Lathe Setup Question

[Mike Hollis]

So I got the new Revo 18-36 setup today, and I have a question.

Is this small amount of misalignment something I need to adjust? The photo is taken horizontally, the points are aligned when looking down vertically.

Thanks,

Mike

PS: For some reason the forum rotated my photo, as stated this was taken looking horizontally at the points.

Edit: On second look they aren’t aligned when looking down from the top either.

[John K Jordan]

So I got the new Revo 18-36 setup today, and I have a question.

Is this small amount of misalignment something I need to adjust? The photo is taken horizontally, the points are aligned when looking down vertically.

Thanks,

Mike

PS: For some reason the forum rotated my photo, as stated this was taken looking horizontally at the points.

Edit: On second look they aren’t aligned when looking down from the top either.

I took the liberty to rotate the photo.

The first thing I try when points are not aligned is adjust the leveler of (or shim) one leg of the stand. In your case, I would crank the right front leg up a little and see if that brought the points into alignment when viewed from the top. This has worked in all lathes I've tried it on, one in a the middle of a demo when Mark StLeger said the misalignment would mess with the next step in his demo. The cast iron bed is actually flexible and adjusting one leg will twist the entire bed a little.

I don't have experience with the vertical misalignment. Usually just the horizontal is out. Maybe adjust it will change the other, I don't know.

BTW, is the misalignment consistent as you rotate the center in the headstock spindle or the live center taper in the tailstock? If not, maybe check for debris or a burr. A taper cleaner is handy.

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

I forgot to say the misalignment doesn't make much difference on long spindles but can cause problems with smaller, precision work where the tailstock is closer to the headstock.

[ChrisA Edwards]

It looks like you can adjust the side to side alignment on both the headstock and tailstock, page 35-36 of the 24-36 manual, probably a fee pages earlier in the 18-36 manual.

[Bill Jobe]

You can buy various thicknesses of steel shims. 002", .003" and so forth.
I'd give that a try.

[William C Rogers]

Well you don’t know if it is the lathe or your revolving center. I never like using a revolving center to check the alignment. If you have another spur center use that or borrow one. You can adjust that lathe, but wouldn’t until you can further check.

[Barry McFadden]

My 18/36 was out a bit when I got it. When I turned it by hand I could see that the pointed pin in the spur center was bent a bit. Laguna sent me a new spur center and everything was fine after that...

[Eric Danstrom]

That small amount of mis-alignment could be some particles in the MT taper. I'd leave it be and start turning and burning.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

as JKJ mentioned - I’d check the bed for level and twist. Cast iron beds are easily flexed by not leveling the feet. Check both across the ways and along the ways and get it level before doing anything like shimming - you may just find that its back in alignment. Also well worth making sure your centers are accurate and the tapers are clean and free of burrs.

[Carey Silk]

The revo has steel beds but are still adjustable for twist. Just try and level both ways on the bed, mine after levelling was true out of the box