, got my colors mixed up. The light duty stuff will work fine.