Morse taper repair

[Roger Davis TN]

402879I have spun my number 2 Morse taper in my headstock, probably was dirty. The 4 prong drive has some rings on it. Now the taper has mirrored the marks on another drive. Can I clean the marks up with a wheel cylinder hone? If it will fit?

[Steve Eure]

Mike Peace has a short video that has some good tips on cleaning Morse tapers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5slFXuWBIjk

Check out his video. It may be of some help.
Steve

[Steve Demuth]

If it is actually damaged, then you're probably better off springing for a MT reamer (https://www.amazon.com/Morse-Taper-Finishing-Reamer-Speed/dp/B00P034HQ0/ref=sr_1_2?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1549452662&sr=1-2&keywords=MT+reamer) to clean it up. Trying to hone it is going to be hard - both because the hone won't fit in the smaller part of the taper, and because for the taper to do it's job, it has to be precisely tapered, and honing a precise taper enough to remove any actual damage is difficult to do accurately.

[John K Jordan]

402879I have spun my number 2 Morse taper in my headstock, probably was dirty. The 4 prong drive has some rings on it. Now the taper has mirrored the marks on another drive. Can I clean the marks up with a wheel cylinder hone? If it will fit?

I haven't tried a cylinder hone.

I've done simple repairs using a round file to remove gauling. I fixed one like this recently on my metal-cutting lathe when a drill bit caught in a chunk of aluminum and spun, gauling the taper and the mandrel. (make sure you repair the mandrel too - I used an extra fine diamond hone.

I finally broke down and bought #2MT reamers to clean up the tapers. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07933VYD7

To keep the tapers clean on the wood lathe I use one of theses many years ago: https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/90/3651/TaperMate-Morse-Taper-Cleaner

JKJ

[Richard Coers]

Hone is for polishing, not removing a lot of metal. But it won't fit anyway. Can you get a new shaft, you didn't mention what lathe you have.

[Alex Zeller]

I haven't tried a cylinder hone.

I've done simple repairs using a round file to remove gauling. I fixed one like this recently on my metal-cutting lathe when a drill bit caught in a chunk of aluminum and spun, gauling the taper and the mandrel. (make sure you repair the mandrel too - I used an extra fine diamond hone.

I finally broke down and bought #2MT reamers to clean up the tapers. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07933VYD7

To keep the tapers clean on the wood lathe I use one of theses many years ago: https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/90/3651/TaperMate-Morse-Taper-Cleaner

JKJ

Can you put them in a 1/2" chuck? I can't remember if the one I have for my tailstock is 1/2" or 5/8". A reamer just seams like one of those things you would never use until you need it then I'd be glad I have it.

[John K Jordan]

Can you put them in a 1/2" chuck? I can't remember if the one I have for my tailstock is 1/2" or 5/8". A reamer just seams like one of those things you would never use until you need it then I'd be glad I have it.

I'd have to check to see if using a chuck would be reasonable. The shaft would have to be precision ground.

No need for a chuck, I think, unless you are milling a taper and size it. For the tailstock I turned the reamer with a small adjustable wrench. When checking the wood lathe headstock I held the reamer with the wrench and turned the headstock wheel by hand.

JKJ

[Leo Van Der Loo]

402879I have spun my number 2 Morse taper in my headstock, probably was dirty. The 4 prong drive has some rings on it. Now the taper has mirrored the marks on another drive. Can I clean the marks up with a wheel cylinder hone? If it will fit?

I would go and visit a machine shop and see if I could beg borrow a MT reamer, or else buy one (expensive though) do not use files or other pieces in the taper, or you will wreck the taper and need a new spindle.

You have to be very careful using a good taper so you. just remove the burrs and not open the taper up.

The only other manner would to take the spindle to a machine shop and have them clean it for you, always clean your tapers before inserting anything in them.

[Marvin Hasenak]

I have redone a few old piece of equipment including a few lathes. Most likely you only have scratches, you just need to remove the high spots, a 2MT reamer can cost between $10 and $30 plus shipping. All it will do by hand is remove the high spots to allow the arbor to seat properly. Just push it in, and turn using a wrench will clean any high spots, no need to clean and smooth out all of the deep gouges. Having a few scratches won't hurt it holding capability.

An the flea market on the Internet you can find both new and used. Or do as I would do and buy one from Victor Machine https://www.victornet.com/detail/RMT-2.html

[John K Jordan]

Marvin makes a good point which I may not have made clear. With the inexpensive #2MT reamer set I bought ($30) I am NOT machining the taper but just knocking off the galled high spots, usually just a very low ring of raised metal caused by something plowing when the arbor spins in the socket. The socket and the arbor is usually deformed some. This is the same thing I do with a round file but quicker since it's just a hand-held turn of the reamer instead of filing all the way around the inside circumference. As Marvin pointed out, any scratches are of no concern.

To prevent problems, it's probably a good idea to wipe the taper of the drive or drill chuck occasionally with a cloth or paper towel. The taper cleaner I linked to earlier is good for cleaning the inside of the tapers but it does cost money - a rolled-up piece of paper towel with a little mineral spirits on it will work - some people wrap it around a dowel rod.

I suspect the one from Victor Machine may be better quality than what I bought through Amazon.

JKJ



I have redone a few old piece of equipment including a few lathes. Most likely you only have scratches, you just need to remove the high spots, a 2MT reamer can cost between $10 and $30 plus shipping. All it will do by hand is remove the high spots to allow the arbor to seat properly. Just push it in, and turn using a wrench will clean any high spots, no need to clean and smooth out all of the deep gouges. Having a few scratches won't hurt it holding capability.

An the flea market on the Internet you can find both new and used. Or do as I would do and buy one from Victor Machine https://www.victornet.com/detail/RMT-2.html

[Clint Bach]

Morse taper reamers usually have a dimple in the back that you can put your tailstock live center in. This keeps it perfectly aligned. Lock the spindle and turn the reamer with a tap wrench or regular wrench. You can use the quill feed to add pressure. Use oil. This worked great for my lathe. Easy and very precise... Painless except for the price... And not really all that costly and then you have the reamer for future issues. Btw, not all spindles have perfect morse tapers from the factory and this also fixes that issue.

Hope this helps.

Clint

[Alex Zeller]

I was thinking that if you have a chuck for the tailstock you could use that to apply a small amount of pressure while turning the headstock by hand (assuming you have a hand wheel).

[Roger Davis TN]

Guess I need a reamer. I have a reversing chuck tool for my vaccumn system. The marks are not to bad, just do not want them to get worse. Maybe I could borrow one from someone from SMWT. I turned six green bowls this week and they are in my trash can dryer with a one hundred watt light bulb. I sealed two all over, two on the end grain and none on the last two. We will see what happens in a week or so. Thanks all. Roger Davis

[John K Jordan]

For those who don't know, when reaming or tapping on the lathe it's easier if you use a spring-loaded tension pin in the tailstock. When tapping, especially, the spring not only keeps the tap perfectly aligned it will keep pressure on the tap as it advances instead of having to coordinate advancing the tailstock quill to match the advance of the threads.

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B5HPSGI but there are cheaper. Since some taps have a centering conically shaped hole and others have a conical point, most of these spring-loaded guides let you use either by reversing the pin.

JKJ



Morse taper reamers usually have a dimple in the back that you can put your tailstock live center in. This keeps it perfectly aligned. Lock the spindle and turn the reamer with a tap wrench or regular wrench. You can use the quill feed to add pressure. Use oil. This worked great for my lathe. Easy and very precise... Painless except for the price... And not really all that costly and then you have the reamer for future issues. Btw, not all spindles have perfect morse tapers from the factory and this also fixes that issue.

Hope this helps.

Clint

[Mike Peace]

You might find this video helpful. I ordered a rough and fine reamers from eBay for about $14 for the pair including shipping. https://youtu.be/1yOzPAO4_ds

[Roger Davis TN]

Thanks Mike, I will do just that and follow your video. Roger