Lathe Problem

[Barry Bruner]

First of all if I could afford a Powermatic I would not have this problem but I couldn`t. I bought a Jet 1236 lathe about 3 years ago and it is a good, cheap light lathe and maybe underpowered, so in other words I should have bought something else. I just got a Grizzly G O462 that has 2 hp. and is a good bit heavier, down side it is not as well made in some ways. The live end and the tail end like about 1/16 of an inch lining up, is this a problem? I have a Vega duplicator on the Jet and it does ok, but duplicators are not what the are cracked up to be. It might just be me but I am about as fast without it. Barry Bruner

[Ken LaSota]

Barry as for the alignment I would slip a metal shim under the low piece(headstock or tail).
Ken

[Bob Hampton]

barry does that one have the swivel head? I cant remember if it does or not.

If it does then u can align it by loosening the lock and moving the head just a little then lock it down again.(this is moving the head within the movement of the pin dont pull the pin ...your actually compensating for a little "play" within the slot the pin is in) I had to do this to my HF lathe and it worked out fine.
Bob

[Mike Lipke]

My Jet 1642 is a pretty substantial unit, buy I can still get the thing to be out of alignment by not having it leveled.

In other words, if I have a perfectly aligned head and tail stock, and then put a 1/4" shim on the floor under one leg, the alignment changes by about a 1/16".

Try adjusting the feet, or try shimming.

[Barry Bruner]

Sounds like one of the two remedies should solve my problem and yes it does have a swevil head. I actually got it to put the Vega duplicator on but it is a 16 x 43" and the brackets look like they will need spacers to raise it up about 1 1/2 inches. It seems like you can`t push the duplicator very fast on the Jet with the 3/4 hp. motor. Barry Bruner

[Bob Hampton]

Barry mike made a good point that i had forgot about..the lathe does need to be level first...if that doesnt work then loosen the head and try that...sometimes there is just enough slack there to make it come into alignment...whenever i swivel the head on mine I have to bring the tailstock up and realign it before I lock it down back over the bed.
Bob

[Barry Bruner]

First of all I want to thank all three of you for the suggestions, they worked. I thought I had a defective lathe and I only needed to adjust it like you mentioned before locking it in place, and I did check it and it was extremly level, thanks again. Barry Bruner