locking plate for PM

[Harvey M. Taylor]

anyone considered making or having made a square locking plate for the tail stock and/or banjo for your powermatic lathe? I am about ready to start using a cheater pipe to tighten mine down.Underneath the ways has been smoothed out to accept about a half inch surface for holding. Max

[Sean Troy]

Are you having problems locking down the banjo/tailstock? If you are, you can adjust the tension.

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Hi Sean, no that isnt the problem. I have plenty of 'handle' left, it jus slips when I tighten it down hard.was thinking a square one would have more surface and would nold better. Max

[Steve Campbell]

I know it sounds strange but try loosening the nut on the bottom instead of tightening it. It works..........................

Steve

[Jeff Nicol]

I have not had any trouble with my PM3520B. If the handle does not go far enough over center it will always creep loose. So check and make sure they are not to tight.

Jeff

[Sean Troy]

Hi Sean, no that isnt the problem. I have plenty of 'handle' left, it jus slips when I tighten it down hard.was thinking a square one would have more surface and would nold better. Max

I wonder if there is some type of build up on the locking plate ? It wouldn't take much.

[Mike Ramsey]

If you smoothed the bottom side of the ways prior to your problem
of slipping then that's probably the cause, the bottom of the ways
should be slightly rough to help hold the clamp in place. If this is not
the case then something is amiss me thinks!

[Frank Kobilsek]

Harvey

I find that dust and clips collect on top of the big locking washer then get squashed between the under side of the ways and the lock washer. I hope that makes sense. Blow off that area and things will clamp down tighter. Mine was so bad once after a long weekend of roughing wet blanks, I had to scrape the washer clean.

Frank

[Reed Gray]

I was told that it is made to slip a little. If it is too tight, you can advance the tailstock spindle to the point where it can break/damage the headstock or tailstock. You want it tight, but not too tight.
robo hippy

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Harvey there is a reason why some turners have been replacing their stock banjo with a Oneway banjo, the excentric shaft in the banjo can exsert soo much pressure before it will flex and bend, a square plate would help with needing less pressure to keep the banjo and also the tailstock from sliding as there is more surface area giving friction.
I changed the round washer on my little lathe , (Delta LA200 midi lathe) to a rectangle one and it works very well keeping the tailstock where I place it.
I'll add a picture I took at that time, I also glued shim stock to the foot to reduce the free play the tailstock had, it is all still there and working just fine :D

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Thanks everybody. I think I have a 'handle' on the problen now. thanky, Max